The investigation of soil–structure resonance of historical buildings using seismic refraction and ambient vibrations HVSR measurements: a case study from Trabzon in Turkey

In this study, two different historical structures built in Trabzon have been processed by ambient vibrations and seismic refraction measurements. One of the investigated historical structures is the Atatürk Pavilion built in the nineteenth century, and the other one is Hagia Sophia which was built in the thirteenth century. These two buildings are among the most important historical buildings in Trabzon and are very important for the tourism of the city. In order to determine peak/s frequency and amplitude from the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratios (HVSRs), we have performed several measurements of ambient vibrations both inside (at different floors) and outside (on the ground) of structures. We have also conducted seismic prospecting to evaluate the vertical 1D and 2D profile of longitudinal and shear seismic waves, V_p and V_s, respectively. To this purpose, we have performed seismic refraction tomography and MASW. Ambient vibrations and seismic measurements were compared with each other. The results show that average predominant frequencies and HVSR amplitudes of inside and outside of Atatürk Pavilion are 4.0 Hz, 7.8 Hz and 2.6, 2.3, respectively. The V_p values vary from 300 to 2070 m/s, and the V_s for maximum effective depth is up to 790 m/s in Atatürk Pavilion. On the other hand, average predominant frequencies and HVSR amplitudes of inside and outside of Hagia Sophia and its tower are 4.7, 4.4 and 2.4 Hz and 1.6, 1.8 and 6.9, respectively. V_p values range from 450 to 2200 m/s, and V_s for maximum effective depth is also up to 1000 m/s in Hagia Sophia. The frequency values (F₀?=?V_s/4 h) calculated from the velocities up to the maximum effective depth for Atatürk Pavilion are in good agreement with the predominant frequency values determined from ambient vibrations. Atatürk Pavilion and Hagia Sophia soils have been classed according to Eurocode 8 by using V_S30 values. The class was defined as “B.” Moreover, the bedrock in studied area is basalt. The high V_p and V_s values are also compatible with the lithology. The HVSR curves measured at the Hagia Sophia show the presence of clear peaks when compared to the Atatürk Pavilion. At the same time, there are marked velocity changes in the V_s sections calculated in both areas. As a result, in both areas there are significant impedance contrasts in the subsoil. However, this impedance contrast is more evident in Hagia Sophia. This could be also compatible with a lithological transition. The possible soil–structure interaction was investigated by using all the results and evaluated in terms of resonance risk. It is thought that the probability of resonance risk at Atatürk Pavilion is low according to the ambient vibrations measurements. However, resonance risk should be taken into consideration at Hagia Sophia site since the predominant frequency values are very close to each other. Finally, this site should be investigated in detail and necessary precautions should be taken against the risk of resonance.     

A simplified method for analyzing the fundamental frequency of monopile supported offshore wind turbine system design

Preliminary design of offshore wind turbines requires high precision simplified methods for the analysis of the system fundamental frequency. Based on the Rayleigh method and Lagrange's Equation, this study establishes a simple formula for the analysis of system fundamental frequency in the preliminary design of an offshore wind turbine with a monopile foundation. This method takes into consideration the variation of cross-section geometry of the wind turbine tower along its length, with the inertia moment and distributed mass both changing with diameter. Also the rotational flexibility of the monopile foundation is mainly considered. The rigid pile and elastic middle long pile are calculated separately. The method is validated against both FEM analysis cases and field measurements, showing good agreement. The method is then used in a parametric study, showing that the tower length Lt, tower base diameter d0, tower wall thickness δt, pile diameter db and pile length Lb are the major factors influencing the fundamental frequency of the offshore wind turbine system. In the design of offshore wind turbine systems, these five parameters should be adjusted comprehensively. The seabed soil condition also needs to be carefully considered for soft clay and loose sand.     

