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The 2016–2017 earthquake sequence in Central Italy: macroseismic survey and damage scenario through the EMS-98 intensity assessment

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Abstract

In this paper we describe the macroseismic effects produced by the long and destructive seismic sequence that hit Central Italy from 24 August 2016 to January 2017. Starting from the procedure adopted in the complex field survey, we discuss the characteristics of the building stock and its classification in terms of EMS-98 as well as the issues associated with the intensity assessment due to the evolution of damage caused by multiple shocks. As a result, macroseismic intensity for about 300 localities has been determined; however, most of the intensities assessed for the earthquakes following the first strong shock on 24 August 2016, represent the cumulative effect of damage during the sequence. The earthquake parameters computed from the macroseismic datasets are compared with the instrumental determinations in order to highlight critical issues related to the assessment of macroseismic parameters of strong earthquakes during a seismic sequence. The results also provide indications on how location and magnitude computation can be strongly biased when dealing with historical seismic sequences.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to thank all the participants of the QUEST group involved in the long macroseismic survey. We also thank Simone Atzori and Beatriz Brizuela for their contribution in the analysis showed in Figs. 15 and 16. We finally benefited of the careful revision of two anonymous referees. This work was funded in the framework of DPC-INGV 2012–2021 (All. A) agreement.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV), Rome, Italy

    A. Rossi, A. Tertulliani, R. Azzaro, L. Graziani, A. Rovida, A. Maramai, V. Pessina, F. Bernardini, R. Camassi, S. Del Mese, E. Ercolani, A. Fodarella, M. Locati, L. Arcoraci & C. Castellano

  2. Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Rome, Italy

    S. Hailemikael, G. Buffarini, G. Martini, A. Paciello, S. Paolini & V. Verrubbi

  3. European Centre for Training and Research in Earthquake Engineering (Eucentre), Pavia, Italy

    M. Stucchi

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  1. A. Rossi
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Correspondence to A. Tertulliani.

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Rossi, A., Tertulliani, A., Azzaro, R. et al. The 2016–2017 earthquake sequence in Central Italy: macroseismic survey and damage scenario through the EMS-98 intensity assessment. Bull Earthquake Eng 17, 2407–2431 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10518-019-00556-w

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