No abstract

We performed a seismic vulnerability assessment that involves geotechnical and building structure analysis for Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, a city located along the paci c coast. Like many other Latin American cities, has signi cant seismic risk. We implemented the multi-channel analysis of surface waves and the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio methods to estimate shear wave velocity and soil resonance frequency. We considered standard penetration test to determine the penetration resistance and soil classi cation. We also de ned building typologies based on construction materials and structural systems. The VS30 parameter shows that Puerto Vallarta has the three poorest soil classi cations. The resonance frequency parameter shows four zones with different fundamental soil periods. We inferred the building's vulnerability from the coupling between the structural and soil fundamental period and the soil characteristics. The analysis shows several vulnerable buildings scatters within the city, e.g., within the tourist area, con ned masonry buildings from one to ve stories and moment resistance frame buildings up to 12 in the tourist area, poorly con ned masonry houses of one to two stories, and con ned masonry buildings of one to ve stories in the residential/commercial. We present an approach that combines the academic and government to solve a real and transcendental problem since it might directly affect the regulation and structure evaluations in the area. We are sure that these exercises are of great interest in urban growth areas in other parts of the world, especially in Latin America, to achieve seismic risk mitigation.

No abstract

The destructive effects of an earthquake are enhanced when the population is not prepared. The experiences from the past highlighted the importance of proper planning based on adequate scientific data. The Puerto Vallarta metropolitan area (PVMA) comprises medium-sized, rapid-growing urban areas of independent administrative and political entities that maintain a constant, direct socioeconomic interrelation. The PVMA is located in a region with a complex tectonic setting that produces important seismic activity and is affected by beaches, rivers, and estuary systems that produce complex soils and subsoil conditions. Moreover, the PVMA constantly undergoes anthropogenic processes that modify the local geomorphology and produce improper urbanization. Therefore, the PVMA constitutes an ideal natural laboratory to implement and test techniques to estimate seismic hazard, social vulnerability, and seismic risk. These techniques can be later implemented in other similar cities around the world. To determine the seismic hazard, social vulnerability, and seismic risk of the PVMA, we implemented the Multicriteria Evaluation Method within a Graphical Information System considering geomorphological (i.e., bedrock, soil, slope, curvature, flow accumulation), geophysical (peak ground acceleration, shear velocity, vibration frequency), and social information (population density, age, disabilities, health access, housing, and economic activity). We estimate the seismic hazard, social vulnerability, and seismic risk by considering three possible earthquakes. The results indicate a heterogeneous distribution of seismic risk with levels between moderate to high. Finally, a seismic risk microzonation in terms of the percentages of the seismic risk levels is proposed for the Puerto Vallarta metropolitan area.

We performed a seismic vulnerability assessment that involves geotechnical and building structure analysis for Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, a city located along the pacific coast. Like many other Latin American cities, has significant seismic risk. We implemented the multi-channel analysis of surface waves and the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio methods to estimate shear wave velocity and soil resonance frequency. We considered standard penetration test to determine the penetration resistance and soil classification. We also defined building typologies based on construction materials and structural systems. The VS30 parameter shows that Puerto Vallarta has the three poorest soil classifications. The resonance frequency parameter shows four zones with different fundamental soil periods. We inferred the building's vulnerability from the coupling between the structural and soil fundamental period and the soil characteristics. The analysis shows several vulnerable buildings scatters within the city, e.g., within the tourist area, confined masonry buildings from one to five stories and moment resistance frame buildings up to 12 in the tourist area, poorly confined masonry houses of one to two stories, and confined masonry buildings of one to five stories in the residential/commercial. We present an approach that combines the academic and government to solve a real and transcendental problem since it might directly affect the regulation and structure evaluations in the area. We are sure that these exercises are of great interest in urban growth areas in other parts of the world, especially in Latin America, to achieve seismic risk mitigation.