Mapping the thickness of sediments in the Ljubljana Moor basin (Slovenia) using microtremors

The Ljubljana Moor basin is characterized by moderate bedrock topography and thicknesses of Quaternary lacustrine and fluvial sediments ranging from 0 to 200 m. More than 65 boreholes which reached the bedrock were drilled in the area, but their distribution in the basin is very uneven and some data from the boreholes uncertain. There are also no data on S-velocity distribution within the basin, but seismic refraction measurements pointed out a rather uniform increase of P-velocity with depth, great impedance contrast with the bedrock and relatively small lateral velocity variations. The microtremor horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) method was therefore applied as a complementary tool to seismic refraction survey to map the thickness of sediments. First, microtremors were measured at the locations of boreholes which reached the bedrock and the resonance frequencies determined. The inverse power relationship between the resonance frequency and the thickness of sediments was then determined from 53 data pairs. The quality of the correlation is moderate due to possible heterogeneities in sediments and possible 3D effects in some minor areas, but the obtained parameters correspond well to the values obtained in six other European basins. Secondly, a 16 km-long discontinuous seismic refraction profile was measured across the whole basin, leaving uncovered some larger segments where active seismic measurements were not possible. Microtremors were then measured at 64 locations along the same profile, using 250 m point spacing, without leaving any gaps. The frequency–thickness relationship was used to invert resonance frequencies to depths. These were first validated using the results of the seismic refraction survey, which showed good agreement, and finally used for interpolation in the segments of missing refraction data to obtain a continuous depth profile of the bedrock. The study has shown that the microtremor method can be used as a complementary tool for mapping the thickness of unconsolidated sediments also in areas characterized by moderate bedrock topography. As the input data are always to some extent uncertain, it is important to have a sufficiently large number of borehole data to establish a frequency–thickness relationship, as well as some additional independent geophysical information for its validation.     

Shear-wave velocity estimation using a combination of ambient noise from small aperture array and small-scale active seismic measurements: a case study in the area of the natural gas fields of Northern Germany

In recent years, numerous induced seismic events have occurred in the proximity of the natural gas field in Northern Germany. To monitor the seismicity and to asses the seismic hazard potential, a local monitoring network was installed in the area. Focusing on the seismicity hazard assessment, a major challenge is the characterisation of potential site effects due to local soil characteristics. This is quantitatively performed by estimating the shear-wave velocity (V _s) variation with subsurface layer thickness. Such local effects can only be covered with a coarse spatial resolution due to the limited number of monitoring stations. Profiles were determined at three test sites (Langwedel, Walle and Bomlitz) by using a combined approach of small aperture 2D array ambient noise and small-scale active 1D measurements. The high-resolution frequency-wavenumber (HRFK), spatial autocorrelation (SPAC) and multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) methods were applied to the recorded ambient noise and active seismic data using various array sizes supplemented by the active measurements. This jointly allowed obtaining phase velocity dispersion curves covering a wide frequency range from 2 up to 32 Hz. The inversion of the obtained dispersion curves results in average S-wave velocity profiles down to depths of 70 m, identifying thin near-surface layers of a few meters as well as thicker layers of tens of meters in greater depth. A comparison with available borehole data shows a good correlation with the layering. Additionally, to asses the impact of a seismic event at the test sites, PGV estimations for various seismic events were performed. The final results of the test surveys demonstrate that the combined approach represents a suitable tool for near-surface characterisation, which can be used to improve the seismic hazard assessment in the area of the natural gas fields in Northern Germany.     

Stability Assessment and Quantitative Evaluation of H/V Spectral Ratios for Site Response Studies in Kumaon Himalaya, India Using Ambient Noise Recorded by a Broadband Seismograph Network

