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BY : Ahmed Sakr

1. Seismic Wave
A seismic wave is an elastic wave generated by an impulse such as an earthquake or an explosion. Seismic waves may travel either along or near the earth's surface (Rayleigh and Love waves) or through the earth's interior (P and S waves).

by : Ahmed Sakr

BY : Ahmed Sakr

2. Hypocenter
The hypocenter is the point within the earth where an earthquake rupture starts. The epicenter is the point directly above it at the surface of the Earth. Also commonly termed the focus.

3. Epicenter
The epicenter is the point on the earth's surface vertically above the hypocenter (or focus), point in the crust where a seismic rupture begins.

4. Magnitude of earthquake
The magnitude is a number that characterizes the relative size of an earthquake. Magnitude is based on measurement of the maximum motion recorded by a seismograph. Several scales have been defined, but the most commonly used are: (1) Local magnitude (ML), commonly referred to as "Richter magnitude" (2) surface-wave magnitude (MS) (3) body-wave magnitude (Mb) (4) Moment magnitude (Mw). Scales 1-3 have limited range and applicability and do not satisfactorily measure the size of the largest earthquakes. The moment magnitude (Mw) scale, based on the concept of seismic moment, is uniformly applicable to all sizes of earthquakes but is more difficult to compute than the other types. All magnitude scales should yield approximately the same value for any given earthquake.

by : Ahmed Sakr

BY : Ahmed Sakr

5. Intensity of earthquake
The intensity is a number (written as a Roman numeral) describing the severity of an earthquake in terms of its effects on the earth's surface and on humans and their structures. Several scales exist, but the ones most commonly used in the United States are the Modified Mercalli scale and the RossiForel scale. There are many intensities for an earthquake, depending on where you are, unlike the magnitude, which is one number for each earthquake.

Earthquake Description Magnitude

Typical Maximum Modified Mercalli Intensity I II III III IV IV V VI VII VII VII VII or higher VIII or higher

Micro

Under 2.0 2.0 2.9

Minor 3.0 3.9 Light Moderate Strong Major Great 4.0 4.9 5.0 5.9 6.0 6.9 7.0 7.9 8.0 or higher

by : Ahmed Sakr

BY : Ahmed Sakr

6. Period of Structure
The period is the time interval required for one full cycle of a wave. It represent the inverse of frequency. Every system has a set of frequencies in which it wants to vibrate when set in motion by some sort of disturbance based on the systems mass and stiffness characteristics.

7. Resonance
Resonance is the tendency of a system to oscillate with greater amplitude at some frequencies than at others. Resonance occurs when a system is able to store and easily transfer energy between two or more different storage modes (such as kinetic energy and potential energy).

8. Tectonic plates
The tectonic plates are the large, thin, relatively rigid plates that move relative to one another on the outer surface of the Earth.

by : Ahmed Sakr

BY : Ahmed Sakr

9. Ring of Fire
The "Ring of Fire", also called the Circum-Pacific belt, is the zone of earthquakes surrounding the Pacific Ocean- about 90% of the world's earthquakes occur there. The next most seismic region (5-6% of earthquakes) is the Alpide belt (extends from Mediterranean region, eastward through Turkey, Iran, and northern India.

10. Major Earthquake


Major Earthquake Causes damage to most buildings, some to partially or completely collapse or receive severe damage. Well-designed structures are likely to receive damage. Felt across great distances with major damage mostly limited to 250 km from epicenter. Death toll ranges from none to 250,000. Magnitude of major earthquakes: 7.0-7.9 Mercalli intensity of major earthquakes: VIII or greater Average frequency of occurrence (estimated): 10 to 20 per year

by : Ahmed Sakr

BY : Ahmed Sakr

11. Seismograph
A seismograph, or seismometer, is an instrument used to detect and record earthquakes. Generally, it consists of a mass attached to a fixed base. During an earthquake, the base moves and the mass does not. The motion of the base with respect to the mass is commonly transformed into an electrical voltage. The electrical voltage is recorded on paper, magnetic tape, or another recording medium. This record is proportional to the motion of the seismometer mass relative to the earth, but it can be mathematically converted to a record of the absolute motion of the ground. Seismograph generally refers to the seismometer and its recording device as a single unit.

