Comprehensive Geophysical Measurement in Seismic Safety Evaluation: A Case Study of East Lake High-Tech Development Zone, China

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The topic is interesting but limited to a specific location in China. The English language used in the manuscript needs thorough polishing. Repeating references especially in the literature review section can be avoided by using passive voice instead of active voice. 

Response spectra and major characteristics of the worst recorded earthquakes can be presented graphically. 
How much money is currently invested by the Government for Earthquake damage mitigation? By using the suggested methodology, how much economic benefit is anticipated? Also, as mentioned earlier, the dataset is restricted to a specific location. How does this study benefit international readers?

Author Response

Modification comments and responses for Manuscript ID Sustainability-1715951

1.Reviewer1：

First，we would like to thank you very much for your positive and constructive comments and suggestions which have enabled us to improve the manuscript substantially. Based on your comments, we have made extensive modification on the original manuscript. Below is our point-to-point response to your comments.
    The topic is interesting but limited to a specific location in China. The English language used in the manuscript needs thorough polishing. Repeating references especially in the literature review section can be avoided by using passive voice instead of active voice.

Reply: Thank you for the comment. Language polishing has been done.( The full text has been corrected and modified)

Response spectra and major characteristics of the worst recorded earthquakes can be presented graphically.

Reply:  Done, as is seen in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Regional geotectonic unit zonation.I North China Quasi-platform :Ⅰ1 Jianghuai Terrace Depression;II Qinling fold system: II1 North Huaiyang fault fold; II 2 Tungbai - Dabie fault uplift ;II 3 Nanxiang fault sag Ⅲ Yangzi quasi platform: Ⅲ1 Upper Yangtze platform fold belt; Ⅲ2 Jianghan-Dongting Rifted;Ⅲ3 Lower Yangtze platform fold belt; Ⅲ4 Jiangnan Tailong

    How much money is currently invested by the Government for Earthquake damage mitigation? By using the suggested methodology, how much economic benefit is anticipated? Also, as mentioned earlier, the dataset is restricted to a specific location. How does this study benefit international readers?

Reply: The annual investment of about 1.2 billion yuan by the Chinese government for earthquake damge mitiagion has effectively avoided earthquake disasters on the fault zone and the resulting secondary disasters, saving countless lives and property, and its economic benefits are incalculable. （page47-50）

In addition, seismic data acquisition is conducted with international general equipment, of which the seismograph (428XL) is made in the United States. Actually the seismograph of any other country can be used. Therefore, international readers can learn from the methods mentioned in the paper.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

In this manuscript, the authors utilized seismic reflection and microtremor survey to evaluate the seimic safety in urban areas. Several methods have been used for data collection and processing. Especially, the combination of seismic reflection and microtremor survey can better realize the detection of stratigraphic structure of complex regions, provide more possibilities for urban buried fault detection and avoid the detection blind area. This is an interesting manuscript, and will attract more audience working in this field. But there are some grammatical errors. Such as, “The results can provide a more accurate …… disasters (Lin et al. 2018).” (Line 48-50, Page 2). Please double check the manuscript and fix them.

Author Response

Modification comments and responses for Manuscript ID Sustainability-1715951

2.Reviewer2：

First，we would like to thank you very much for your positive and constructive comments and suggestions which have enabled us to improve the manuscript substantially. Based on your comments and suggestions, we have made extensive modification on the original manuscript. Below is our point-to-point response to your comments.

In this manuscript, the authors utilized seismic reflection and microtremor survey to evaluate the seimic safety in urban areas. Several methods have been used for data collection and processing. Especially, the combination of seismic reflection and microtremor survey can better realize the detection of stratigraphic structure of complex regions, provide more possibilities for urban buried fault detection and avoid the detection blind area. This is an interesting manuscript, and will attract more audience working in this field. But there are some grammatical errors. Such as, “The results can provide a more accurate …… disasters (Lin et al. 2018).” (Line 48-50, Page 2). Please double check the manuscript and fix them.

Reply: Thank you for the reminding. The full manuscript has been carefully checked and improved and the format of references is also modified.

