## 4 Discussion
### Discussion on Locked Segment Effect  
Locked segments are defined as the areas of non-uniform contact between two fault planes. Additionally, they encompass sections of the fault that have not yet experienced rupture [35]. Existing research suggests that the movement mode and seismic activity of a fault are influenced by locked segments, and breakthroughs in these locked segments lead to the concentrated release of seismic energy [36]. Prior studies by [PERSON] et al. (2010) [37] and [PERSON] et al. (2017) [38] have validated the locked segment rupture theory through the retrospective analysis of typical large earthquakes. According to the illustration presented in Figure 11, the East Anatolian Main Fault exhibits a division into nine secondary sub-faults. These sub-faults encompass the Amanos FS Segment and the Pazzcik Segment. Every individual sub-fault demonstrates distinct characteristics, including the occurrence of folding and overlapping. [PERSON] et al. (2013) [39], based on active fault mapping and utilizing seismic data from Turkey, confirmed the discontinuous segmented structure of the East Anatolian Fault Zone. Additionally, the authors provided further details regarding the geometric segmentation, intermittent nature of activity, and regional characteristics associated with induced earthquakes. According to the illustration presented in Figure 11, the East Anatolian Main Fault exhibits a division into nine secondary sub-faults. These sub-faults encompass the Amanos FS Segment and the Pazzcik Segment. Every individual sub-fault demonstrates distinct characteristics, including the occurrence of folding and overlapping. [PERSON] et al. (2013) [39], based on active fault mapping and utilizing seismic data from Turkey, confirmed the discontinuous segmented structure of the East Anatolian Fault Zone and inferred that each segment has a different slip rate, rupture length, and recurrence interval. Additionally, the authors provided further details regarding the geometric segmentation, intermittent nature of activity, and regional characteristics associated with induced earthquakes and suggested that these factors affect the seismic hazard assessment of the region. These inferences are important for our research work because they help us understand the spatial distribution and variation in ground motion along the East Anatolian Fault Zone and its sub-faults. Upon further examination of Figure 9, it is evident that the distribution of peak ground motion is not continuous. Instead, it is concentrated within specific fault segments, including the Pazzcik Segment, the Maras Fault Zone, the Amanos FS Segment, and the Islahiye releasing bend. This concentration is observed in addition to the band-like concentration along the fault rupture. Figure 12 delineates four distinct regions characterized by significant ground motion peaks, as outlined below. Figure 11: Schematic diagram of surface rupture segments and earthquake of the East Anatolian Fault and its sub-segments [39]. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{l l l l l l l l} \hline \hline
**Fault Distance (km)** & **0–5** & **5–10** & **10–15** & **15–20** & **20–25** & **25–30** \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{Mean PGA (cm/s\({}^{2}\))} & Horizontal & 692.49 & 614.25 & 314.92 & 244.64 & 122.81 & 135.90 \\  & North–South & 674.19 & 614.40 & 375.94 & 250.61 & 138.02 & 104.94 \\  & Vertical & 561.37 & 539.45 & 283.61 & 172.11 & 102.38 & 69.21 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 3: Statistics of PGA for near-fault (the radial distance \(<\) 30 km) seismic records. Region A is located in close proximity to the boundary between the Pazarcik Segment, which is a primary segment of the East Anatolian Main Fault, and the Maras Fault Zone, which is a secondary sub-fault of the East Anatolian Fault. Centered around station 4614 in Kahramanmaras city (coordinates 37.485\({}^{\circ}\) N, 37.298\({}^{\circ}\) E), the peak acceleration reaches 2039.20 cm/s\({}^{2}\) at a distance of 31.42 km from the epicenter.