Assessment of the site amplifications and predominant site periods for Saruhanlı, in an earthquake-prone region of Turkey

An earthquake-resistant design should include the effect of local site conditions on the seismic ground motions. In this study, ground response analyses in 22 locations around the developing town of Saruhanlı in the Aegean Region of Turkey were undertaken using SHAKE software. The ground response analyses for a typical soil profile considered various modulus reduction and damping curves including effective confining stress and a plasticity index dependent model. The confining stress-dependent soil models and shear-wave velocity profile resulted in higher amplification ratios and lower predominant periods. High acceleration ratios (>3) and lower predominant site periods were found in the eastern part of the site such that buildings of ten or more storeys would be severely damaged.