The Kumaon Himalaya region in India has accumulated considerable seismic risk potential from moderate to high seismicity due to ongoing tectonic evolutionary processes. To assess conditions of high seismic risk arising from local site effects at populated locations, we applied the empirical horizontal to vertical (H/V) spectral amplitude ratio method (Nakamura in Quarterly Reports of the Railway Technical Research Institute Tokyo, 30:25–33, 1989) using ambient seismic noise recorded by a network of 32 digital broadband seismographs from June 2005 to June 2008. The data and the estimated parameters were subjected to stability tests to assess the effect of seasonal variations. Seasonal variations in the ambient noise data seemed to show a lesser effect on fundamental frequency estimates and a slightly greater effect on the peak H/V amplitudes. Validation of the ambient noise results was done by complementary tests using H/V ratios of local and regional earthquakes. The ‘peak’ corresponding to the fundamental resonance frequency is prominently present in both the ambient noise and the earthquake datasets. The study locations showed distinct H/V curve topologies, corresponding to the effects of both velocity contrast at well-defined frequencies and characteristic topographic effect around a certain frequency range. The clearly indicated ‘peaks’ in the H/V curves possibly correspond to velocity contrasts created by weathered sediments overlying hard rock basements in rocky hills. Our study indicates high site responses at many populated locations near the surface trace of the seismically active Main Central Thrust (MCT) and other fault boundaries. The fundamental resonance frequencies estimated from the site response studies at the 32 locations could be useful in preliminary site characterization, ground motion prediction and seismic hazard analysis.     

Tomographic inversion of near-surface <Emphasis Type="Italic">Q</Emphasis> factor by combining surface and cross-hole seismic surveys

The estimation of the quality factor Q plays a fundamental role in enhancing seismic resolution via absorption compensation in the near-surface layer. We present a new geometry that can be used to acquire field data by combining surface and cross-hole surveys to decrease the effect of geophone coupling on Q estimation. In this study, we drilled number of receiver holes around the source hole, each hole has different depth and each geophone is placed geophones into the bottom of each receiver hole to avoid the effect of geophone coupling with the borehole wall on Q estimation in conventional cross-hole seismic surveys. We also propose a novel tomographic inversion of the Q factor without the effect of the source signature, and examine its stability and reliability using synthetic data. We estimate the Q factors of the near-surface layer in two different frequency bands using field data acquired in the Dagang Oilfield. The results show that seismic absorption in the near-surface layer is much greater than that in the subsurface strata. Thus, it is of critical practical importance to enhance the seismic solution by compensating for near-surface absorption. In addition, we derive different Q factors from two frequency bands, which can be treated, to some extent, as evidence of a frequency-dependent Q.     

Soil characterization of Tınaztepe region (İzmir/Turkey) using surface wave methods and nakamura (HVSR) technique

To determine the shear wave velocity structure and predominant period features of T?naztepe in ?zmir, Turkey, where new building sites have been planned, active–passive surface wave methods and single-station microtremor measurements are used, as well as surface acquisition techniques, including the multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW), refraction microtremor (ReMi), and the spatial autocorrelation method (SPAC), to pinpoint shallow and deep shear wave velocity. For engineering bedrock (V _s > 760 m/s) conditions at a depth of 30 m, an average seismic shear wave velocity in the upper 30 m of soil (AV_s30) is not only accepted as an important parameter for defining ground behavior during earthquakes, but a primary parameter in the geotechnical analysis for areas to be classified by V _s30 according to the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP). It is also determined that Z1.0, which represents a depth to V _s = 1000 m/s, is used for ground motion prediction and changed from 0 to 54 m. The sediment–engineering bedrock structure for T?naztepe that was obtained shows engineering bedrock no deeper than 30 m. When compared, the depth of engineering bedrock and dominant period map and geology are generally compatible.     

Estimation of site effects using strong motion data of BYTNet array in Turkey

Simultaneous estimation of effects of source, propagation path, and local site amplification was carried out using observed strong motion records in a frequency range from 0.8 to 20 Hz for the purpose of empirical evaluation of the local site effects in different geological conditions in the northwestern part of Turkey. The analyzed data are S-wave portions of 162 accelerograms from 39 shallow events observed at 14 sites of BYTNet array. A spectral separation method was applied to the observed S-wave spectra. The solutions for source spectra, inelasticity factor of propagation path for S-waves (Q _s-value), and factor of site amplification at each site were obtained in a least squares sense. In the analysis, we assumed that the factor of the site amplification at a reference site is the same as that of theoretical amplification of S-waves to the soil model whose bottom layer has an S-wave velocity around 2.15 km/s. The estimated Q _s-value of the propagation path is modeled as Q _s(f)?=?87.4f^0.78. The estimated site amplifications are characterized into three groups. The sites in the first group belong to rock site with no dominant peaks at a frequency range of 2 to 10 Hz. The second group of hard soil sites is characterized with moderately dominant peaks at a frequency of 5 Hz. The last group for soft soil sites has common peaks at a frequency of 4 Hz with larger amplitudes than those in the hard soil group. We, then, compare the amplifications with average S-wave velocity in top 30 m of the shallow S-wave profiles and proposed linear empirical formula between them at each frequency. We, furthermore, inverted the observed amplification factors into S-wave velocity and Q _s-value profiles of the deep soil over the basement.     