12. Mercalli Scale


The Mercalli intensity scale is a seismic scale used for measuring the intensity of an earthquake. It measures the effects of an earthquake, and is distinct from the moment magnitude usually reported for an earthquake (sometimes misreported as the Richter magnitude), which is a measure of the energy released. The intensity of an earthquake is not totally determined by its magnitude. The scale quantifies the effects of an earthquake on the Earth's surface, humans, objects of nature, and man-made structures on a scale from I (not felt) to XII (total destruction). Values depend upon the distance to the earthquake, with the highest intensities being around the epicentral area.

by : Ahmed Sakr

BY : Ahmed Sakr

I. Generally not felt by people unless in favorable Instrumental conditions. II. Weak
Felt only by a couple people that are sensitive, especially on the upper floors of buildings. Delicately suspended objects (including chandeliers) may swing slightly. Felt quite noticeably by people indoors, especially on the upper floors of buildings. Many do not recognize it as an earthquake. Standing automobiles may rock slightly. Vibration similar to the passing of a truck. Duration can be estimated. Indoor objects (including chandeliers) may shake. Felt indoors by many to all people, and outdoors by few people. Some awakened. Dishes, windows, and doors disturbed, and walls make cracking sounds. Chandeliers and indoor objects shake noticeably. The sensation is more like a heavy truck striking building. Standing automobiles rock noticeably. Dishes and windows rattle alarmingly. Damage none. Felt inside by most or all, and outside. Dishes and windows may break and bells will ring. Vibrations are more like a large train passing close to a house. Possible slight damage to buildings. Liquids may spill out of glasses or open containers. None to a few people are frightened and run outdoors. Felt by everyone, outside or inside; many frightened and run outdoors walk unsteadily. Windows, dishes, glassware broken; books fall off shelves; some heavy furniture moved or overturned; a few instances of fallen plaster. Damage slight to moderate to poorly designed buildings, all others receive none to slight damage.

III. Slight

IV. Moderate

V. Rather Strong

VI. Strong

by : Ahmed Sakr

BY : Ahmed Sakr

VII. Very Strong

Difficult to stand. Furniture broken. Damage light in building of good design and construction; slight to moderate in ordinarily built structures; considerable damage in poorly built or badly designed structures; some chimneys broken or heavily damaged. Noticed by people driving automobiles. Damage slight in structures of good design, considerable in normal buildings with a possible partial collapse. Damage great in poorly built structures. Brick buildings easily receive moderate to extremely heavy damage. Possible fall of chimneys, factory stacks, columns, monuments, walls, etc. Heavy furniture moved. General panic. Damage slight to moderate (possibly heavy) in well-designed structures. Well-designed structures thrown out of plumb. Damage moderate to great in substantial buildings, with a possible partial collapse. Some buildings may be shifted off foundations. Walls can fall down or collapse. Many well-built structures destroyed, collapsed, or moderately to severely damaged. Most other structures destroyed, possibly shifted off foundation. Large landslides. Few, if any structures remain standing. Numerous landslides, cracks and deformation of the ground.

VIII. Destructive

IX. Violent

X. Intense

XI. Extreme

Total destruction everything is destroyed. Lines of sight and level distorted. Objects thrown into the air. The XII. ground moves in waves or ripples. Large amounts of rock Catastrophic move position. Landscape altered, or leveled by several meters. Even the routes of rivers can be changed.

by : Ahmed Sakr

BY : Ahmed Sakr

13. Dynamic magnification factor


Dynamic magnification factor: is defined as the ration between the dynamic deflection and static deflection at any time which would have resulted from the static application of the the external load Dynamic Amplification: Shaking levels at a site may be increased, or amplified, by focusing of seismic energy caused by the geometry of the sediment velocity structure, such as basin subsurface topography, or by surface topography. Two important local geologic factors that affect the level of shaking experienced in earthquakes are: (1) The softness of the surface rocks (2) The thickness of surface sediments. This image of the Los Angeles region combines this information to predict the total amplification expected in future earthquakes from local geologic conditions or site effects.

by : Ahmed Sakr

BY : Ahmed Sakr

14. Ductility
In Materials science, ductility is a solid material's ability to deform under tensile stress In Earth science, ductility refers to the tendency of rock to deform to large strains without macroscopic fracturing. Such behavior may occur in weak materials such as halite or at greater depths in all rock types where higher temperatures promote crystal plasticity and higher confining pressures suppress brittle fracture.

by : Ahmed Sakr

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