Simulation of strong earthquake characteristics of a scenario earthquake (M_S7.5) based on the enlightenment of 2022 M_S6.9 earthquake in Menyuan

The Menyuan area is an important transportation hub in the Hexi Corridor. The Menyuan M_S6.9 earthquake that occurred on January 8, 2022 had a major impact on the local infrastructure and transportation of this region. Due to the high possibility of similar strong earthquakes occurring in this area in the future, preliminary assessment of the seismic intensity characteristics of destructive earthquakes in this region is essential for effective disaster control. This paper uses the empirical Green′s function (EGF) method as a numerical simulation tool to predict the ground motion intensity of Datong Autonomous County under the action of the scenario earthquake (M_S7.5). Seismic records of aftershocks of the 2016 Menyuan M_S6.4 earthquake were used as Green’s functions for this simulation. The uncertainties associated with various source parameters were considered, and 36 possible earthquake scenarios were simulated to obtain 72 sets of horizontal ground motions in Datong County. The obtained peak ground acceleration (PGA) vs. time histories of the horizontal ground motion were screened using the attenuation relationships provided by the fifth-edition of China's Seismic Ground Motion Parameter Zoning Map and the NGA-West2 dataset. Ultimately, 32 possible acceleration-time histories were selected for further analysis. The screened PGA values ranged from 78.8 to 153 cm/s². The uncertainty associated with the initial rupture point was found to greatly affect the results of the earthquake simulation. The average acceleration spectrum of the selected acceleration-time history exceeded the expected spectrum of a intermediate earthquake, which means that buildings in Datong County might sustain some damage should the scenario earthquake occur. This research can provide reliable ground motion input for urban earthquake damage simulation and seismic design in Datong County. Growing the dataset of small earthquakes recorded in this region will facilitate the large-scale simulation of ground motions under different earthquake scenarios.