Geophysical study and 3D modeling

of site effects in the basin of Marga

Marga, Viña del Mar, Chile.

Luis Podestá (1); Esteban Sáez (2,3)

1) MSc. student, Departamento de Estructuras y Geotecnia, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile,

lpodesta@uc.cl
2) Associate Professor, Departamento de Estructuras y Geotecnia, Pontifical Catholic University of
Chile, esaez@ing.puc.cl.
3) Center for Integrated Natural Disaster Management CONICYT/FONDAP/15110017, Chile.
Study area

Geophysical study and 3D modeling of site effects in the basin of Marga Marga, Viña del
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Damage buildings in February 27th 2010

Adapted from Muñoz 2013 and Jünemann (2015)

Geophysical study and 3D modeling of site effects in the basin of Marga Marga, Viña del
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Geology description

Adapted from Muñoz 2013 and Álvarez (1964)

Geophysical study and 3D modeling of site effects in the basin of Marga Marga, Viña del
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2010 Record of Viña Center seismic station

𝑇𝑜 2010 = 0.61𝑠 ≈ 1.3 · 𝑇𝑜 𝑁𝑎𝑘

~ 4km

𝑇𝑜 𝑁𝑎𝑘 = 0.47𝑠

Geophysical study and 3D modeling of site effects in the basin of Marga Marga, Viña del
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Mar, Chile.
Vs30 distribution

Geophysical study and 3D modeling of site effects in the basin of Marga Marga, Viña del
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Geophysical Survey description: HVSR

Geophysical study and 3D modeling of site effects in the basin of Marga Marga, Viña del
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Sediment depth estimation
• Trend adjustment for 8 shear wave profiles.

Vs 𝑧 = 158,62 𝑧 0.2 [m/s]

Geophysical study and 3D modeling of site effects in the basin of Marga Marga, Viña del
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Sediment depth estimation
• Trend adjustment for 8 shear wave profiles.
• Soil column iteration to equalize the predominant
frequencies in each point.

Vs 𝑧 = 158,62 𝑧 0.2 [m/s]

Geophysical study and 3D modeling of site effects in the basin of Marga Marga, Viña del
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Mar, Chile.
Sediment depth estimation

Geophysical study and 3D modeling of site effects in the basin of Marga Marga, Viña del
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Linear equivalent
In situ properties: 𝑉𝑠 y 𝐺𝑚𝑎𝑥

Assignment: Poisson modulus,

degradation curve, initial
damping (𝛽𝑖 ).

Elastic run.

Determination of 𝛾𝑒𝑓𝑓 for each

element.
NO
Yes
𝐺𝑗 and 𝛽𝑗 upgrade. Error < 5% 𝑢 𝑡 , 𝑢ሶ 𝑡 , 𝑢ሷ 𝑡
Degradation curves Darendeli et al., 2001.

Geophysical study and 3D modeling of site effects in the basin of Marga Marga, Viña del
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Mar, Chile.
SEM Model

Geophysical study and 3D modeling of site effects in the basin of Marga Marga, Viña del
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SEM Model
• Surface: 1x1.6 Km
• 43.350 Nodes
• 37.800 Hexahedral elements
• 2.506.269 Spectral nodes
• SPEED: Open-source code
• Specialized in simulating large-scale
seismic events.

Vs 𝑧 = 158,62 𝑧 0.2 [m/s]

Geophysical study and 3D modeling of site effects in the basin of Marga Marga, Viña del
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 Input motion
• Synthetic Ricker wavelet.
• Plane wavefronts
• Applied on x-axis.
• 0.2 g of PGA.
[g]

Geophysical study and 3D modeling of site effects in the basin of Marga Marga, Viña del
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Mar, Chile.
Result: Synthetic wave

[g]

Geophysical study and 3D modeling of site effects in the basin of Marga Marga, Viña del
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Result: Synthetic wave
PGV x [m/s]

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Result: Synthetic wave
• Point A
PGV x [m/s]

Geophysical study and 3D modeling of site effects in the basin of Marga Marga, Viña del
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Mar, Chile.
Result: Synthetic wave
• Point B
PGV x [m/s]

Geophysical study and 3D modeling of site effects in the basin of Marga Marga, Viña del
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Result: Synthetic wave
• Point C
PGV x [m/s]

Geophysical study and 3D modeling of site effects in the basin of Marga Marga, Viña del
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Discussion and conclusions
• Evidence of damage can’t be explained by Vs30 or the
surface geology.
• The depth of the sediments was satisfactorily obtained up to
the impedance contrast.
• The shape of the basin can induce three-dimensional site
effects.
• Is necessary to include real earthquakes, to introduce full
ranges of frequency.

Geophysical study and 3D modeling of site effects in the basin of Marga Marga, Viña del
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Acknowledgment
• CIGIDEN: National research center for the integrated
management of natural disasters. Research line 1: Solid
Earth Processes And Associated Natural Threats.

Geophysical study and 3D modeling of site effects in the basin of Marga Marga, Viña del
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Mar, Chile.
Geophysical study and 3D modeling
of site effects in the basin of Marga
Marga, Viña del Mar, Chile.