Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Probabilistic seismic hazard analysis and spectral accelerations for United Arab Emirates

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Natural Hazards Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In recent years, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has experienced an unprecedented growth which is coupled with the increase in seismic activity in the surroundings. Previous studies presents significant variations in their results whereas some recent studies although very detailed focus on only few cities. This study reviews the results of previous studies and presents new findings for the whole of UAE based on the improved source model and use of next generation attenuation (NGA) equations. The peak ground accelerations, spectral accelerations and deaggregation of hazard for major cities are presented. Moreover, the breakdown of the range of mapped spectral accelerations (S 0.2 and S 1) is proposed to form the basis for the development of site amplification factors in subsequent studies. The results of this study indicate almost similar values of ground motion compared to some recently published studies and smaller values compared to some earlier studies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abdalla JA, Al Homoud AS (2004) Seismic hazard assessment of United Arab Emirates and its surroundings. J Earthq Eng 8(6):817–837

    Google Scholar 

  • Abrahamson NA, Silva WJ (1997) Empirical response spectra attenuation relations for shallow crustal earthquakes. Seismol Res Lett 68(1):94–127

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Abrahamson NA, Silva WJ (2008) Summary of the Abrahamson & Silva NGA ground motion relations. Earthq Spectra 24(1):67–97

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Akkar S, Bommer JJ (2010) Empirical equations for the prediction of PGA, PGV and spectral accelerations in Europe, the Mediterranean Region and the Middle East. Seismol Res Lett 81:195–206

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aldama-Bustos G, Bommer JJ, Fenton CH, Stafford P (2009) Probabilistic seismic hazard analysis for rock sites in the cities of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. Georisk 3(1):1–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Haddad M, Siddiqi GH, Al-Zaid R, Arafah A, Necioglu A, Turkelli N (1994) A basis for evaluation of seismic hazard and design criteria for Saudi Arabia. Earthq Spectra 10(2):231–258

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ambraseys NN (1995) The prediction of earthquake peak ground acceleration in Europe. Earthquake Eng Struct Dynam 24(4):467–490

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ambraseys NN, Melville CP (1982) A history of Persian earthquakes. Cambridge University Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Ambraseys NN, Simpson KA, Bommer JJ (1996) Prediction of horizontal response spectra in Europe. Earthq Eng Soil Dyn 25(4):371–400

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Atkinson GM, Boore DM (1997) Some comparisons between recent ground motion relations. Seismol Res Lett 68(1):24–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Atkinson GM, Boore DM (2003) Empirical ground-motion relations for subduction-zone earthquakes and their application to Cascadia and other regions. Bull Seismol Soc Am 93(4):1703–1729

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Atkinson GM, Boore DM (2006) Earthquake ground-motions prediction equations for eastern North America. Bull Seismol Soc Am 96(6):2181–2205

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Basham PW, Weichert DH, Anglin FM, Berry MJ (1985) New probabilistic strong seismic ground motion maps of Canada. Bull Seismol Soc Am 75(2):563–595

    Google Scholar 

  • Bayer R, Chery J, Tatar M, Vernant Ph, Abbassi M, Masson F, Nilforoushan F, Doerflinger E, Regard V, Bellier O (2006) Active deformation in Zagros–Makran transition zone inferred from GPS measurements. Geophys J Int 165:373–381

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bazzuro P, Cornell CA (1999) Disaggregation of seismic hazard. Bull Seismol Soc Am 89(2):501–520

    Google Scholar 

  • Berberian M (1995) Master ‘blind’ thrust faults hidden under the Zagros folds: active basement tectonics and surface morphotectonics. Tectonophysics 241(3–4):193–224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boore DM, Atkinson GM (2008) Ground-motion prediction equations for the average horizontal component of PGA, PGV, and 5 %-damped PSA at spectral periods between 0.01 s and 10.0 s. Earthq Spectra 24(1):99–138

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown GG (1972) Tectonic map of the Arabian Peninsula, Saudi Arabian directoriate general of mineral resources. Arabian Peninsula Map AP-2

