Seismic Hazard Assessment & Ground Motion Analysis
Evaluate earthquake risks and generate defensible seismic hazard assessments for foundation design
What You Can Do
You can leverage Claude to synthesize regional seismic hazard data from authoritative sources (USGS maps, published studies), interpret probabilistic versus deterministic earthquake scenarios, and analyze how site conditions modify ground motions. Claude helps you justify seismic design parameters to clients and regulators, evaluate liquefaction and earthquake-induced landslide risks, and develop defensible recommendations aligned with ASCE 7 and current guidelines—accelerating report preparation without replacing specialized geotechnical software.
Features
integrate USGS National Seismic Hazard Maps, published literature, and local geological studies into coherent risk profiles
compare return periods, exceedance probabilities, and design earthquake scenarios for informed decision-making
analyze how local soil conditions, bedrock depth, and geology amplify or attenuate seismic waves
translate hazard assessments into spectral accelerations, peak ground accelerations, and equivalent lateral force procedures
assess liquefaction potential, earthquake-induced landslides, and ground failure mechanisms relevant to your site
develop evidence-based narratives and comparisons to support seismic parameter selection in reports and client presentations
ensure your assessments align with ASCE 7, IBC, and current best practices in earthquake engineering
Example Output
Example 1: Regional Seismic Hazard Summary
- Site Location: Sacramento, CA (latitude/longitude)
- Peak Ground Acceleration (2% in 50 years): 0.48g
- Spectral Acceleration at 1s Period: 1.1g
- Dominant Hazard Sources: San Andreas (55%), Midway (30%), other (15%)
- Recommended Design Earthquake: Magnitude 7.0 on San Andreas at 25 km distance
Example 2: Site Response Analysis Output
- Bedrock Spectral Acceleration (1s): 1.1g
- Soil Amplification Factor (0–30 m): 1.3×
- Site-Specific Spectral Acceleration (1s): 1.43g
- Liquefaction Susceptibility: Moderate (silty sand layer 8–12 m depth)
- Recommendation: Apply site-specific PSHA or use amplified design spectra
Example 3: Design Parameter Justification
- Selected Design Spectral Acceleration: 1.2g (consistent with ASCE 7 Site Class D)
- Equivalent Lateral Force Coefficient: 0.15 (seismic design category D)
- Comparison to Similar Projects: Consistent with regional precedent (Sacramento International Airport foundation design, 2018)
What's Included
- SKILL.md instruction file with step-by-step PSHA interpretation workflow:
- Seismic Hazard Synthesis Template: structure for documenting regional hazard sources, recurrence intervals, and magnitude-distance relationships
- Ground Motion Characterization Checklist: prompts for site class determination, amplification analysis, and spectral shape assessment
- Liquefaction Risk Assessment Framework: systematic evaluation of susceptibility, triggering potential, and consequences
- Design Parameter Justification Worksheet: evidence-based template for selecting and documenting seismic coefficients per ASCE 7
Who It's For
- Geotechnical engineers designing foundations, earth dams, and underground structures in seismically active regions
- Civil engineers evaluating seismic resilience of infrastructure projects and justifying design choices to stakeholders
- Engineering geologists characterizing site-specific earthquake hazards and secondary failure mechanisms
- Structural engineers needing defensible ground motion inputs for seismic design of buildings and facilities
- Project managers and owners seeking evidence-based seismic risk assessments for decision-making and cost-benefit analysis
Best For
- Preliminary seismic hazard scoping and risk characterization for new sites
- Synthesis and interpretation of USGS seismic hazard maps and probabilistic earthquake data
- Site-specific ground motion analysis and amplification assessment based on soil profiles
- Evaluation of liquefaction, landslide, and secondary earthquake hazard potential
- Preparation of seismic sections in geotechnical reports with justified design parameters
- Comparison of deterministic versus probabilistic seismic scenarios for design trade-off studies
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