SEISMIC RISK INFRASTRUCTURE OF ТHE TERRITORY OF ARMENIA

Abstract

The main goal of this article is to develop methodological approaches and assess the seismic risk of the infrastructure of the territory of Armenia. The risk is assessed taking into account: seismic hazard, structural features of the infrastructure lines (high-voltage power supply lines, high-pressure gas supply pipelines, main water pipelines, railways and highways, telecommunication cables) and the impact factors of the strong earthquake. These influencing factors are conditionally divided by genesis into two groups: direct and secondary (indirect). Direct factors are formed as a result of only ground vibrations of a certain strength (in the territory of Armenia with an intensity of 9–10 points on the EMS-98 scale), regardless of local geological and geomorphological conditions. Secondary factors are activated or formed as a result of seismic vibrations (not necessarily strong) of the ground, but in territories where dangerous seismic-gravitational geological phenomena are developed (landslides, collapses, rockfalls, etc.) and where there are certain favorable conditions for the movement of rocks masses along the slope. In the second case, an earthquake can serve as a "trigger" for their activation or formation. These factors include faults and ruptures, landslides, collapses, rockfalls, liquefaction etc. When assessing the vulnerability of the infrastructure line, particular attention is paid to regional faults, surface ruptures, landslides and collapses, which are widespread in the territory of Armenia and significantly damage both surface and underground infrastructure lines. When assessing the seismic vulnerability of an infrastructure line, the leading place is given to statistical data on damage to main lines depending on the intensity of the 1988 Spitak earthquake. As a result of the research, new elements of methodological approaches were developed and, on their basis, the first seismic risk map of the infrastructure of the territory of Armenia was compiled.