I Anno - Percorso SEISMOTECTONICS AND SEISMIC HAZARD

OBJECTIVE

Earthquakes are among the most dangerous and recurrent natural hazards. It is largely agreed that the geologic study of earthquakes can significantly contribute evaluating the seismic hazard and mitigating seismic risk. The geologic study of earthquakes is a prerogative of geologists. Objective of the course is the training of a geologist who knows the fundamental aspects of earthquake geology, in particular: i) basics of earthquake mechanics, ii) surface geologic effects of earthquakes and their using in recognizing past earthquakes, iii) main techniques for analyzing earthquake faults, and v) main applications of earthquake geology to seismic hazard assessment.

Teaching methods: Taught class. Teaching in the field. Independent and group work of the student in informatics laboratory and in the field aided and verified by the teacher.

Exam: Written test during the course. Final oral exam.

Program:

1) Introduction to the earthquake “problem”.

2) Geology of the earthquake source region (basic concepts on earthquake mechanics): rheology of the lithosphere and seismicity, friction and earthquakes; earthquake recurrence.

3) Earthquake surface effects: primary (surface faulting) and secondary (liquefaction, landslides). Earthquakes and tsunamis.

4) Techniques in earthquake geology: tectonic geodesy, tectonic geomorphology (recalls), dating methods in E.G., paleoseismology.

5) Application of Earthquake Geology to seismic hazard assessment.

Practice: field work (3, non-consecutive days) + Info-Lab (exercises in class):

- Recognizing surface effects of strong earthquakes (2016, Central Italy earthquakes);

- Recognizing an active fault, measuring fault scarp, calculating slip rate; estimating the maximum magnitude from geologic data;

Text book:

•  THE GEOLOGY OF EARTHQUAKES – R.S. Yeats, K. Sieh, C.R. Allen, 1997, Oxford Univ. Press.

Readings:

•  THE MECHANICS OF EARTHQUAKE AND FAULTING – C.H. Scholz, 2001, Cambridge University Press.

•  PALEOSEISMOLOGY – J.P. McCalpin, 2nd Edition, 2009, Academic Press, Elsevier.

• Teaching material made available via the e-learning platform.