Response analysis of low-rise buildings under micro seismic events induced by geothermal operations

During the past years, the environmental damage from conventional heat/power production sources has shifted the focus towards renewable sources such as geothermal energy leading to a sharp increase in geothermal plant installations worldwide. The geothermal plants induce micro-seismic events in the surrounding structures. The present study is concerned with providing the building vibration prediction and prevention measures in the city and outskirts of Munich, Germany. This paper aims to provide a preliminary analytical framework for the analysis of the low-rise, small residential buildings, namely, the single-family houses under geothermally induced earthquakes. In particular, an effort is made to analyze the influence of floor flexibility on the vibration response of a building subjected to (a) geothermally induced earthquake and (b) root-point excitation. The results show that the resonant behavior of the low-rise buildings' floor slabs significantly influences the overall building behavior under micro-seismic events.