Evaluation of soil-structure resonance by determining local soil conditions in Gümüşhane city center

Recent earthquakes have adversely affected human life, highlighting the necessity of identifying structural and ground conditions to assess risky areas and mitigate potential damage from future seismic events. Gümüşhane, the designated study area, is susceptible to the impacts of a possible earthquake due to its proximity to the North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ). Accordingly, vertical electrical sounding (VES), multi-channel analysis of surface waves (MASW), and microtremor methods were employed in the central district of Gümüşhane to characterize local ground conditions and to evaluate the resonance hazard potential arising from the interaction between structures and the underlying soil. Dominant period (T0) and frequency (f0), spectral amplification (A0), soil index of vulnerability (Kg), average S wave velocity for 30 m depth (Vs30), ground type, and soil-structure resonance hazard potential were determined. For the study area, f0 values between 1.32–8.91 Hz (T0 values varied between 0.11–0.76 s), A0 values between 0.93–7.63 according to horizontal/vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) analysis, and Vs30 values were between 390–886 m/sec to MASW. As a result of the evaluation of microtremor measurements made in all buildings using the floor spectral ratio (FSR) technique, the soil-structure potential resonance hazard was found to be low. The present study, conducted in Gümüşhane, examined the subject of soil-structure interaction. In the process of planning new residential areas, it is imperative to ensure the reliability of construction based on the local ground conditions. Furthermore, it is essential to determine the risk status of buildings in relation to potential earthquake movements.