2025 (Current Year) Faculty Courses School of Environment and Society Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Graduate major in Urban Design and Built Environment
Earthquake Ground Motion
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Urban Design and Built Environment
- Instructor(s)
- Seiji Tsuno
- Class Format
- Lecture
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - Class
- -
- Course Code
- UDE.S436
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2025
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 19, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
Earthquake ground motion can be properly evaluated and predicted by understanding the radiation of seismic waves due to fault rupture, the propagation of seismic waves within the earth's crust, and the amplification of seismic waves by sedimentary layers. This lecture will explain the basics of earthquake ground motion based on elastic wave theory. It aims to acquire basic knowledge of earthquake-induced shaking that can damage buildings.
Course description and aims
Students will understand the basics of earthquake ground motion including the source, path, and site effects, through the elastic wave theory.
Keywords
Earthquake ground motion, point force, source, path, site
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Lecture
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Lecture guidance, an overview of earthquake ground motion | Understanding the outline of earthquake ground motion |
| Class 2 | Seismograph | Understanding the principles of seismograph |
| Class 3 | Wave equation | Understanding the wave equation |
| Class 4 | Point force | Understanding elastic waves from a point force |
| Class 5 | Source | Understanding the source effect of earthquake ground motion |
| Class 6 | Path | Understanding the path effect of earthquake ground motion |
| Class 7 | Site | Understanding the site effect of earthquake ground motion |
| Class 8 | Surface wave | Understanding surface waves |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Distributing materials during lectures
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Quantitative seismology, Keiichi Aki and Paul G. Richard
Evaluation methods and criteria
Report and presentation
Related courses
- Earthquake early warning
Prerequisites
There is no prior knowledge required.