SCEC Award Number 13138 View PDF
Proposal Category Workshop Proposal
Proposal Title Ground Motion Simulation Validation Technical Activity Group Workshops
Investigator(s)
Name Organization
Nicolas Luco United States Geological Survey
Other Participants Rezaeian, Sanaz
United States Geological Survey
SCEC Priorities 6 SCEC Groups GMSV, EEII, GMP
Report Due Date 10/08/2013 Date Report Submitted N/A
Project Abstract
 The SCEC Ground Motion Simulation Validation (GMSV) Technical Activity Group (TAG) focuses on developing and implementing, via collaboration between ground motion modelers and engineering users, testing/rating methodologies for the use of ground motion simulations in engineering applications. Via the two workshops funded by this award, the GSMV-related SCEC projects funded in 2013 were coordinated with each other, their 2012 counterparts, the SCEC Software Environment for Integrated Seismic Modeling (SEISM) project, the SCEC Broadband Platform validation project, and the SCEC Committee for Utilization of Ground Motion Simulations (UGMS). Plans for future GMSV TAG projects were also discussed at the two workshops. It is important to note that each of the two workshops included participation from both ground motion modelers and engineering users. Building upon the 2012 GMSV TAG projects, the first, small (invitational), all-day workshop (in April 2013) resulted in more detailed plans for validation efforts within the SEISM project, coordinated with all of the other GMSV-related SCEC projects mentioned above. Broadly speaking, the SEISM validation efforts are focused on i) GMSV for engineering analysis using simple and robust ground motion parameters (e.g., elastic and inelastic spectral accelerations/displacements), ii) GMSV for building-code nonlinear response history analysis, and iii) GMSV for application of simulated ground motion to duration-sensitive geotechnical systems. The second, half-day workshop at the 2013 SCEC Annual Meeting further coordinated the SEISM validation efforts, as well as two closely-related 2013 SCEC projects funded in July. This second workshop also resulted in new priority activities/topics for the 2014 SCEC Science Collaboration Plan.
Intellectual Merit The simulation of earthquake ground motions allows for physics-based interpolation/extrapolation of the relatively limited amount of available earthquake rupture and ground motion data. Validation of such models, the focus of the SCEC Ground Motion Simulation Validation (GSMV) Technical Activity Group (TAG), is both a fundamental challenge and a necessity for understanding the threat of earthquake ground motions.
Broader Impacts Through collaboration of earthquake scientists and engineers, the SCEC Ground Motion Simulation Validation (GMSV) Technical Activity Group (TAG) advances the use and understanding of simulated ground motions for engineering applications. Reciprocally, the GMSV TAG improves the science and products of ground motion simulation.
Exemplary Figure Slide 6 of the “Overview of agenda” presentation on page 2 of the project report (http://collaborate.scec.org/gmsv_wiki/images/0805_Luco_Overview_of_Agenda.pdf).

Unlike the Broadband Platform validation project, which is focused on validation of ground motion simulations for their use in developing ground motion prediction equations for elastic spectral acceleration, the SEISM validation efforts are focused on i) GMSV for engineering analysis using simple and robust ground motion parameters (e.g., elastic and inelastic spectral accelerations/displacements), ii) GMSV for building-code nonlinear response history analysis, and iii) GMSV for application of simulated ground motion to duration-sensitive geotechnical systems.