Scholarly record
SEISMIC MICROZONATION AND SITE AMPLIFICATION IN THE DURRES BASIN ,ALBANIA- PRELIMINARY RESULTS FROM HVSR AND MASW INVESTIGATIONS
Abstract
The 26 November 2019 Mw 6.4 Durres earthquake highlighted the importance of local site effects and liquefaction susceptibility within the Durres coastal plain, western Albania. In response, the InfraSoilArray project was initiated to improve the seismic characterization of the Durres basin using passive and active geophysical methods. This study presents preliminary seismic microzonation results obtained from the combined application of the Horizontal-to-Vertical Spectral Ratio (HVSR) and Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) techniques. Field investigations included seven long-duration single-station measurements, twenty-three linear arrays and three passive circular arrays acquired using a mobile seismic array composed of thirty-two three-component MEMS sensors. The survey focused on liquefaction-prone sectors, critical infrastructures and representative portions of the sedimentary basin. The obtained HVSR results reveal fundamental resonance frequencies ranging from 0.65 to 7.5 Hz and amplification factors between 1.1 and 5.0, indicating considerable spatial variability in local site response. Preliminary MASW analyses yielded Vs30 values between approximately 160 and 236 m/s, corresponding predominantly to Eurocode 8 soil Classes C and D. Lower resonance frequencies and lower shear-wave velocities were generally observed within the central and coastal sectors of the basin, while higher frequencies were recorded near basin margins and elevated geological formations. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of integrating HVSR and MASW methods for preliminary seismic site characterization and provide a useful basis for future seismic microzonation and seismic risk reduction studies in the Durres basin.
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References12
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