Research Activities

The Seismology Research Centre undertakes a range of research and consulting work in the application of earthquake seismology to geological and engineering problems. Almost all of this work is on a local or regional scale, rather than a global scale. It includes using dense local seismograph networks for aftershock studies of large earthquakes, and for precise location of earthquakes about dams (especially reservoir triggered earthquakes).

Seismicity

Operation of the seismograph network
The SRC operates a permanent network of over 100 seismographs through Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. It is optimised to record local earthquakes, although many large distant events are also recorded.

Earthquake distribution in time and space, earthquake mechanisms
The SRC seismograph network is used to locate an average of about 400 earthquakes within Victoria and New South Wales each year. Most of these are too small or too deep to be felt, but they do provide information on relative levels of earthquake activity, and delineate active faults.

Instrumentation

Development of hardware and software
Since 1977, the SRC has developed four generations of digital seismograph. The fourth generation Kelunji D Series recorder was completed in late 1996, and provided the basis for new application developments over the next five to ten years. Technologies utilised include PC Cards, digital signal processing, GPS, surface mount devices, and intelligent power management. The fifth generation Kelunji Echo recorder was developed in 2003 and improved on established functionality using more advanced technology, which also made it more affordable.

Earthquake alarm and warning systems
Since 1995, the SRC has developed an automated earthquake alarm system which pages staff within about two minutes of any significant earthquake. This is now used to alert clients, and to provide a rapid response in emergency situations.

Seismograph Network Design
To improve the reliability, versatility and flexibility of a seismograph network, the concepts of "networking seismograph networks" and "holonic seismograph networks" are being developed. The aim is to design a seismograph network so that if there is a failure in any system element, the tasks of the network can be temporarily maintained by other elements of the system, and that knowledge of any failure is made available as soon as possible to allow repair.

Earthquake Hazard Analysis

Ground motion recurrence and synthetic seismograms
Hazard analysis programs have been developed by the SRC for design of major structures, and for inclusion in building codes. Staff from the Centre were involved in the development of the current Australian Earthquake Loading Code (AS1170.4), and are involved in the development of a joint code for Australia and New Zealand.

A long term aim is to develop realistic and appropriate earthquake strong motion spectra for Australian conditions.

Earthquakes and Dams
The SRC has worked on seismic monitoring networks about many dams in Australia. It has considerable experience with reservoir induced seismicity. Earthquake hazard studies have been conducted for almost 100 dams in Australia, the Pacific, Asia and Africa. The Centre was involved in the recent development of ANCOLD guidelines for the design of dams for earthquake.

Dynamics of sites and structures
Modern multi-channel digital seismographs, such as the SRC developed Kelunji, can be used to measure modes of vibration in structures, including torsion.

Geological and Geophysical Inputs to Earthquake Hazard Analysis
Including geological information in earthquake hazard analysis is one of the main themes of the work at the SRC at present. This includes consideration of palaeoseismology (pre-historic earthquakes), neotectonics and Quaternary geology in constraining the parameters used for earthquake ground motion recurrence estimates. It also includes using geological input to describe earthquake hazards other than ground vibration, such as earthquake induced landslides or rockfalls, surface rupture, liquefaction, tsunami and seiches.