Hazard-consistent response spectra in the Region of Murcia (Southeast Spain): comparison to earthquake-resistant provisions

Hazard-consistent ground-motion characterisations of three representative sites located in the Region of Murcia (southeast Spain) are presented. This is the area where the last three damaging events in Spain occurred and there is a significant amount of data for comparing them with seismic hazard estimates and earthquake-resistant provisions. Results of a probabilistic seismic hazard analysis are used to derive uniform hazard spectra (UHS) for the 475-year return period, on rock and soil conditions. Hazard deaggregation shows that the largest hazard contributions are due to small, local events for short-period target motions and to moderate, more distant events for long-period target motions. For each target motion and site considered, the associated specific response spectra (SRS) are obtained. It is shown that the combination of two SRS, for short- and long-period ground motions respectively, provides a good approximation to the UHS at each site. The UHS are compared to design response spectra contained in current Spanish and European seismic codes for the 475-year return period. For the three sites analysed, only the Eurocode 8 (EC8) type 2 spectrum captures the basic shape of the UHS (and not the EC8 type 1, as could be expected a priori). An alternative response spectrum, anchored at short- and long-period accelerations, is tested, providing a close match to the UHS spectra at the three sites. Results underline the important contribution of the frequent, low-to-moderate earthquakes that characterize the seismicity of this area to seismic hazard (at the 475-year return period)

J. Public Health

Objective: This study aims to explore within-country heterogeneity in the causal relationship between body mass and labour income. We focus on Mexico, which is an emerging country where overweight is predominant and hunger has become marginal. Subjects and methods: Based on the working-age population from the Mexican Family Life Survey (2002–2012), we use a regression discontinuity design to test for significant discontinuities along the body mass-income relationship. More specifically, we investigate the presence of income gaps along the body mass distribution. Results: Our findings suggest that the overweight status is not particularly penalised in the Mexican labour market. By contrast, the obesity status decreases hourly wages by about 15%. Regarding heterogeneity, obesity-related wage penalties are stronger for female than male employees and higher in service employments, urban areas and the latest survey. Conclusion: We conclude on a co-occurrence of pro- and anti-fat social norms in emerging countries. Our results might be generalised to other middle-income economies with similar nutritional patterns where hunger is marginal and overweight predominant