The <Emphasis Type="Italic">Q</Emphasis>-factor estimates for the crust and upper mantle in the vicinity of Sochi and Anapa (North Caucasus)

The regularities in the radiation and propagation of seismic waves in the regions of the North Caucasus are analyzed for estimating the ground motion parameters during the probable future strong earthquakes. Based on the records of the regional earthquakes with magnitudes M_W ~ 3.9–5.6 within epicentral distances up to ~300 km obtained during the period of digital measurements at the Sochi and Anapa seismic stations, the Q-factors in the vicinities of these sites are estimated at ~55 f^0.9 and ~90f^0.7, respectively. The estimates were obtained by the coda normalization method developed by Aki, Rautian, and other authors. This method is based on the phenomenon of suppression of the earthquake (source) effects and local (site) responses by coda waves in the S-wave spectra. The obtained Q-factor estimates can be used for forecasting the ground shaking parameters for the future probable strong earthquakes in the North Caucasus in the vicinities of Sochi and Anapa.     

Neural network estimate of seismic velocities and resistivity of rocks from electromagnetic and seismic sounding data

The neural network estimates of seismic P- and S-wave velocities from electrical resistivity of the rocks and, vice versa, resistivity estimates from seismic velocities are presented. It is shown that, depending on the ratio between the volumes of the known data and the data to be reconstructed, the accuracy of the estimates of the P- and S-wave velocities ranges within 1–4 and 4–6%, respectively. The logarithmic resistivity is estimated from seismic P- and S-velocities as accurately as up to 15–17%. In all cases, the biggest errors are obtained when the estimates are based on correlated data.     

A first-order seismotectonic regionalization of Mexico for seismic hazard and risk estimation

The purpose of this work is to define a seismic regionalization of Mexico for seismic hazard and risk analyses. This seismic regionalization is based on seismic, geologic, and tectonic characteristics. To this end, a seismic catalog was compiled using the more reliable sources available. The catalog was made homogeneous in magnitude in order to avoid the differences in the way this parameter is reported by various agencies. Instead of using a linear regression to converts from m _b and M _d to M _s or M _w , using only events for which estimates of both magnitudes are available (i.e., paired data), we used the frequency-magnitude relations relying on the a and b values of the Gutenberg-Richter relation. The seismic regions are divided into three main categories: seismicity associated with the subduction process along the Pacific coast of Mexico, in-slab events within the down-going COC and RIV plates, and crustal seismicity associated to various geologic and tectonic regions. In total, 18 seismic regions were identified and delimited. For each, the a and b values of the Gutenberg-Richter relation were determined using a maximum likelihood estimation. The a and b parameters were repeatedly estimated as a function of time for each region, in order to confirm their reliability and stability. The recurrence times predicted by the resulting Gutenberg-Richter relations obtained are compared with the observed recurrence times of the larger events in each region of both historical and instrumental earthquakes.     

Estimation of maximum mass velocities in the focal zones of strong earthquakes based on measured displacements of rock blocks: A case study of Kyrgyzstan

An important task in seismic hazard assessment is estimation of the intensity and frequency of extremely strong earthquake effects, in particular, peak ground velocities (PGV). Earlier, a method was proposed to evaluate PGV values based on the magnitude of displacements of rock blocks (Rodkin et al., 2012). In this study, this method is used to analyze field data on the source zones of the August 19, 1992, M_S = 7.3 Susamyr earthquake and the January 3, 1911, M_w = 7.9 Kemin earthquake, and estimate maximum ground shaking at the upper construction site of the Upper Naryn series of hydropower plants, Kyrgyz Republic. It is shown that the resulting estimates are consistent with data obtained through other techniques. Therefore, the new approach can be recommended to estimate earthquake effects.     

