Finite element analysis of seismic wave propagation characteristics in Fuzhou basin

Quantitative results of numerical simulation on the strong ground motion triggered by the local earthquakes can be used to guide the urban planning and construction. It also plays an important role in the earthquake disaster assessment. We propose a finite element model to simulate the strong ground motion excited by local earthquake. Then the peak ground acceleration (PGA) as well as the peak ground velocities are calculated accordingly with the displacement distribution with the respect of time. Fuzhou is the capital city of Fujian province, which locates in the coastal area of southeast China. It is characterized by the conspicuous basin structures with major fault zones. It is very easy to be subjected to hazards from the local strong earthquakes. This makes Fuzhou as an ideal test-bed to investigate the behaviors of the strong ground motion triggered by the possible future earthquakes. By taking advantage of large-scale finite element simulation, the peak ground displacements, peak ground acceleration and peak ground velocity patterns are put forward by elaborately designed post-processing routines. These quantitative results can provide critical elements for the future urban planning, and future earthquake hazards prediction.