Estimation of Shallow S-Wave Velocity Structure in Damascus City,Syria, Using Microtremor Exploration

Array measurements of microtremors were carried out at thirty sites in Damascus city, Syria to estimate S-wave velocity structures of shallow soil formations for site effect analysis. The microtremor data were recorded by 6 vertical-component seismometers distributed along the circumferences of two circles as well as a 3-component seismometer deployed in the center. The phase velocities were estimated at each site from the vertical components of recorded microtremor data by using the Spatial Autocorrelation method. Then, Genetic Simulated Annealing Algorithm technique was applied for inversion of the phase velocities to estimate 1-D S-wave velocity structures beneath the sites. The inverted Vs profiles are not uniform in Damascus city and the results show that a shallow soft layer (∼200 m/s) appears in the eastern part of the city as well as the central part along Barada River. This layer controls the amplification distribution in the city with a high amplification mainly observed at the locations having this layer. The inversion results also show that the depth to the engineering bedrock (∼750 m/s) is very shallow along the foothills of Mt. Qasyoun in the north-west. Then the depth increases towards the east and the south. The maximum depth to the engineering bedrock (∼80 m) was observed in the southern part of Damascus. To validate the results of the inversions, the spectral ratios between the horizontal and vertical components (H/V) of the recorded microtremor data at the central seismometer were compared with the computed ellipticities of the fundamental-mode Rayleigh-waves based on the respective Vs structure. The results show a good agreement in a period range of 0.05 s to 0.5 s. In this period range, the dominant peaks of the H/V ratios are due to the overall effect of the velocity contrasts between the shallow layers representing the subsurface S-wave velocity structure. Moreover, the average S-wave velocity for the top 10 m of soils (V_S10) shows a better correlation with the averaged site amplification in a period range of 0.05 s to 0.5 s than V_S30 which indicates that V_S10 can be a better proxy for high-frequency site amplification in the case of Damascus city.     

二维微动剖面探测"孤石":以深圳地铁7号线为例

"孤石"是花岗岩不均匀风化所残留的风化核,在我国南方沿海地区普遍发育."孤石"埋藏分布随机,形状大小各异,给地铁盾构施工带来重大安全隐患,探测"孤石"一直是地铁工程勘察面临的难题.我们首次尝试利用二维微动剖面技术探测"孤石",在深圳地铁7号线车公庙-上沙段区间实测二条剖面,结合少量钻孔资料进行岩性层划分和"孤石"解释.实测结果显示,在二维微动视S波速度剖面上,素填土、粉质粘土、砾质粘性土等岩土层、全风化、强-中风化、微风化和未风化的花岗岩层,视S波速度值各不相同,剖面特征也存在较大差异,利用少量钻孔结果标定,易于划分;在强-中风化花岗岩层中,视S波速度(岩性)横向变化剧烈,局部发育"团块状"高速体,本文将其解释为未风化的花岗岩"孤石".本文结果表明,二维微动剖面技术探测"孤石"是有效的微动视S波速度剖面除能直观显示岩性的纵、横向变化,提供工程基岩面的埋深及起伏形态信息外,还可给出岩土层风化程度的判断信息,为高层建筑的桩基设计提供地球物理依据.作为一种全新的"孤石"探测手段,二维微动剖面技术尤其适用于交通繁忙、建筑物密集的、各种场源干扰严重的闹市区.     

Estimating the near surface amplification factor to minimize earthquake damage: a case study at West Wadi Hagoul area, Egypt

The damage caused by earthquake occurrences in different localities all over the world necessitates the evaluation of the underground and/or sub-soil structure for strategic projects. The case study is the proposed area for a new factory construction that lies 3 km west of Suez Cement factory, in the area between Kottamiya and Ain Sokhna. The shallow seismic refraction survey was carried out through 10 major lines (grid lines), comprising 30 seismic profiles. The microtremor measurements were done at 25 locations at the grid intersection points. The obtained compressional (P) and horizontal shear (SH) wave velocities, with the horizontal to vertical (H/V) spectral ratios, are used to deduce the subsurface structures, to evaluate the elastic and dynamic properties and the transfer function at both the surface and bedrock. The results illustrate that there is a good correlation between the fundamental frequencies deduced through the theoretical transfer function and the H/V spectral ratio. The maximum value of ground motion amplification factor of the study area is 3.3 at a corresponding frequency of 7.8 Hz.     

