The course of Engineering Seismology aims at providing students with the following key elements, introductory to different topics of Earthquake Engineering:

1) the physical background for understanding the earthquake process, from the seismic source, to the seismic wave propagation, up to the ground reponse;

2) numerical, analytical and experimental tools for the engineering characterization of earthquake ground motion;

3) methods and data for probabilistic seismic hazard evaluations;

4) background to the evaluation of seismic actions for design and assessment according to the seismic norms;

5) introduction to concepts of seismic risk at a territorial scale. 

At the end of the course, the student is expected to have acquired the following skills:

1) understanding how the physical process governing the earthquake ground motion affects the seismic response of soils and structures (DdD 1);

2) acquisition of in depth knowledge of seismic hazard and seismic risk, and of the seismic norms (especially Italian and European, but also worldwide) as regards definition of seismic actions for design (DdD 1);

3) mastering open source software for the evaluation of seismic wave propagation and local seismic amplification effects due to surface geology, with some applications to real case studies (DdD 2);

4) mastering open source software for the probabilstic seismic hazard assessment, with some applications to real case studies (DdD 2);

5) solving realistic complex engineering problems related to earthquake engineering (DdD 2);

6) ability to make a presentation and defense of the technical results obtained within the homeworks during the oral evaluation (DdD 3,4,5);

Origin of earthquakes and world seismicity

Mechanics of the seismic source, seismic moment earthquake magnitude

Review of recent earthquakes from the main tectonic areas worldwide

Earthquakes in Italy

Introduction to macroseismic scales

Earthquake records: analysis and processing 

Analysis of an earthquake record in the time and frequency domain

Parameters associated to ground motion intensity

Introduction to signal processing: baseline correction, filtering, integration

Seismic wave propagation and site effects

P and S waves

Introductory boundary condition problems. 

1D wave propagation in heterogeneous media

Applications to site effects evaluation for earthquake engineering: the case of Mexico City

Propagation in linear visco-elastic media

Introduction to non-linear dynamic soil response and linear-equivalent models

2D and 3D complex site effects

Elastic response spectra

Dynamic equilibrium of a single degree-of-freedom system

Response spectrum of an accelerogram

Seismic hazard assessment

Deterministic and probabilstic approaches to seismic hazard assessment

Seismic catalogs

Gutenberg-Richter recurrence relationship

Ground motion prediction equations

The Cornell method for probabilistic seismic hazard analyses

Seismic input in the norms

The Italian seismic hazard map

Elastic spectra for design

Site classification

Criteria of selection of accelerograms for seismic analyses

The seismic input in other worldwide norms: Eurocode8 and US

Seismic vulnerability and risk analysis

Seismic vulnerability elements of masonry structures

Seismic vulnerability elements of reinforced concrete structures

Macroseismic scales

Fragility curves

Introductory elements to seismic risk analysis

The student will benefit from introductory courses on dynamics, solid mechanics, and probability theory, although not mandatory.

Students will prepare prepare several homeworks to cover by practical case studies the various subjects of the course.

The homeworks will be delivered and discussed during the oral exam, where a comprehensive evaluation of different topics related to the course will be made. Prior to the oral exam, a written session of the exam is foreseen, with introductory questions.