Analysis of ground motions at Treasure Island site during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake

• Published in: Soil dynamics and earthquake engineering (1984) Vol. 12; no. 7; pp. 383 - 390
• Main Authors: Finn, W.D.Liam, Ventura, Carlos E., Wu, Guoxi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 1993; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: coherence; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Earthquakes, seismology; Exact sciences and technology; ground motions; Internal geophysics; liquefaction; response spectra; site response analysis; United States; North America; California; USA, California; ground motions; liquefaction; response spectra; coherence; site response analysis; acceleration; seismic response; ground motion; earthquakes
• ISSN: 0267-7261; 1879-341X
• DOI: 10.1016/0267-7261(93)90001-8

Site response analyses and coherence studies were conducted at the Treasure Island site where surface motions were recorded during the Loma Prieta earthquake. The analyses were conducted using a nonlinear dynamic effective stress method which took into account the effects of the liquefaction that occured at the site. The rock motions recorded at nearby Yerba Buena Island were used as input motions. Computed and recorded ground motions transverse to the direction of wave propagation and associated response spectra were in good agreement. Agreement was also good in the radial direction, except in certain frequency bands higher than 1·25 Hz. Coherence studies showed that some of these discrepancies may be due to low coherence between the Treasure Island and Yerba Buena motions in these same frequency bands.