SIGMA3

SeismIc hazard and Ground Motion Assessment

Anchor 6

Overview

SIGMA3 is a research and development (R&D) program on SeIsmic hazard and Ground Motion Assessment. It is the 3rd part of a larger R&D initiative initiated in 2011 to support innovation in the field of probabilistic hazard assessment (PSHA). SIGMA3 is fully funded by the industry at 100%. The program grounds its roots in methodological developments, as well as in the identified shortcomings of the two preceding editions, labelled SIGMA and SIGMA2.

The previous two programs have led to insightful datasets and models to accompany the inception of probabilistic site-specific PSHA studies in low-to-moderate seismicity areas, such as France, for instance. However, nowadays, additional progress is still needed to reduce epistemic uncertainties and improve confidence in probabilistic seismic hazard studies. To this end, SIGMA3 gathers a group of researchers and engineers actively involved in the seismic hazard community and recognized for their expertise.

Objectives

The SIGMA program is a Research and Development project about seismic hazard and ground motion.

It has the objective to improve data and develop methods necessary to best estimate SHA by producing Hazard levels more adapted to the site.

Improve available practices

for safety demonstration to get consensus with the largest international community for R&D and industrial applications

Improve confidence and accountability

in seismic hazard assessments by quantifying and propagating uncertainties on Seismic Source and Ground Motion Characterization

Strengthen the link

between seismologists and engineers, and share feedback among consortium members

Collaborators

Steering Committee

The Steering Committee handles strategic and technical decision-making in the SIGMA3 program and provides recommendations on the program’s orientation, informed by the Scientific Committee’s expertise.

Composition: Emmanuel Viallet (EDF France), Fabrice Hollender (CEA France), Vojtech Spanihel (CEZ Group Czech Republic), Masato Nakajima (CRIEPI Japan), Albert Kottke (PG&E USA), Fabienne Chawla (SwissNuclear Switzerland), Ludovic Fulop (VTT Finland)

Scientific Committee

The members of the SIGMA3 Scientific Committee are independent experts in their field, providing recommendations, insights, and reviews on activities performed through the program.

Composition: Philippe RENAULT (Chairperson), Norman ABRAHAMSON, Laurent BOLLINGER, Emmanuel CHALJUB, Maria José CRESPO, John DOUGLAS, Zeynep GULERCE, Sadanori HIGASHI, Pierre LABBE, Ian MAIN, Adrian RODRIGUEZ-MAREK, Alain PECKER, Gabriel TORO, Kris VANNESTE, Jérôme VERGNE

Location

Global (coordinating agency located in France)

Sigma 3 Technical Program

Supported by ´Electricité de France (EDF), GEM’s activities cover three work packages:

For more details on Sigma3's work packages (WP), click here.

1. Probabilistic Fault Displacement Hazard Analysis. This activity builds upon work carried out in 2024 within the framework of a collaboration with OGS, Trieste.

2. Development and methodologies for probabilistic seismic hazard assessment. In this WP, we will further develop capabilities to compute the conditional aftershock hazard and propagate epistemic uncertainties efficiently.

3. Development of a Simulation Platform. The objective of this activity is to generate a set of Python tools for evaluating fundamental components of a hazard input model - namely, source, ground motion, and site effects - used in Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis (PSHA) computations.

Anchor 1

Anchor 5