Seismic Hazard Analysis Kabul Block

چکیده

 Abstract
Afghanistan is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the
world, located in the active orogenic belt of the Alpine-Himalayan
region at the junction of the Indian, Eurasian, and Arabian tectonic
plates. Due to this positioning, Afghanistan is exposed to high levels
of seismic activity and has experienced numerous destructive
earthquakes in the past. Its cities have suffered significant damage
from these natural disasters. Kabul, as the capital of the country, is
not an exception to this rule. On the contrary, due to multiple fault
lines, high population density, unregulated construction, and
improper urban expansion, it faces serious earthquake hazards. By
conducting a seismic hazard assessment within the Kabul tectonic
block, this study analyzes earthquake risks based on historical
earthquake data from 734 AD to 2021, as well as active faults
responsible for seismic events in the region. The study employs
Geographic Information System (GIS) technology and applies the
Deterministic Seismic Hazard Assessment (DSHA) method for
evaluation. The findings indicate that the Peak Ground Acceleration
(PGA) coefficient varies across different points within the Kabul
block, influenced by two factors: past earthquakes in the study area
and tectonic faults. The results are presented in contour maps,
showing that the highest PGA value in the study area is 0.778, while
the lowest is 0.033. The central part of Kabul exhibits the highest
PGA values. Additionally, contour maps specific to urban areas of
Kabul have been developed to illustrate PGA variations across
different parts of the city.
Keywords: Kabul, hazard assessment, earthquake, PGA, DSHA,
GIS