Strong Motion Records
Earthquake strong motion records/time histories are useful for engineering applications where dynamic analysis is considered. With the introduction of performance-based design specifications in recent seismic codes and regulations, engineers need strong motion records more frequently. This guide:
- provides information on obtaining copies of strong motion records
- assists in locating selected data about an earthquake including date, location, time, & site characteristics
Obtaining Strong Motion Records: Accelerograms are available from the organizations, systems, and sites listed below. In some cases, records can be obtained directly via online systems, as well as in a variety of formats, including CD-ROM or hard copy.
United States Sources
- California Department of Conservation
- California Geological Survey (CGS) – Strong Motion Instrumentation Program
- http://www.consrv.ca.gov/
- Consortium of Organizations for Strong Motion Observation Systems (COSMOS)
- Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center (PEER) – University of California, Berkeley
- http://db.cosmos-eq.org/
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University
- Strong Motion Database System
- http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/
- National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC)
- Earthquake Strong Motion Data at NGDC
- http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/
- Significant Earthquake Database
- http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/nndc/
- PEER Strong Motion Database
- Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center(PEER) – University of California, Berkeley
- http://peer.berkeley.edu/smcat/
- PEER Ground Motion Database
- Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center(PEER) – University of California, Berkeley
- http://peer.berkeley.edu/peer_ground_motion_database
- Southern California Earthquake Data Center (SCEDC)
- University of Southern California
- http://www.data.scec.org/
- Strong Motion Group
- University of Southern California
- http://www.usc.edu/
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
- National Strong Motion Program (NSMP)
- http://nsmp.wr.usgs.gov/
International Sources
- Europe
- European Strong Motion Database – Imperial College, London
- http://www.isesd.hi.is/
- Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra – Friuli Strong Motion Network
- Universita degli Studi di Trieste
- http://www.dst.units.it/
- Japan
- Earthquake and Volcanic Disaster Prevention Laboratory – Kyoshin Net (K-Net)
- National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention
- www.k-net.bosai.go.jp
- New Zealand
- Geological and Nuclear Sciences (GNS)
- http://www.gns.cri.nz/
- Switzerland
- Swiss National Strong Motion Network – Swiss Seismological Service
- http://seismo.ethz.ch/