Exploring Basin Amplification within the Reno Metropolitan Area in Northern Nevada Using a Magnitude 6.3 ShakeOut Scenario

Abstract

ABSTRACT The Reno metropolitan area (located within the Truckee Meadows in northern Nevada) is subjected to significant seismic risk, primarily resulting from the region’s proximity to the Mount Rose fault system and the urban area’s presence within a large, thin (<1 km thick) sedimentary basin. Numerous paleoseismic studies have shown the Mount Rose fault system has a history of producing large Holocene earthquakes. To help explore this hazard, we used SW4, a physics-based wave-equation modeling tool, to develop the Reno ShakeOut Scenario. The scenario uses a grid with a minimum spacing of 20 m with eight points per minimum wavelength to perform a full 3D simulation for a potential magnitude 6.3 earthquake within the Mount Rose fault system. The calculation assumes a minimum shear-wave velocity (VSmin) of 500 m/s and is accurate up to 3.125 Hz. Results indicate that there is a potential for widespread and variable ground shaking at modified Mercalli intensity (MMI) magnitudes between VII and VIII (very strong to severe ground shaking), with some areas achieving violent (IX and X) motions. Distributions of high shaking are controlled by proximity to the rupture, geotechnical shear-wave velocity, topography; and significantly, basin geometry. Comparisons between SW4 peak ground velocity (PGV) computations, and PGV estimates calculated from the Campbell and Bozorgnia empirical ground-motion model emphasize the degree to which very thin basins may result in greater hazard than is currently predicted. This information helps improve our understanding of regional risk by highlighting these significant basin effects and the local variability that is likely to occur with any large seismic event.