震级、震源距对地震信号H/V影响分析

本文采用喜马拉雅科学探测台阵四川省境内10个台站,计算了所有地震信号0.5—15 Hz的H/V谱比,分析了震级、震源距对H/V谱比的影响,并与各台站场地地脉动H/V谱比进行了比较. 结果表明: 震级对各台站地震信号的H/V谱比振幅值以及峰值频率几乎没有影响;震源距对谱峰明显的H/V谱比曲线的谱形和峰值频率影响不大,但对谱峰不明显的H/V谱比曲线的峰值频率有一定影响;H/V谱峰明显的台站,地震信号与地脉动信号的H/V谱比曲线的峰值频率具有很高的一致性,H/V谱峰不明显的台站,二者的峰值频率有一定差异.      

Amplification effects from earthquakes and ambient noise in the Dead Sea rift (Israel)

Seven sites were instrumented in the Parsa area located in the seismically active Dead Sea rift system. Moderate and weak motions generated by earthquakes and ambient noise were used to identify amplifications due to geological and topographic effects.Three observation methods were applied to estimate site effects: (1) conventional soil–bedrock station-pair spectral ratios for earthquake motions and microtremors; (2) horizontal-to-vertical component spectral ratios for shear-waves observed simultaneously at a site (receiver function estimates) and (3) horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratios of microtremor measurements (Nakamura estimate). The site response spectra of soil sites exhibited significant peaks between 1 and 3 Hz with amplification factors typically within the range of 2.5–4.0. A bedrock site on the high plateau near the escarpment top showed a peak between 2 and 3 Hz, mainly due to an EW oscillation of the NS topographic feature. Our observations indicated that seismograms recorded in the tunnel were either enriched or depleted at certain frequencies owing to interference of incident and surface-reflected waves.     

Applicability of the H/V spectral ratio of microtremors in assessing site effects on seismic motion

The authors examine the reliability of site response estimations obtained by the horizontal to vertical (H/V) spectral ratios of microtremors by means of cross‐validation with the ratio of the horizontal spectra of earthquake motion with respect to reference sites. The data comprise microtremor and ground motion records recorded at 150 sites of Yokohama strong motion array. The use of non‐supervised pattern recognition techniques aims to group the sites with more objectivity. Attributes defining the overall shape of the amplification spectra serve as input in the computation of Euclidean distance similarity coefficients amongst sites. The implementation of the Ward clustering scheme leads to the attainment of a meaningful tree diagram. Its analysis shows the possibility of summarizing the results into six general patterns. A good coincidence of site effects estimates at 80 per cent of the sites becomes apparent. However, this coincidence appears poor for sites characterized by H/V amplification ratios around 2 or smaller and predominant periods longer than 0.5 s. In such cases, the presence of stiff, sandy sediments in the soil profile proves common. To proscribe H/V estimations, relying solely on the small spectral ratios criterion seems inadequate. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

New relationship between fundamental site frequency and thickness of soft sediments from seismic ambient noise

In this contribution, new relationship between the fundamental site frequency and the thickness of soft sediments is obtained for many sites in Egypt. The Horizontal-to-Vertical Spectral Ratio (“H/V”) technique (known as Nakamura technique) can be used as a robust tool to determine the thickness of soft sediments layers overlaying bedrock from observations and measurements of seismic ambient noise data. In Egypt, numerous seismic ambient noise measurements have been conducted in several areas to determine the dynamic properties of soft soil for engineering purposes. At each site in each studied area, the fundamental site frequency was accurately estimated from the main peak in the spectral ratio between the horizontal and vertical component. Consequently, an extensive database of microtremor measurements, well logging data, and shallow seismic refraction data have been configured and assembled for the studied areas. New formula between fundamental site frequency (f₀) and thickness of soft sediments (h) is established. The new formula has been validated and compared with other formulas of earlier scientists, and the results indicate that the calculated depth and geometry of the bedrock surface using new formula are in a good agreement with well logs data and previously published seismic refraction surveys in the investigated sites.     