  • Campbell KW, Bozorgnia Y (2008) NGA ground motion model for the geometric mean horizontal component of PGA, PGV, PGD, and 5 % damped linear elastic response spectra for periods ranging from 0.01 to 10 s. Earthq Spectra 24(1):139–171

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chiou B, Youngs R (2008) An NGA model for the average horizontal component of peak ground motion and response spectra. Earthq Spectra 24(1):173–215

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cornell CA (1968) Engineering seismic risk analysis. Bull Seismol Soc Am 58(5):1583–1606

    Google Scholar 

  • Cotton F, Scherbaum F, Bommer JJ, Bungum H (2006) Criteria for selecting and adjusting ground-motion models for specific target applications: applications to Central Europe and rock sites. J Seismolog 10(2):137–156

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dahle A, Bungum H, Kvamme LB (1990) Attenuation models inferred from intraplate earthquake recordings. Earthquake Eng Struct Dynam 19(8):1125–1141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ellison RA, Styles MT (2006) The geology and geophysics of the United Arab Emirates. Vol 1: executive summary. British Geological Survey, Keyworth, England, p 27

  • Engdahl ER, Jackson JA, Myers SC, Bergman EA, Priestley K (2006) Relocation and assessment of seismicity in the Iran region. Geophys J Int 167(2):761–778

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farhoudi G, Karig DE (1977) Makran of Iran and Pakistan as an active arc system. Geology 5(11):664–668

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fenton CH, Adams J, Halchuk S (2006) Seismic hazards assessment for radioactive waste disposal sites in regions of low seismic activity. Geotech Geol Eng 24(3):579–592

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ghobadi MH, Fereidooni D (2012) Seismic hazard assessment of the city of Hamedan and its vicinity, west of Iran. Nat Hazards. doi:10.1007/s11069-012-0203-8

    Google Scholar 

  • Grunthel G, Bosse C, Sellami S, Mayer-Rosa D, Giardini D (1999) Compilation of the GSHAP regional seismic hazard map for Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Ann Geofis 42(6):1215–1223

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanks TC, Kanamori H (1979) A moment magnitude scale. J Geophys Res 84:2348–2350

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harmsen S, Perkins D, Frankel A (1999) Disaggregation of probabilistic ground motions in the central and eastern United States. Bull Seismol Soc Am 89(1):1–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson JA, Fitch T (1981) Basement faulting and the focal depths of the larger earthquakes in the Zagros mountains (Iran). Geophys J R Astron Soc 64(3):561–586

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson JA, McKenzie D (1984) Active tectonics of the Alpine-Himalayan belt between Turkey and Pakistan. Geophys J Roy Astron Soc 77(1):185–264

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson PR (1998) Tectonic map of Saudi Arabia and adjacent areas. Technical Report USGS-TR-98-3 (IR 948), US Geological Survey, p 2

  • Knopoff L (2000) The magnitude distribution of declustered earthquakes in Southern California. Proc Natl Acad Sci 97(22):11880–11884

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kusky T, Robinson C, El-Baz F (2005) Tertiary-quaternary faulting and uplift in the northern Oman Hajar Mountains. J Geol Society 162(5):871–888

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malkawi HAI, Barakat S, Shanableh A, Al Bdour W, Omar M, Altoubat S (2007) Seismic hazard assessment and mitigation of earthquake risk in United Arab Emirates. Technical Report UOS-3, University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

  • McGuire RK (1995) Probabilistic seismic hazard analysis and design earthquakes: closing the loop. Bull Seismol Soc Am 85(5):1275–1284

    Google Scholar 

  • McGuire RK, Arabasz WJ (1990) An introduction to probabilistic seismic hazard analysis. In: Ward SH (ed) Geotechnical and environmental geophysics, vol 1. Society of Exploration Geophysicist, Tulsa, OK, pp 333–353

    Google Scholar 

  • Musson RMW, Northmore K, Sargeant S, Phillips E, Boon D, Long D (2006) The geology and geophysics of the United Arab Emirates, vol 4: geological hazards, British Geological Survey, Keyworth

  • Nowroozi AA (1987) Tectonics and earthquake risk of Iran. Dev Geotech Eng 44(1):59–75

