Earthquakes and

Flooding Data
Prepared by:
Rockwell Land Corporation
Design & Planning Team

Definition of Terms
Earthquake
its surface.

Shaking of the Earth caused by a sudden movement of rock beneath

Epicenter

That point on the Earth's surface directly above the hypocenter of an

earthquake.

Fault

A break in the Earth along which movement occurs. Sudden movement along a
fault produces earthquakes.

Intensity

A measure of severity of shaking at a particular site. It is usually

estimated from descriptions of damage to buildings and terrain. The intensity is often
greatest near the earthquake epicenter. Today, the Modified Mercalli Scale is commonly
used to rank the intensity from I to XII according to the kind and amount of damage
produced.

Magnitude

A quantity characteristic of the total energy released by an

earthquake, as contrasted with intensity, which describes its effects at a particular
place. A number of earthquake magnitude scales exist, including local (or Richter)
magnitude, body wave magnitude, surface wave magnitude, moment magnitude, and
coda magnitude. As a general rule, an increase of one magnitude unit corresponds to
ten times greater ground motion, an increase of two magnitude units corresponds to
100 times greater ground motion, and so on in a logarithmic series.

Richter Scale

Also known as the local magnitude (ML) scale, assigns a single

Definition of Terms
Flooding

Is an overflow or accumulation of an expanse of water that submerges

land. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the
tide.

Statistical Hydrology or Flood Study

Analyzes estimate future

hydrologic phenomena, assuming the characteristics of the processes remain
unchanged.

Hydrology

Is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water

throughout Earth, and thus addresses both the hydrologic cycle and water resources.

Above Mean Sea Level (AMSL)

Refers to the elevation (on the ground)

or altitude (in the air) of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. The 0.00
mean sea level is referred from the Manila Bay level.

Return Period

Also known as a recurrence interval is an estimate of the interval

of time between events like an earthquake, flood or river discharge flow of a certain
intensity or size. Can also be expressed as cycle.

Tsunami

A tsunami is a series of very long wavelength ocean waves caused by the

sudden displacement of water by earthquakes, landslides, or submarine slumps.
Ordinarily, tsunamis are produced only by earthquakes exceeding magnitude 7.5. In the
open ocean, tsunami waves travel at speeds of 600-800 kilometers per hour, but their
wave heights are usually only a few centimeters. As they approach shallow water near a

Definition of Terms
Wind Tunnel Test

Is a scaled test to provide the necessary design pressure

measurements for use in the dynamic analysis of the structure. It is used to determine
the appropriate faade materials (e.g. thickness of glass)

Acoustics

Is the interdisciplinary science that deals with sounds. It determines

how much sound passes through different materials and what to use for rooms that
require a specific loudness or quietness expressed in Db or decibels.

Marikina Fault or West Valley Fault System

That earthquake
prone belt on which we, Metro Manila lurkers, sit on. The fault extends from San Mateo,
Rizal all the way down to Taguig down south, carrying with it the weight of these cities:
Marikina, Pasig, Makati, Paranaque and Taguig.

Soil Test

Is the analysis of a soil sample to determine nutrient content,

composition and other characteristics. It determines the type of structural foundation to
use and how deep it should be

