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This study focuses on generating a shear-wave velocity averaged within the uppermost 30 m of the ground surface (Vs30) map for the Marche region (central Italy) using two commonly acknowledged proxies: topographic slope and lithological classification. The analysis is based on a comprehensive dataset of geophysical tests from the Italian seismic microzonation dataset, employed as a training set. Through regression analysis, Vs30 values are modelled as a function of lithology and topographic slope, with a random effect accounting for the combination of these variables. The resulting Vs30 raster map illustrates the spatial distribution of shear-wave velocities across the region, offering a representation of the subsurface seismic characteristics essential for various applications, including local seismic hazard assessment, prediction of seismic ground motion parameters, microzonation mapping, real-time shakemap generation, and seismic design of engineering structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

the last decade central Italy was struck by devastating seismic sequences resulting in hundreds of casualties (i.e., 2009-L'Aquila moment magnitude [Mw] = 6.3, and 2016-Amatrice-Visso-Norcia Mw max = 6.5). These seismic events were caused by two NW-SE--striking, SW-dipping, seismogenic normal faults that were modeled based on the available focal mechanisms and the seismic moment computed during the relative mainshocks. The seismogenic faults responsible for the 2009-L'Aquila Mw = 6.3 (Paganica Fault--PF) and 2016-Amatrice-Visso-Norcia Mw max = 6.5 (Monte Vettore Fault--MVF) are right-stepping with a negative overlap (i.e., underlap) located at the surface in the Campotosto area. This latter was affected by seismic swarms with magnitude ranging from 5.0 to 5.5 during the 2009 seismic sequence and then in 2017 (i.e., a few months later than the mainshocks related with the 2016 seismic sequence). In this paper, the seismogenic faults related to the main seismic events that occurred in the Campotosto Seismic Zone (CSZ) were modeled and interpreted as a linkage fault zone between the PF and MVF interacting seismogenic faults. Based on the underlap dimension, the seismogenic potential of the CSZ is in the order of Mw = 6.0, even in the case that all the faults belonging to the zone were activated simultaneously. This has important implications for seismic hazard assessment in an area dominated by the occurrence of a major NW-SE--striking extensional structure, i.e., the Monte Gorzano Fault (MGF). Mainly due to its geomorphologic expression, this fault has been considered as an active and silent structure (therefore representing a seismic gap) able to generate an earthquake of Mw max = 6.5-7.0. However, the geological evidence provided with this study suggests that the MGF is of early (i.e., pre- to syn-thrusting) origin. Therefore, the evaluation of the seismic hazard in the Campotosto area should not be based on the geometrical characteristics of the outcropping MGF. This also generates substantial issues with earthquake geological studies carried out prior to the recent seismic events in central Italy. More in general, the 4-D high-resolution image of a crustal volume hosting an active linkage zone between two large seismogenic structures provides new insights into the behavior of interacting faults in the incipient stages of connection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent works on seismic hazard have introduced the concept of time-dependent seismic hazard and different models have been proposed to predict the inter-arrival time between consecutive events. Currently, the reliability assessment of structures and relevant design rules proposed by the codes are based on the Poisson recursive model, for which the frequency of the occurrence of seismic events does not change over time. This paper presents results on the impact of Time-Dependent Seismic Hazard on structural design, by evaluating the strength required by the structure (seismic capacity) for different time intervals elapsing from the last event. "Seismic capacity" is understood here as the capacity required to provide a fixed reliability level, measured by the failure rate. Two different seismic scenarios have been investigated and results concerning different site-to-source distance, capacity dispersion of the structure and different recurrence properties of the time-dependent source have been discussed. Finally, the impact of recursive properties of time-dependent model is analysed and discussed. The results obtained from the analyses highlight a significant influence of time-dependent hazard properties on the structural capacity required to attain a target reliability, and give evidence to the different roles played by the parameters considered in the analysis. Within the set of the considered case studies, the ratios between seismic capacities evaluated by the time-dependent and non-time-dependent model span the range [0,1.32] in the first scenario, where inter-arrival time varies from 0 to two times the mean return period. The second scenario involves multiple sources and observed ratios were in the range [0.84,1.23], extreme values are relevant to inter-arrival times equal to 139 y and 371 y, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]