Seismic hazard assessment of Islamabad, Pakistan, using deterministic approach
Abstract
Islamabad is located close to the axis of the Hazara- Kashmir Syntaxis. Seismically this area is very active due to the presence of some of very prominent tectonic features such as Main Boundary Thrust (MBT), Mansehra Thrust, Jhelum Fault, Kotli Thrust, Riasi Thrust, Sangargali Thrust, Hissartang fault etc. Historical as well as Instrumental seismological data confirms the active nature of all these faults. Keeping in view the active seismic nature, an attempt has been made to characterize the area on the basis of strong motion parameter. The peak horizontal acceleration, which is the most important and widely used strong motion parameters in all engineering purposes like constructions of dams, nuclear power plants, bridges and buildings etc, has therefore been calculated. Seventeen faults have been selected as a critical seismogenic feature whose nearest segment is ≤ 60 kms from the site and their maximum potential magnitudes have been calculated using four regression relations. With the help of these maximum potential magnitudes and seven available attenuation equations, peak horizontal accelerations have been determined. On the basis of these maximum potential magnitudes and the peak horizontal accelerations, five tectonic features i.e., MBT, Nathiagali Thrust, Thandiani Thrust, Sangargali Thrust and Riwat Thrust having peak horizontal accelerations of 0.44 g, 0.23 g, 0.18 g, 0.17 g and 0.13 g and maximum potential magnitudes of 7.8, 7.0 ,6.8, 6.9 and 6.8 out of seventeen have been designated as the most hazardous to the site of Islamabad.
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