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peiris N, Free M, Lubkowski Z, Hussein AT (2006) Seismic hazard and seismic design requirements for the Arabian Gulf region. First European conference on earthquake engineering and seismology, Geneva, Switzerland

  • Perea H, Masana E, Santanach P (2006) A pragmatic approach to seismic parameters in a region with low seismicity: the case of eastern Iberia. Nat Hazards 39(3):451–477

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rafi Z, Lindholm C, Bungum H, Laghari A, Ahmed N (2012) Probabilistic seismic hazard of Pakistan, Azad-Jammu and Kashmir. Nat Hazards 61(3):1317–1354

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reasenberg PA (1985) Second-order moment of central California seismicity, 1969–1982. J Geophys Res 90(B7):5479–5495

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Regard V, Bellier O, Thomas J, Abbassi MR, Mercier J, Shabanian E, Feghhi K, Soleymani S (2004) Accommodation of Arabia–Eurasia convergence in the Zagros–Makran transfer zone, SE Iran: a transition between collision and subduction through a young deforming system. Tectonics 23:TC4007

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sadigh K, Chang C-Y, Egan JA, Makdisi F, Youngs RR (1997) Attenuation relationships for shallow crustal earthquakes based on California strong motion data. Seismol Res Lett 68(1):180–189

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scordilis EM (2006) Empirical global relations converting MS and mb to moment magnitude. J Seismol 10:225–236

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shama AA (2011) Site specific probabilistic seismic hazard analysis at Dubai Creek on the west coast of UAE. Earthq Eng Eng Vib 10(1):143–152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sigbjornsson R, Elnashai AS (2006) Hazard assessment of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for close and distant earthquakes. J Earthq Eng 10(5):749–773

    Google Scholar 

  • Simpson KA (1996) Attenuation of strong-ground motion incorporating near surface foundation conditions. PhD thesis, University of London

  • Tavakoli F, Ghafory-Ashtiany M (1999) Seismic hazard assessment of Iran. Ann Geofis 42(6):1013–1021

    Google Scholar 

  • Thenhaus PC, Algermissen ST, Perkins DM, Hanson SI, Diment WH (1986) Probabilistic estimates of the seismic ground motion hazard in Western Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Open File Report, USGS

  • Vernant P et al (2004) Present-day crustal deformation and plate kinematics in the Middle East constrained by GPS measurements in Iran and northern Oman. Geophys J Int 157:381–398

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vita-Finzi C (2001) Neotectonics at the Arabian plate margins. J Struct Geol 23(2–3):521–530

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wells DL, Coppersmith KJ (1994) New empirical relationships among magnitude, rupture length, rupture width, rupture area, and surface displacement. Bull Seismol Soc Am 84(4):974–1002

    Google Scholar 

  • Youngs RR, Coppersmith KJ (1985) Implications of fault slip rates and earthquake recurrence models to probabilistic seismic hazard estimates. Bull Seismol Soc Am 75(4):939–964

    Google Scholar 

  • Youngs RR, Chiou S-J, Silva WJ, Humphrey JR (1997) Strong ground motion attenuation relationships for subduction zone earthquakes. Seismol Res Lett 68(1):58–73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zare M (2002) Attenuation relation and coefficients of movement in Iran. International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology, Iran

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study is part of the research being performed for the assessment of seismic risk and vulnerability of structures in UAE. During the hazard analysis, extensive discussions and consultation occurred with many organizations. The authors extend their appreciation to Abu Dhabi Municipality, Sharjah Municipality, and National Center of Meteorology and Seismology for valuable discussions and information and to Mr. Aqeel Ahmad for retrieving strong motion recordings from the seismic network of American University of Sharjah.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Civil Engineering Department, American University of Sharjah, 26666, Sharjah, UAE

    Zahid Khan, Magdi El-Emam, Muhammad Irfan & Jamal Abdalla

Authors
  1. Zahid Khan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Magdi El-Emam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Muhammad Irfan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jamal Abdalla
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zahid Khan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Khan, Z., El-Emam, M., Irfan, M. et al. Probabilistic seismic hazard analysis and spectral accelerations for United Arab Emirates. Nat Hazards 67, 569–589 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-013-0586-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-013-0586-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation