Vertical Design Response Spectra in Case of Varying Deep Geology and Moderate to High Seismicity
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This study aims to investigate the influence of local soil conditions and deep geological settings on vertical pseudo-spectral accelerations (PSA) and their relationship with horizontal PSA through vertical-to-horizontal (V/H) ratios, addressing limitations in current seismic design provisions. A case study is conducted for a representative site in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, characterized by moderate-to-high seismicity and varying deep geological conditions. Regional attenuation equations for the vertical response spectra are presented. Uniform Hazard Spectra (UHS) and V/H ratios are calculated and systematically compared with the recommendations of Eurocode 8 (the 2004 version) for Type 1 and Type 2 spectra. The findings reveal that both local soil and deeper geological structures significantly influence vertical response spectra, leading to substantial deviations in V/H ratios from those prescribed by Eurocode 8. These discrepancies suggest that current code provisions may underestimate vertical seismic demand in certain conditions, potentially affecting structural safety, resilience, and sustainable design. Although the results are derived from a case study in Banja Luka, they provide valuable insight for regions with similar seismic and geological characteristics, particularly where detailed deep geology data remain limited. When more vertical accelerograms become available and the database is enlarged, the presented attenuation equations may be updated, and the vertical UHS easily recalculated.
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