Site-specific hazard analysis for geotechnical design in New Zealand

Abstract

This paper summarizes the role site-specific seismic hazard analyses can play in geotechnical design in NZ. Through a comparative examination of the default alternative of prescriptive design guidelines, the additional insights and potential improvements in the seismic design and assessment process through a better understanding of the ground motion hazard are examined. Benefits include the utilization of state-of-the-art knowledge, improved representation of site response, reduced conservatism, and determination of dominant seismic source properties, among others. The paper concludes with a discussion attempting to summarize these relative benefits so that the efficacy of site-specific hazard analysis for a particular project can be better judged by the engineer.