Beytullah Saraç, Çağlar Özer

Soil dynamic features of Atatürk University Campus (Erzurum), eastern Türkiye, by microtremor method

Abstract Erzurum province is located close to two important faults, namely the North Anatolian Fault Zone and the East Anatolian Fault Zone. Additionally, numerous local faults such as the Aşkale, Başköy-Kandilli, Erzurum-Dumlu, Palandöken, and Horasan-Narman Fault Zones could potentially trigger devastating earthquakes for Erzurum province. All these seismic hazard sources require a well-understanding of the soil dynamic properties in Erzurum province. The single-station microtremor method were carried out at 45 points to determine the Atatürk University Central Campus-Erzurum soil dynamic parameters with this motivation. Seismic vulnerability index and seismic bedrock depth values were calculated with the help of empirical relations using the soil dominant frequency and soil amplification factor values calculated from the horizontal/vertical spectral ratio method. The south-eastern region of the study area exhibits characteristics such as low soil dominant frequency values, high soil amplification factor values, elevated Kg values, and considerable engineering bedrock depth. This area is particularly vulnerable to potential earthquake damage due to its high sediment thickness and susceptibility to site effects. Notably, points three and four also demonstrate low soil dominant frequency values, coinciding with the locations of hospitals and administrative units. Therefore, it is imperative to intensify site effect investigations, especially using active sources of geophysical methods in these specific areas

Doi https://doi.org/10.5200/baltica.2024.2.4

Keywords Site effect; soil dominant frequency; soil amplification factor; HVSR; Erzurum