Soil characteristics in Doon Valley (north west Himalaya,India) by inversion of H/V spectral ratios from ambient noise measurements

Past and recent observations have shown that the local site conditions significantly affect the behavior of seismic waves and its potential to cause destructive earthquakes. Thus, seismic microzonation studies have become crucial for seismic hazard assessment, providing local soil characteristics that can help to evaluate the possible seismic effects. Among the different methods used for estimating the soil characteristics, the ones based on ambient noise measurements, such as the H/V technique, become a cheap, non-invasive and successful way for evaluating the soil properties along a studied area.In this work, ambient noise measurements were taken at 240 sites around the Doon Valley, India, in order to characterize the sediment deposits. First, the H/V analysis has been carried out to estimate the resonant frequencies along the valley. Subsequently, some of this H/V results have been inverted, using the neighborhood algorithm and the available geotechnical information, in order to provide an estimation of the S-wave velocity profiles at the studied sites.Using all these information, we have characterized the sedimentary deposits in different areas of the Doon Valley, providing the resonant frequency, the soil thickness, the mean S-wave velocity of the sediments, and the mean S-wave velocity in the uppermost 30 m.     

Using a three-component KMV seismometer for recording microtremors in the zone of a landslide slope

Some results are presented from an experimental study of the natural microtremor field on an active landslide-prone slope using a KMV seismometer. Anomalous zones of increased microtremor amplitude have been identified within this landslide feature corresponding to zones of density deficit. It is shown that the velocity characteristics in the upper portion of the cross section can be estimated from spectral ratios of horizontal and vertical signal components in three-compont records. The present microtremor mapping results were compared with those derived via other geophysical techniques, in particular, directional surveys and differentazimuth multiwave seismic prospecting.     

用HV谱比法推测银川市区沉积层基底分布特征

在缺乏其他资料的情况下,地脉动常常用做确定地震动对地表介质产生影响效应的简便手段。本文以银川市区为研究对象,根据地震勘探资料有目的的选取5条测线在银川市区进行地脉动观测,观测点共141个。用Nakamura提出的HV谱比法解析观测数据,在给定地下构造剪切波速度(VS)的基础上,由H/V比值曲线中的基本频率推测盆地深层地下构造。通过理论计算进一步验证了解析结果。结合前人地震勘探资料推测了银川市区脉动基本频率分布特征,并给出2D和3D银川市基底构造变化情况,对比分析表明,HV谱比法得到的脉动基本频率值可以反映银川盆地基底变化情况。     

Comparison of spectral ratio techniques for estimation of site effects using microtremor data and earthquake motions recorded at the surface and in boreholes

The authors apply soil response estimation techniques employing accelerograms for fifteen earthquakes recorded at the Yokohama Strong Motion Network and its vertical array of nine sites, plus microtremor data recorded at all 150 sites. Assessment of the reliability of surface to reference site spectral ratios, and horizontal to vertical spectral ratios of S‐waves, coda, and microtremors, relied on cross‐validation with both surface to borehole spectral ratios, and theoretical soil response functions for vertically incident SH plane waves calculated from the vertical array recordings and logging data, respectively. The results indicate the following: (1) the reference site method provides more accurate soil response estimations; (2) the H/V of microtremors provides relatively better soil response estimations than its S‐wave and coda counterparts; and (3) the H/V of microtremors provides coincident soil response estimations at two‐thirds of the sites when considering no more than ±30% mismatch in the determination of the predominant periods. The matching of parameters obtained from the analysis of microtremors, combined with their relatively low economic cost and the possibility of recording without strict spatial or time restrictions turns microtremors into a particularly appealing approach. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Side effect of using response spectral amplification ratios for soil sites—variability and earthquake-magnitude and source-distance dependent amplification ratios for soil sites

We investigate a special type of variability in response spectral amplification ratios computed from numerical “engineering” models for a soft soil site. The engineering models are defined by shallow soil layers over “engineering” bedrock with a shear-wave velocity over 600–700 m/s and the model is subjected to vertical propagating shear waves. The variability, perhaps unique in earthquake engineering, is a result of the “perfectly accurate” computational procedure. For example, an engineering soil site model, subjected to two rock site records or the two horizontal components of a rock site record, produces different response spectral amplification ratios. We use a large number of strong-motion records from “engineering” rock sites, with a reasonably balanced distribution with respect to magnitude and source distance, generated by subduction earthquakes in Japan, to investigate the nature of the variability. In order to avoid any approximation in removing the effect of soil nonlinear response, we use a simple model, a single horizontal soil layer over a bedrock, modelled as elastic. We then demonstrate that a similar type of variability observed in the one- or two-dimensional nonlinear soil models is caused by the nature of response spectral amplification ratios, not a direct result of soil nonlinear response. Examination of variability reveals that the average of response spectral amplification ratios systematically depends on both earthquake magnitude and source distance. We find that, at periods much longer than the site natural periods of the soil sites, the scatter of the amplification ratios decreases with increasing magnitude and source distance. These findings may have a potential impact in establishing design spectra for soft soil sites using strong-motion attenuation models or dynamic numerical modelling.     

