Effect of Regional Topography on Ground Motion Amplification Factors
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This study systematically investigates how regional topography influences ground motion amplification factors (GMAFs) and clarifies the differences between isolated and complex terrains. Three-dimensional models with viscoelastic artificial boundaries, validated by centrifuge experiments, were used to simulate single-, double-, and regional topographies. The results show significant quantitative differences: for an isolated ridge, the peak acceleration GMAF reaches 3.69 at vertical incidence, while regional topography reduces this by more than 20% owing to ridge interaction effects. Increasing the soil elastic modulus from 150 to 250 MPa resulted in a 204% increase in peak acceleration in the X-direction. Notably, the GMAFs for acceleration, velocity, and displacement exhibited distinct directional variations, with vertical amplification showing the greatest dispersion. The key finding of this study is that the surrounding terrain mitigates the whipping effect of an isolated ridge, and that GMAF assessments must be conducted directionally rather than as a single combined value. These findings underscore the need for separate directional analyses in seismic design codes for mountainous regions.
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