Source mechanism model for ground motion simulation

A simple analytical model for computing ground motion in a layered half-space due to a buried seismic source is presented in this paper. The buried earthquake source is represented as a distribution of double couples varying in time as a ramp function on the fault plane. The analysis is simplified by first decoupling the governing equations into P-SV and SH problem by a coordinate transformation in the frequency-wave number domain. These two problems are solved separately and the final solution is obtained by the sum of solutions of these individual problems. Explicit expressions for ground motion in a layered half-space due to an impulsive double couple are derived. In the sequel, Green’s function for the displacement field in an infinite medium is also presented. The developed source mechanism model is also demonstrated by simulating ground motion for the Kucth earthquake (Mw = 7.7) of 26th January 2001.