Analysis of near-source ground motion from the 2019 ridgecrest earthquake sequence

The Ridgecrest seismic sequence began on 4 July 2019 in California, on a hitherto relatively unmapped orthogonal cross-faulting system, causing mainly nonstructural or liquefaction-related damage to buildings in the vicinity of Ridgecrest and Trona, and also causing sub-stantial surface rupture. The present study considers the near-source ground-acceleration recordings collected during the two principal events of the sequence—the 4 July moment-magnitude M 6.4 foreshock and the 6 July M 7.1 mainshock—to identify pulse-like ground motions, which may have arisen due to forward rupture directivity. Pulse-like seismic input is of particular interest to earthquake engineering due to its peculiar spectral shape and possibly increased damaging potential, and expanding the strong-motion databases with such records is a topical issue. In this context, a pulse identification methodology is implemented, partially based on computer-aided signal processing, but also involving manual classification. Nine ground-motion records were classified as pulse-like by this procedure. Further investigation led to the conclusion that, for some of these records, the impulsive characteristics could most likely be attributable to forward rupture directiv-ity, whereas for others fling step may have also been an issue. Finally, clear signs of directionality were observed in these ground motions at periods near the pulse duration, manifesting as a polarization of the spectral ordinates toward the orientation of the impulsive component.