The role and importance of seismotectonical investigations in seismic zoning

(in Serbian)

Abstract

The modern seismical preventive, representing a rapidly developing field of research activities, is based mostly on data related to the locations of sources of seismic energy that pose a threat to given part of Earth’s surface, as well as those related to their capacities in respect of stored seismic energy.

Such investigations are of particular importance in the areas threatened by earthquake of tectonic origin, and these are of both the basic and applied nature. According to relations among their superficial and deeper geological structural features, strains and stresses, recent tectonic displacements and seismic activities, to the seismotectonical investigations are able to determine the seismogene structures, as well as to predict the positions and capacities of foci of possible earthquakes that can threaten a given area. Such data then represent the important criteria in determining the parameters in planning of buildings and other objects in earthquake prone areas.

  Seismotectonics is relatively new science, based on and resulting from the geological, geophysical and seismical studies and investigations. The cumulative effects of these results, as well as their quality, were mainly responsible for development of seismo-tectonics. Its development has also been influenced by the construction industry, particularly when planning high dams, nuclear power plaints, and other objects where the extreme safety is requested. This cannot be done without the data obtained by seismotectonic investigations.