The Site Characterization Scheme of the INGV Strong Motion Database (ISMD): Overview and Site Classification

Abstract

This paper describes and discusses the new site characterization scheme adopted for version 2.0 of the INGV (Italian National Institute for Geophysics and Volcanology) Strong Motion Database (ISMD), published on-line in August 2016. To date, the web portal includes more than 145,000 three-component accelerometric waveforms that have been generated by more than 1,200 Italian earthquakes with local magnitude (ML) ≥3.0 and 213 strong-motion stations. Besides the real time distribution of accelerometric data and metadata recorded by INGV and regional partners strong motion networks, one of the main goals of ISMD is to provide a detailed characterization of recording sites from the geological, geomorphological, and geophysical points of view. ISMD allows the correct use of these strong-motion data for a large variety of applications in engineering seismology and earthquake engineering and it allows assessing the soil and topographic categories, as indicated in the current Italian and European seismic codes. To date ISMD represents the first repository for a homogeneous site characterization and classification for the INGV strong-motion stations, intended to be updated in relation to new available data and institutional projects.