Improving the spatial resolution of ground motion variability using earthquake and seismic noise data: the example of Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan)

Site response analysis plays an important role in seismic hazard and risk assessment, and in defining the optimal engineering design for civil structures. However, due to increasing urbanization, target areas are often too vast to be covered by standard approaches, resulting in large uncertainties in the spatial variability of the expected ground motion. Here, we propose a method to improve the spatial resolution of ground motion variability in terms of Standard Spectral Ratios (SSRs), using earthquakes recorded at a few selected sites for a relatively short amount of time, and seismic noise data collected over a denser grid, taking advantage of clustering and correlation analysis. The method is applied to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Using the K-means clustering algorithm, three clusters of site response types have been identified, based on their similarity of SSRs. The cluster’s site responses were adopted for sites where only single station noise measurements were carried out, based on the results of correlation analysis. The spatial variability of the site response correlates well with the main geological features in the area. In particular, variability is noted from south to north, consistent with both the changes in the thickness of the sedimentary cover over the basin and in the Quaternary material outcropping at the surface. This method has therefore the potential to improve the estimation of site effects at the local scale in the future.