Earthquake Deterministic Hazard and Sensitivity Analysis for Residential Cities in Kuwait

Abstract: Urban development and construction of high-rise buildings in Kuwait have recently increased precipitately. For this reason, creating a seismic code for residential areas in Kuwait has become essential. This exertion to acquire precious results is the first step toward creating a unified earthquake code for the residential areas in the State of Kuwait. In this study, more details of local seismic activity were considered, as well as regional seismic activity, as a result of Kuwait’s proximity to the famous Zagros belt in Iran. Unified historical and instrumental catalogs on earthquake were compiled for Kuwait and neighboring regions. Influential seismic sources have been identified. Alternative seismotectonic models have been principally created. Recurrence coefficients and maximum earthquake expected from each seismic source were fundamentally considered, taking into account the epistemic uncertainty. The uniform hazard spectra for six Kuwaiti governorates were calculated using deterministic hazard technique. To reduce uncertainty, a sensitivity analysis was conducted for all six Kuwaiti governorates using seismotectonic pattern, earthquake attenuation models, and maximum expected earthquake. The priceless outcome of this study can be used by the Kuwaiti Public Authority for Housing Welfare to create a seismic code for buildings in Kuwait.