A project dubbed, “Passive-Seismic Stratigraphy of Irregular Topography (PSSIT) Applicable to Mountainous Areas of Baguio City”, was presented during the regular executive-legislative meeting, August 16, led by Mayor Benjamin Magalong at City Hall.
The project aims to determine the subsurface velocity layers underlying the Summer Capital that would affect the behavior of ground motion during earthquakes and the site-specific period of ground response.
Project duration is from July 2021 to June 2022 with the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology and Department of Science and Technology as implementing agencies through the support of the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development.
The city government of Baguio, Department of Public Works and Highways, and the Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines, are collaborative partners.
The report states that irregularities in the topography of the seismic basement and surface in Baguio city calls for a need for a site-specific investigation and mapping of seismic site effects in the area that would be critical for existing residential and medium-to-high rise buildings.
Results from the project will constitute a major step to address issues pertaining to the development of dependable estimates of earthquake ground motion for seismic urban risk assessment.
Project objectives are: Identify the shear-wave velocity of deep sedimentary layers and bedrock mapping of the study area; provide realistic ground motion levels that would affect future structures in the study area; specify site amplification needed by structural designers or engineers.
Determine technical description of possible retrofitting schemes for existing structures located in high-risk areas; publish site response atlas for Baguio city; conduct workshops for information dissemination of project results; submit peer-reviewed publication of scientific paper to recognized journal and/or conference paper, are the other objectives. – Gaby B. Keith