Features of Radiation and Propagation of Seismic Waves in the Northern Caucasus: Manifestations in Regional Coda

Based on the Anapa (ANN) seismic station records of ~40 earthquakes (M_W > 3.9) that occurred within ~300 km of the station since 2002 up to the present time, the source parameters and quality factor of the Earth’s crust (Q(f)) and upper mantle are estimated for the S-waves in the 1–8 Hz frequency band. The regional coda analysis techniques which allow separating the effects associated with seismic source (source effects) and with the propagation path of seismic waves (path effects) are employed. The Q-factor estimates are obtained in the form Q(f) = 90 × f 0.7 for the epicentral distances r < 120 km and in the form Q(f) = 90 × f1.0 for r > 120 km. The established Q(f) and source parameters are close to the estimates for Central Japan, which is probably due to the similar tectonic structure of the regions. The shapes of the source parameters are found to be independent of the magnitude of the earthquakes in the magnitude range 3.9–5.6; however, the radiation of the high-frequency components (f > 4–5 Hz) is enhanced with the depth of the source (down to h ~ 60 km). The estimates Q(f) of the quality factor determined from the records by the Sochi, Anapa, and Kislovodsk seismic stations allowed a more accurate determination of the seismic moments and magnitudes of the Caucasian earthquakes. The studies will be continued for obtaining the Q(f) estimates, geometrical spreading functions, and frequency-dependent amplification of seismic waves in the Earth’s crust in the other regions of the Northern Caucasus.     

Some Probabilistic and Statistical Properties of the Seismic Regime of Zemmouri (Algeria) Seismoactive Zone

Statistical tests have been used to adjust the Zemmouri seismic data using a distribution function. The Pareto law has been used and the probabilities of various expected earthquakes were computed. A mathematical expression giving the quantiles was established. The extreme values limiting law confirmed the accuracy of the adjustment method. Using the moment magnitude scale, a probabilistic model was made to predict the occurrences of strong earthquakes. The seismic structure has been characterized by the slope of the recurrence plot γ, fractal dimension D, concentration parameter K_sr, Hurst exponents H_r and H_t. The values of D, γ, K_sr, H_r, and H_t diminished many months before the principal seismic shock (M = 6.9) of the studied seismoactive zone has occurred. Three stages of the deformation of the geophysical medium are manifested in the variation of the coefficient G% of the clustering of minor seismic events.     

Seismic Wave Velocities in Deep Sediments in Poland: Borehole and Refraction Data Compilation

Sedimentary cover has significant influence on seismic wave travel times and knowing its structure is of great importance for studying deeper structures of the Earth. Seismic tomography is one of the methods that require good knowledge of seismic velocities in sediments and unfortunately by itself cannot provide detailed information about distribution of seismic velocities in sedimentary cover. This paper presents results of P-wave velocity analysis in the old Paleozoic sediments in area of Polish Lowland, Folded Area, and all sediments in complicated area of the Carpathian Mountains in Poland. Due to location on conjunction of three major tectonic units — the Precambrian East European Craton, the Paleozoic Platform of Central and Western Europe, and the Alpine orogen represented by the Carpathian Mountains the maximum depth of these sediments reaches up to 25 000 m in the Carpathian Mountains. Seismic velocities based on 492 deep boreholes with vertical seismic profiling and a total of 741 vertical seismic profiles taken from 29 seismic refraction profiles are analyzed separately for 14 geologically different units. For each unit, velocity versus depth relations are approximated by second or third order polynomials.     