Earthquakes

Magnitude 8 Earthquake
Locations Map

Earthquake Fatalities Map

Most Destructive Earthquakes in the

World
Magnitude

Region

Date

9.5

Chile

1960-05-22

9.2

Prince William Sound, Alaska

1964-03-28

9.1

West Coast, Northern Sumatra

2004-12-26

9.0

Kamchatka

1952-11-04

9.0

East Coast of Honshu, Japan

2011-03-11

8.8

Offshore Maule, Chile

2010-02-27

8.8

Off the Coast of Ecuador

1906-01-31

8.7

Rat Islands, Alaska

1965-02-04

8.6

Northern Sumatra, Indonesia

2005-03-28

8.6

Assam, Tibet

1950-08-15

10

8.6

Andreanof Islands, Alaska

1957-03-09

11

8.5

Southern Sumatra, Indonesia

2007-09-12

12

8.5

Banda Sea, Indonesia

1938-02-01

13

8.5

Kamchatka

1923-02-03

14

8.5

Chile-Argentina Border

1922-11-11

15

8.5

Kuril Islands

1963-10-13

Source: USGS.gov

Destructive Earthquakes in the

Philippines
Magnitude

Region

Date

7.9

Luzon

1990-07-16

7.9

Moro Gulf

1976-08-17

7.3

Casiguran

1968-08-02

7.1

Panay

1990-06-14

7.1

Mindoro

1994-11-15

7.0

Ragay Gulf

1973-03-17

6.8

Bohol

1990-02-08

6.8

Palimbang

2002-03-06

6.5

Laoag

1983-08-17

6.2

Masbate

2003-02-15

10

5.6

Bohol

1996-05-27

11

5.1

Bayugan

1999-06-07

Source: USGS.gov

Mercalli Earthquake Intensity Scale

I. Instrumental Generally not felt by people unless in favorable conditions.
Felt only by a few people at best, especially on the upper floors of buildings. Delicately
II. Weak
suspended objects may swing.
Felt quite noticeably by people indoors, especially on the upper floors of buildings. Many do not
III. Slight
recognize it as an earthquake. Standing motor cars may rock slightly. Vibration similar to the
passing of a truck. Duration estimated.
IV. Moderate

Felt indoors by many people, outdoors by few people during the day. At night, some awaken.
Dishes, windows, doors disturbed; walls make cracking sound. Sensation like heavy truck striking
building. Standing motor cars rock noticeably. Dishes and windows rattle alarmingly.

V. Rather
Strong

Felt outside by most, may not be felt by some outside in non-favorable conditions. Dishes and
windows may break and large bells will ring. Vibrations like large train passing close to house.

VI. Strong

Felt by all; 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.

Difficult to stand; furniture broken; damage negligible in building of good design and
VII. Very Strong construction; slight to moderate in well-built ordinary structures; considerable damage in poorly
built or badly designed structures; some chimneys broken. Noticed by people driving motor cars.
Damage slight in specially designed structures; considerable in ordinary substantial buildings
VIII. Destructive with partial collapse. Damage great in poorly built structures. Fall of chimneys, factory stacks,
columns, monuments, walls. Heavy furniture moved.
General panic; damage considerable in specially designed structures, well designed frame
IX. Violent
structures thrown out of plumb. Damage great in substantial buildings, with partial collapse.
Buildings shifted off foundations.
Some well built wooden structures destroyed; most masonry and frame structures destroyed with
X. Intense
foundation. Rails bent.
XI. Extreme

Few, if any masonry structures remain standing. Bridges destroyed. Rails bent greatly.

Total destruction - Everything is destroyed. Lines of sight and level distorted. Objects thrown into
XII. Cataclysmic the air. The ground moves in waves or ripples. Large amounts of rock move position. Landscape
altered, or leveled by several meters. In some cases, even the routes of rivers are changed.
Source: USGS.gov

Mercalli

(Intensity)

vs. Richter Scale

(Magnitude)

1.0 - 3.0

Typical Maximum
Modified Mercalli
Intensity
I

3.0 - 3.9

II - III

4.0 - 4.9

IV - V

5.0 - 5.9

VI - VII

6.0 - 6.9

VII - IX

7.0+

VIII or higher

Richter Magnitude

Source: USGS.gov

Flooding

Philippine Flooding: Historical

Data
Major Flood

Typhoon

Causes of
Flood

No. of
Affected
Families

Estimated
Damage
(in Millions)

1986*

Sisang

O/B/I

1993

Gloring

O/B/I

2,754

1994

Katring

F/O/B/I

13,919

22.8

1995

Rosing

O/B/I

109,254

71.4

1997

Ibiang & Miling

O/B/I

78,953

6.6

2000 May

Biring

O/B/I

30,408

2000 July

Ditang & Eden

O/B/I

2000 November

Seniang

O/B/I

2009
September

Ondoy

F/O/B/I

F-Flash Flood / O-Overflow / B-Bank Erosion / I-Inland Flooding

*Flood Level rose to +4.00 amsl at Lower Marikina River
Source: PAGASA

+3.48

LEGEND:
+8.45

+3.95

Pasig River
Level +2.18

+3.46

Tower GF Interior
Elevation

+2.65 Lowest Point

+3.36

+7.95

+3.57

Street Elevation

*All elevation points are based on

above mean sea level datum

Typhoon Ondoy Visual Flood

Level Mark :
Ankle High
(+/-0.15m-0.20m)

