Open AccessResonant response models for the Valley of Mexico–I; the elastic inclusion approach
Author(s) -
Seligman T. H.,
AlvarezTostado J. M.,
Mateos J. L.,
Flores J.,
Novaro O.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
geophysical journal international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.302
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1365-246X
pISSN - 0956-540X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-246x.1989.tb02058.x
Subject(s) - geology , seismology , structural basin , downtown , series (stratigraphy) , mexico city , seismic microzonation , simple (philosophy) , sediment , geomorphology , geography , archaeology , paleontology , philosophy , ethnology , epistemology , history
SUMMARY The model developed by Bard and Bouchon to study the earthquake response of open‐ended 2‐D sediment‐filled valleys with simple geometries is generalized to describe completely enclosed basins with arbitrary geometries. By solving the basin form that corresponds to the Valley of Mexico it is possible to understand, via a two‐step process model, several of the observed features of the 1985 September 19 earthquake that devastated downtown Mexico City. Here a general approach that allows the treatment of the particular seismic behaviour of the Valley of Mexico (which is a large sediment‐filled valley, containing an extremely soft‐ground urban area with a very high water content) using collective resonance methods that vary from elastic to acoustic models is established. This will lead through a series of papers to a theory that takes into account the role played by any valley's collective modes, for microzonation and seismic damage predictions.