APPLICATIONS OF NEW SEISMIC SOIL MAPS IN KENTUCKY

The Kentucky Geological Survey has developed maps to illustrate geologic conditions relevant to potential seismic hazard processes in Kentucky counties. These maps incorporate interpretations of NEHRP soil classification, liquefaction potential, and earthquake-induced landslides. Detailed (1:24,000-scale) geologic map information is combined with available geochronology, geotechnical analyses, and LiDAR-derived slope-angle data to infer each seismic classification following guidance available in the HAZUS technical manual available from FEMA. Two county maps have been completed thus far, with a proposal pending to support six more county maps.

Jefferson County (Louisville) and Daviess County (Owensboro) emergency management agencies were able to refine planning for a potential earthquake event and improved their anticipated response to seismic events using the new maps. Jefferson County used the completed seismic soil map and associated digital data to run a geologically informed seismic-hazard loss-estimation scenario for their county using HAZUS. When compared to the default HAZUS data run, the estimation using the new data provided a more focused and geologically plausible assessment of areas most likely to be impacted in various ways by a large earthquake. Daviess County also used a seismic soil map to improve emergency management response by using the seismic soil map as a foundation for earthquake-scenario tabletop exercises and emergency response planning. Observations from a 2008 M5.4 earthquake in Illinois have provided ground-truth for the Daviess County map.