Aiming for Validation – The SCEC/USGS Dynamic Earthquake Rupture Code Comparison Exercise

Ruth A. Harris

Published August 24, 2016, SCEC Contribution #6520, 2016 SCEC Annual Meeting Poster #047

The SCEC/USGS Dynamic Earthquake Rupture Code Group is an international collaboration among scientists who use 3D spontaneous rupture computer codes to numerically simulate physics-based earthquake rupture and the resulting ground motions. In the years to date, group members have tested the viability of their computer codes by comparing the results produced by each code, using an expansive set of benchmark exercises. These exercises implement the range of assumptions frequently used by modelers when they simulate earthquakes, including heterogeneity in initial stress conditions, a variety of formulations for fault friction, heterogeneous fault geometry including 3D rough faults, branched faults, and fault-stepovers, 1D and 3D velocity structures, and off-fault yielding. Whereas each exercise has sharpened the abilities of the codes and enhanced our confidence in the results that they produce, we have not yet rigorously tested the products of these codes against observations from real earthquakes. In 2016 we have started on this path toward code-validation, and our first test is the 2000 Mw6.6 Tottori, Japan earthquake.

For more information, please also view our website scecdata.usc.edu/cvws

Key Words
dynamic earthquake rupture, code validation

Citation
Harris, R. A. (2016, 08). Aiming for Validation – The SCEC/USGS Dynamic Earthquake Rupture Code Comparison Exercise. Poster Presentation at 2016 SCEC Annual Meeting.

Related Projects & Working Groups
Fault and Rupture Mechanics (FARM)