Lines 48-50 on page 2 are revised as follows:

The research can providemore accurateand reliable basis for seismic fortification than the zonation map of seismic ground motion parameters can[4], and at the same time makes an objective evaluation of potential seismic and geological disasters[5].

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 3 Report

• Dear authors, in order to improve this work, you have to take in your consideration these criticisms
• Title: the title should be rephrased, it is too long and uninformative
• Abstract section
• It need numerous modifications it look like introduction sections
• Please add the overall practical implementation of your rsults or other hypothesis that may be utilized in the future at the end of the abstract
• Introduction section
• The first part of the literature is quite «old» and insufficient. Please add literature of the last five years. There is some bibliography placed over the last five years?
• Can you add a conclusion which provide us with the applied implication of your results in concise manner
• Please add at the end of the report the limitations: what can’t this work tell us?

 

Author Response

Modification comments and responses for Manuscript ID Sustainability-1715951

3.Reviewer3：

First，we would like to thank you very much for your positive and constructive comments and suggestions which have enabled us to improve the manuscript substantially. Based on your comments and suggestions, we have made extensive modification on the original manuscript. Below is our point-to-point response to your comments.

Title:the title should be rephrased, it is too long and uninformative.

Reply: Thank you for the comment. The title has been changed to "Comprehensive Geophysical Measurement in Seismic Safety Evaluation---A Case Study of East Lake High-tech Development Zone, China".     

Abstract section

It need numerous modifications it look like introduction sections

Please add the overall practical implementation of your results or other hypothesis that may be utilized in the future at the end of the abstract

Reply: The summary has been revised and the practical implementation of the research results has been added. (page11-33)

Abstract: Wuhan East Lake High-tech Development Zone is a National Innovation Demonstration Zone, where several major projects are under construction.For the seismic safety evaluation of the zone, it is urgent to find out basic data such as stratigraphic structure, geometric characteristics of buried faults and overburden thickness.  In this study, seismic reflection and microtremor survey are adopted in seismic safety evaluation in urban areas for the first time. Combined with borehole data, the overburden thickness and buried faults in the target area are detected and analyzed. The results are as follows: ①The seismic reflection detection is carried out for the possible hidden locations of Xiangfan-Guangji Fault and Macheng-Tuanfeng Fault in the target area, and the obtained high-resolution seismic reflection profiles can be used to precisely divide the stratigraphic structure, and preliminarily find out the geometric characteristics such as the strike, tendency and the buried depth of the upper breakpoint of the buried faults. ② Microtremor survey is carried out in key regions of the target area, and the obtained velocity structure imaging can provide a perspective window into the urban underground space structure, and accurately determine overburden thickness and the depth of strongly and moderately weathered bedrock. The comprehensive geophysical measurement can better realize the acquisition of basic data such as stratigraphic structure of complex regions and characteristics of urban buried fault, which provids an important basis for seismic fortification. At the same time, the combined application of geophysical methods avoids the detection blind area and provides a guarantee for urban safety and sustainable development. Furthermore, the study has reference value for seismic safety evaluation in similar areas in the world. If the omprehensive geophysical measurement can be popularized, its economic and scientific value will be immeasurable.

Introduction section

The first part of the literature is quite «old» and insufficient. Please add literature of the last five years. There is some bibliography placed over the last five years?Can you add a conclusion which provide us with the applied implication of your results in concise manner

Please add at the end of the report the limitations: what can’t this work tell us?

Reply:

Thank you for the comments.

1) We have added the literature of last five years, see line 75 for details. Nevertheless, it is in our research that the two methods are combined for seismic safety evaluation for the first time, therefore there are few scientific research available, which is actually the innovation of this paper.

• At the end of the introduction section, we have provided a concise application description as follows:

Therefore, based on the results of the comprehensive geophysical measurement, risks such as uneven settlement of major urban projects, and damage and even collapse of building structure by earthquake can be reduced, thus reducing property and life loss and protecting urban sustainable development. (page100-103)

• The limitation of the research results has been added at the end of the paper as follows:

Although the methods proposed in this paper have very important popularization significance and scientific value, the urban sustainable development and major engineering construction can not rely solely on comprehensive geophysical measurement. Due to the multiplicity of geophysics, the results need to be used together with other detection means.(page345-348)

 

Author Response File: Author Response.docx