基于强震动记录确定的场地卓越周期

本文介绍了3种根据场地强震动记录获取场地卓越周期的方法: ① 地表记录的傅里叶谱分析法; ② 地表水平/垂直傅里叶谱比法; ③ 地表/地下傅里叶谱比法. 基于日本强震动观测台网KiK-net中两个基岩台站和两个Ⅲ类场地台站获取的数百条强震动记录, 分别使用上述3种方法确定场地的卓越周期, 并对比分析各种方法的优缺点及其适用情况. 结果表明: 对于基岩场地, 由于记录信息复杂, 局部场地条件对地震动影响较小, 地震动自身特性突出, 导致3种方法所得到的结果均比较分散; 对于土层场地, 场地条件影响比较显著, 3种方法基本都可以得到一个较为准确的数值; 但对于某些场地, 地表水平/垂直傅里叶谱比法所得结果存在不确定性, 相比之下, 地表/地下傅里叶谱比法则能给出一个更为准确的场地卓越周期值.      

HORIZONTAL-TO-VERTICAL SPECTRUM RATIO OF EARTHQUAKE GROUND MOTION FOR SITE CHARACTERIZATION

Nakamura's method, which uses a horizontal-to-vertical Fourier spectrum ratio of microtremor, has become popular to determine the predominant period and amplification of a site. In this study, this method is extended for earthquake ground motion recordings using new strong motion data recorded by JMA-87-type accelerometers. From the analysis of these accelerograms, horizontal-to-vertical Fourier spectrum ratios of a site for different earthquakes are also found to be stable irrespective of magnitude, distance and depth. To establish this fact, attenuation relations of velocity response spectra for horizontal and vertical components are derived for three damping ratios (0, 2 and 5 per cent) using the JMA data. Then the horizontal-to-vertical ratios of the velocity response spectra are obtained. The results show that the horizontal and vertical velocity response spectra are dependent on magnitude, distance and depth, but that their ratios are almost independent of magnitude, distance and depth. However, since the current data set consists of mostly intermediate to far field data, this observation should be limited to records of these distance ranges. Introducing station coefficients, representing site amplification, to this relation yields the value comparable to the horizontal-to-vertical Fourier spectrum ratio at a specific site. The stability of the spectrum ratio is explained by the transfer function between the ground surface and stiff-soil outcrop due to S-wave propagation. These results suggest that site amplification characteristics can be evaluated by one-point two-component surface recordings of earthquake ground motion, in a similar manner as proposed by Nakamura for microtremor. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Site characterizations for the Tehran network (TDMMO) in Tehran Region Using Micro-Earthquake,Microtremor and Quarry Blast Data

We did a Study of Horizontal-to-Vertical Component Spectral Ratio in the Tehran seismic zone. Micro-earthquakes, microtremors and quarry blasts data were used as an estimation of the site response in the Tehran zone. Site effects were studied based on horizontal to vertical ratios by the Nakamura׳s technique. Also, we used the spectra of signals for three components with the lowest noise levels for spectral slope studies. The analysis used seismic events from a network of 13 seismic stations by the permanent local seismological network of the Tehran Disaster Mitigation and Management Organization (TDMMO) from 2004 to 2007. The number of events used were different for each station. Quarry blast events were with 1.2≤M_L≤2.2 and micro-earthquakes were with 1.1≤M_L≤4.1.By comparing results for earthquake, microtremor and quarry blast, we could see that there is a significant difference between them. The data showed clear observations, especially in high-frequencies. The H/V spectral ratios indicate dominant frequency for rock/soft site with a higher ratio level for quarry blast ratios, which are comparable to the earthquake results due to their difference sources. The results derived by spectral H/V ratios and spectral analysis may be used to distinguish between local earthquakes and quarry blasts.     

