Investigation of the Hypothesis of a Seismogenic Origin for the Structural Damages to Buildings in the Archeological Zone Cologne with Engineering-Geophysical Models

科隆宫殿可以位于罗马内城的东部，今天在所谓的考古区。它是罗马帝国下日耳曼尼亚省或日耳曼尼亚第二省总督的所在地，也是整个省的行政中心。地基和部分残存的墙壁显示出严重的结构损坏，这很可能表明发生了突然的破坏事件。在北威斯特伐利亚州和科隆市支持的“2010地区”项目框架内，科隆考古区正在开发中，宫殿的一大部分（以前无法进入）和覆盖的犹太区将被挖掘。现有结构和新开挖区域为建立工程地球物理模型提供了机会，以验证观测到的损伤是孕震起源的假设。该假说认为次生效应（液化和横向扩散）是主要原因。在计划的勘探和挖掘作业期间，将在拟议项目的框架内系统地记录损坏情况。下莱茵河海湾是阿尔卑斯山以北欧洲地震最活跃的地区之一，该地区的地震构造模型将成为计算确定性地震情景合成强震图的基础。研究了考古区的地下动力特性和故宫建筑的反作用。研究结果将为更大范围的科隆地区和整个莱茵河下游地区的地震危险性分析提供重要依据。

The Cologne Praetorium can be located in the eastern part of the Roman inner city, today in the area of the so-called Archaeological Zone . It was the seat of the roman imperial governor for the province Germania Inferior or Germania secunda and the administrative centre for the whole province. The foundations and parts of the remaining walls show heavy structural damages, which most probably indicate a sudden damaging event. Within the framework of the “Regionale 2010”, a project supported by the state of Northrhine Westphalia and the City of Cologne, the Archaeological Zone Cologne is being developed and a large section of the Praetorium (previously inaccessible) and the overlaying Jewish Quarter will be excavated. The existing structures together with the newly excavated areas present an opportunity to construct engineering geophysical models to test the hypothesis that observed damages are of seismogenic origin. The hypothesis suggests secondary effects (liquefaction and lateral spreading) as the main cause. During the planned exploration and excavation operations the damages will be systematically documented in the frame of the proposed project. A seismotectonic model for the Lower Rhine Embayment, one of the most seismically active areas in Europe north of the Alps, will be the basis for calculation of synthetic strong motion seismograms for deterministic earthquake scenarios. The dynamic behavior of the subsurface of the Archaeological Zone and the reaction of the Praetorium building will be studied. The results will provide an important basis for earthquake hazard analysis of the larger Cologne area and the Lower Rhine Embayment as a whole.