+6.38

+6.46

+6.50

+3.80

+6.81
+5.66

+8.45

+6.93

Knee High
(+/-0.40m-0.5m)

+3.91

+7.75

+9.00

+6.45

Waist High
(+/-1.00m)

+7.54

Chest High
(+/-1.16m-1.20m)

+6.24

+3.95

+6.58
+5.65

+10.20

+7.70

+9.09

+7.33
+11.15

+4.20

+4.40
+6.16

+8.60
+4.25

+12.40
+7.60
+7.90

+11.20

+5.30
+16.60

+13.97

+8.25

+7.22

+5.98

+19.55

Reference Grading Plan & Flooding Heights

1. Data Source: Rockwell Center as-Built Survey by Gildo Jimenez dated 08 August 2006
2. Elevation Mark locations are for reference purposes only not to be construed as exact.

0.30 m high

JP Rizal corner Waterfront Drive

Typhoon Ondoy, September 26, 2009

0.35 m high

Estrella in Front of Joya

Typhoon Ondoy, September 26, 2009

0.25 m high

Estrella in Front of Manansala

Typhoon Ondoy, September 26, 2009

0.15 m high

Estrella corner Rockwell Drive

Typhoon Ondoy, September 26, 2009

LEGEND:
+0.00

Tower GF Interior
Elevation

+0.00

Street Elevation

*All elevation points are based on

above mean sea level datum

Typhoon Ondoy Visual Flood

Level Mark :

+4.46

Ankle High
(+/-0.15m-0.20m)

Lower Marikina
River Level +2.18

+7.66

Knee High
(+/-0.40m-0.5m)
Waist High
(+/-1.00m)
Chest High
(+/-1.16m-1.20m)

+5.16

C-5 Reference Grading Plan & Flood Heights

1. Data Source: Google Ondoy Flooding Map, 2009

2. Elevation Mark locations are for reference purposes only not to be construed as exact.

Geo-Hazard Maps

NORTH: San Juan City

Q.C.

MANILA
CAINTA
SA

RBC

ED

THE GROVE

PA
SI

RI

VE
R

MANDALUYONG
PASIG

EAST: Bgy. Ugong,

E
UP

BLVD.
ROXAS

Y
WA
IGH
RH

AY
AL
A

AV
E.

Pasig City

ROCKWELL
CENTER
-5

BUENDIA AVE.