Effects of Impedance Contrast and Soil Thickness on Basin-Transduced Rayleigh Waves and Associated Differential Ground Motion

This paper presents the effects of impedance contrast (IC) across the basin edge, velocity contrast between the basin and underlying bedrock, Poisson’s ratio and soil thickness on the characteristics of basin-transduced Rayleigh (BTR) waves and associated differential ground motion (DGM). Analysis of simulated results for a two-dimensional (2D) basin revealed complex mode transformation of Rayleigh waves after entering the basin. Excellent correlation of frequencies corresponding to different spectral ratio peaks in ellipticity curves of BTR waves and spectral amplification peaks was obtained. However, such correlation was not observed between values of peaks in ellipticity curves and spectral amplification at the corresponding frequencies. An increase of spectral amplification with IC was obtained. The largest spectral amplification was more than twice the IC in the horizontal component and more than the IC in the vertical component in the case of large and same impedance contrast for P- and S-waves. It was concluded that the frequency corresponding to the largest spectral amplification was greater than the fundamental frequency of soil by around 14% and 44% in the vertical and horizontal components, respectively. Spectral amplification of the vertical component was negligible when soil thickness was less than around 15–20 times the S-wave wavelength in the basin. The largest values of peak ground displacement (PGD) and peak differential ground motion (PDGM) were obtained very near the basin edge, and their values with offset from the edge were strongly dependent on the IC across the basin edge, Poisson’s ratio, velocity contrast between the basin and underlying bedrock (dispersion), damping and soil thickness. The obtained value of PDGM for a span of 50 m in the horizontal and vertical components due to the BTR wave was of the order of 0.75 × 10^?3 and 1.32 × 10^?3 for unit amplitude (1.0 cm) in the horizontal component of the Rayleigh wave at rock very near the basin edge.     

应用微动H/V谱比法和台阵技术探测场地响应和浅层速度结构

为了快速而且廉价地获取北京市详细的场地响应和浅层速度结构,应用于地震动模拟和地震灾害预防,我们开展了微动观测技术和处理方法研究.本文利用2007年夏季北京五棵松地区进行的几个微动观测实验数据,使用单台H/V谱比法分析场地的卓越频率及其对应的放大系数,并对比了不同地震仪和观测时间对H/V曲线的影响;应用高分辨率F-K频谱分析方法从微动台阵数据中得到Rayleigh波的频散曲线并使用邻域算法反演出浅层速度结构.H/V结果表明该地区卓越频率在2.1～2.2 Hz之间,对应的放大系数下限约为3;利用微动H/V方法得到的场地卓越频率具有较高的稳定性.微动台阵反演结果给出了比较合理的波阻抗界面深度和层平均速度结构,认为地下80多米处的波阻抗界面是决定场地卓越频率和其场地放大系数的主要界面.本研究表明微动技术应用于评估城市地震场地响应和浅层速度结构是可行且易于实施的.     

Estimation on site-amplification from different methods using strong motion data obtained in Tangshan, China

Introduction It has been known that each soil type responds differently when it is subjected to ground mo-tion from earthquakes. So, the study of local site effects on seismic ground motions is one of the most important goals of earthquake engineering. It is practical importance to develop methods for assessing the nature and potential of sediment amplification, especially when choosing the location and design of critical and essential facilities. At present, however, the method by which site …     

安徽强震动台站场地响应研究

采用H/V谱比法,利用安徽强震台网记录的波形数据,计算了3个强震台的场地响应。结果表明,当台站场地为基岩或覆盖层较薄时,由地脉动和S波数据分别计算出的谱比曲线一致性很好。当覆盖层大于30.5 m的时候,两者的放大因子有差异,即用S波计算的场地放大响应要明显大于用脉动计算的场地响应。     

Site characterizations for the Iranian strong motion network

Twenty-six sites of the Iranian strong motion network, having provided numerous records of good quality, were selected for a site effect study with the objective of obtaining a reliable site categorization for later statistical work on Iranian strong motion data. For each site, superficial Vp and Vs profiles were measured with refraction techniques, microtremor recordings were obtained and analysed with the H/V technique and the available three-component accelerograms by the receiver function technique. The aggregation of these results allows the proposition of a four-class categorization based on the H/V spectral ratio of strong ground motions, which demonstrate a satisfactory correlation with the S-wave velocity profile. Iran has a particular geological and meteorological situation compared to other seismic countries such as Japan or California, a mountainous country with dry weather conditions and a low water table in most areas. These conditions result in a relatively small number of sites with low frequency amplification, while many sites exhibit moderate amplifications in the intermediate and high frequency range.