Estimation of an upper limit on prehistoric peak ground acceleration using the parameters of intact stalagmites and the mechanical properties of broken stalagmites in Domica Cave, Slovakia

Gribovszki, Katalin Eszter and Kovács, Károly and Mónus, Péter and Shen, Chuan-Chou and Török, Ákos (2013) Estimation of an upper limit on prehistoric peak ground acceleration using the parameters of intact stalagmites and the mechanical properties of broken stalagmites in Domica Cave, Slovakia. SLOVENSKY KRAS, 51 (1). pp. 5-14. ISSN 0560-3137

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Abstract

Suitably shaped (tall, slim and more or less cylindriform), vulnerable, intact stalagmites (STM) in Domica cave have been examined. Some of these STMs are suitable to estimate the upper limit for horizontal peak ground acceleration generated by paleoearthquake. This research is the continuation of our previous examination of STMs in Baradla cave, north - east Hungary. The density, the Young’s modulus and the tensile failure stress of broken STM samples have been measured in mechanical laboratory, whereas the natural frequency and the heights and diameters of intact STMs were determined by in situ observation. The value of horizontal ground acceleration resulting in failure and the theoretical natural frequency of STM were assessed by theoretical calculations. The age of the samples taken from the STM(2.26m) standing in show part of Domica cave has been determined by Multi Collector – Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry analysis (MC-ICPMS). The a g value (the upper limit for horizontal peak ground acceleration ) need ed to break STM(5m) in Čertova diera (Ördög-lik) hall coming from theoretical calculation is almost the same (~ 0.059g) as - in case of STM(5.1m) in Olimposz hall (~0.055g) of Baradla cave. According to our measurements and theoretical calculations, in the last 2-5 kyears the geological structures close to Baradla and Domica caves have not generated paleoearthquakes, which would have produced horizontal ground acceleration larger than 0.061g. This value can be reached even in moderate size earthquakes. Our result has to be taken into account when calculating the seismic potential of faults near to Domica cave (e.g. Darnó,Plešivec (Pelsőc) and Rožňava (Rozsnyó) lines.

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