The Fort

HS
UT
SO

WEST: Bgy. San Isidro,

Pasay City

TAYTAY

SM MOA
Manila Bay

SOUTH: Sitio Masigasig, Taguig City

NAIA
Laguna Lake

N
N

5 KM Radius Map from Rockwell Center

Estate Management Team , June 2010, Source: Google Earth

Metro Manila Geo-Hazard

Maps
Landslide Prone Areas Map
Earthquake Risk Zonation Map
Flood Prone Map

Source: Mines & Geo-Sciences Bureau

Earthquake Risk Zonation

Map

RBC

R
G

Source: Mines & Geo-Sciences Bureau

Flood Prone Area Map

RBC

RBC
G

R
R

Source: Mines & Geo-Sciences Bureau

Liquefaction
Hazards
Map

Philippine Faults and

Trenches Map

Valley Fault System Maps

Valley Fault System Maps

Valley Fault System Maps

Valley Fault System Maps

Valley Fault System Maps

Valley Fault System Maps

Valley Fault System Maps

Valley Fault System Maps

Valley Fault System Maps

Considerations

As Explained by Engr. Wilson Sy of Sy2 (From a letter to Rockwell, dated

28 May 2008)
We will hereunder try to explain seismic design in a layman's term as much as we can, as per your earlier request.
We would like to offer initially a few items that need to be clarified and are enumerated hereunder:
1.Earthquake forces are based on magnitude. Magnitude is the amount of force that one particular earthquake generates. It can be the
magnitude at the focal point or the magnitude at the earth's surface directly vertically up the focal point, which is called the epicenter. The
epicenter therefore, lies on the earths surface. Evidently the magnitude at the epicenter is lower depending on the depth of the focal point
of the earthquakes origin. As additional information, the amount of force that an atomic bomb will generate is also based on magnitude.
2.Intensity is a subjective scale; it is based on the amount of damage that a particular earthquake will generate on the surrounding
buildings. It is never a measure of the strength of the earthquake, but rather a measure of the amount of destruction that it generated on a
particular location.
3.The Richter scale was formulated in 1935, and is not a very accurate way of measuring earthquake magnitude beyond magnitude 7. The
new method of determining the energy released by an earthquake is called Moment magnitude. it is somehow similar to the Richter scale
from magnitudes 1 to 7, but is more accurate in higher magnitudes. More commonly used nowadays, even by the USGS is the Moment
Magnitude Scale. Most Earthquake scales which include the Richter and the Moment Magnitude scales are based on a logarithmic scale
and not a linear scale.
4.This means that magnitude 6 is ten (10) times more powerful than magnitude 5, whereas magnitude 7 is ten (10) times more powerful
than magnitude 6; therefore, magnitude 7 is one hundred (100) times more than magnitude 5.
5.Additional factors that can affect earthquake design are proximity to a known active fault system, the known or expected activity rate of
the known fault zone in terms of slippage per year, the kind or type of soil at the intended building site, the duration of the earthquake, and
the depth of occurrence of the earthquake, or the depth of its focal point from the surface.
We normally design buildings in conformance with the provisions of the National Structural Code of the Philippines (NSCP), 2001 edition
and the Uniform Building Code (UBC) 2004 edition, which is used in the West Coast such as California, in the U.S.A. We have also used
as Additional Codes of Reference, the American Concrete Institute Manual of Concrete Practice (ACI, 318-04 M) and the American
Institute of Steel Construction (AISC, 9th Edition).
Just like Japan and California, most of the Philippines is located under Seismic Zone 4 (except Palawan which is located under Zone 2).
This is in accordance with the above-mentioned Structural Codes. Zone 4 is the zone with the most severe and most damaging seismic
activity. There are specific and a wide range of code provisions that needs to be strictly considered in the design of structures falling under
this special seismic zone. A dedicated chapter in the code is specified for this purpose. All of the applicable provisions of the Uniform
Building Code (UBC) and the American Concrete Institute (ACI), including those of the local code, (NSCP), are all strictly considered in the
Structural Design of the buildings we are designing.
The UBC and the NSCP further require that buildings under Seismic Zone 4 be designed for computed equivalent static forces, as well as
dynamic-induced loading.

Considerations

As Explained by Engr. Wilson Sy of Sy2 (From a letter to Rockwell, dated

28 May 2008)
The dynamic analysis of structures makes use of the code prescribed normalized response spectra as the basis for the simulated
earthquake ground movements. This spectrum is an envelope diagram of the more known and most destructive earthquakes in the past,
wherein the historic data is available, and it includes among others: the El Centro Earthquake, the Mexico Earthquake, the Kobe
earthquake, the Taiwan Jiji earthquake and the Los Angeles Northridge Earthquake, among others.
The codes further stipulate that the resulting dynamic analysis base shear be scaled up to the equivalent static base shear as an added
factor of safety in the design process.
In the dynamic analysis of the structure, which is being performed diligently for most of the structures that we are designing, most
buildings are modeled as three-dimensional space frames considering all of the properties of every structural element.
The 3-dimensional model is analyzed using the latest licensed software from California Structures, Inc. (CSI). We employ the worldrenowned seismic software E.T.A.B.S. for this purpose. This model is then subjected to simulated strong ground earthquake movement
based on the anticipated peak ground accelerations by the 1997 UBC Code. The performance of the structure is then analyzed.
Anticipated stresses at each and every structural member such as beams, columns, shear walls, slabs, and the foundation elements, are
then considered in the design of said structural members.
The combination of gravity, wind and seismic forces are also considered in the analysis, and form part of the rigorous calculations involved
in the Structural Design of the buildings.
Above considerations express that structures designed in conformity with these code provisions, if properly constructed, as per Structural
Design Drawings, will most likely survive a major earthquake with such magnitude which has a 10% probability of occurring during a 50year cycle. The code allows that the structure will suffer a minor degree of damage under strong earthquake tremors, but will not collapse
and will still be serviceable. Life safety is of utmost consideration.
We hope that with the above explanations we were able to address all of your concerns and should you feel the need for further inputs
from our end, please feel free to call on us at a time most convenient to your good selves.
We hope that we have made the issue much clearer and much easier to understand.
Sincerely,
Aromin & Sy + Associates, Inc.
(Signed) WILSON A. SY
Vice-President

Thank You.