Earthquake hazard and risk assessment based on Unified Scaling Law for Earthquakes: Greater Caucasus and Crimea

We continue applying the general concept of seismic risk analysis in a number of seismic regions worldwide by constructing regional seismic hazard maps based on morphostructural analysis, pattern recognition, and the Unified Scaling Law for Earthquakes (USLE), which generalizes the Gutenberg-Richter relationship making use of naturally fractal distribution of earthquake sources of different size in a seismic region. The USLE stands for an empirical relationship log₁₀N(M, L)?=?A?+?B·(5 – M)?+?C·log₁₀L, where N(M, L) is the expected annual number of earthquakes of a certain magnitude M within a seismically prone area of linear dimension L. We use parameters A, B, and C of USLE to estimate, first, the expected maximum magnitude in a time interval at seismically prone nodes of the morphostructural scheme of the region under study, then map the corresponding expected ground shaking parameters (e.g., peak ground acceleration, PGA, or macro-seismic intensity). After a rigorous verification against the available seismic evidences in the past (usually, the observed instrumental PGA or the historically reported macro-seismic intensity), such a seismic hazard map is used to generate maps of specific earthquake risks for population, cities, and infrastructures (e.g., those based on census of population, buildings inventory). The methodology of seismic hazard and risk assessment is illustrated by application to the territory of Greater Caucasus and Crimea.     

Improved random noise attenuation using <Emphasis Type="Italic">f</Emphasis>−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis> empirical mode decomposition and local similarity

Conventional f?x empirical mode decomposition (EMD) is an effective random noise attenuation method for use with seismic profiles mainly containing horizontal events. However, when a seismic event is not horizontal, the use of f?x EMD is harmful to most useful signals. Based on the framework of f?x EMD, this study proposes an improved denoising approach that retrieves lost useful signals by detecting effective signal points in a noise section using local similarity and then designing a weighting operator for retrieving signals. Compared with conventional f?x EMD, f?x predictive filtering, and f?x empirical mode decomposition predictive filtering, the new approach can preserve more useful signals and obtain a relatively cleaner denoised image. Synthetic and field data examples are shown as test performances of the proposed approach, thereby verifying the effectiveness of this method.     

An earthquake-source-based metric for seismic fragility analysis

The seismic fragility of a system is the probability that the system enters a damage state under seismic ground motions with specified characteristics. Plots of the seismic fragilities with respect to scalar ground motion intensity measures are called fragility curves. Recent studies show that fragility curves may not be satisfactory measures for structural seismic performance, since scalar intensity measures cannot comprehensively characterize site seismicity. The limitations of traditional seismic intensity measures, e.g., peak ground acceleration or pseudo-spectral acceleration, are shown and discussed in detail. A bivariate vector with coordinates moment magnitude m and source-to-site distance r is proposed as an alternative seismic intensity measure. Implicitly, fragility surfaces in the (m, r)-space could be used as graphical representations of seismic fragility. Unlike fragility curves, which are functions of scalar intensity measures, fragility surfaces are characterized by two earthquake-hazard parameters, (m, r). The calculation of fragility surfaces may be computationally expensive for complex systems. Thus, as solutions to this issue, a bi-variate log-normal parametric model and an efficient calculation method, based on stochastic-reduced-order models, for fragility surfaces are proposed.     

The effect of baric disturbances in the atmosphere on microseismic processes in the crust

The effect of baric variations of different origins on characteristics of seismic noise is analyzed in the frequency range 0.03–20 Hz. Long period variations in atmospheric pressure caused by cyclones, whose period T ranges from half a day to a few days, are shown to increase the microseismic background amplitude by two to four times in the frequency range 0.03–1 Hz (the coefficient of linear correlation between time variations in the amplitude and atmospheric pressure is K = 0.65 at a significance level of r = 0.95). Short-period baric variations with T ～ 5–30 min associated with the passage of cold fronts lead to a tenfold increase in the microseismic background amplitude in the frequency range 4–8 Hz (K = 0.67 at r = 0.95). In this case, disturbances of seismic background are recorded for 20–60 min after the passage of an atmospheric front and display an exponential drop in the amplitude. In distinction to cyclones, an atmospheric front increases the number of impulsive microseismic events of the resonance type.     

Surface and downhole shear wave seismic methods for thick soil site investigations

Shear wave velocity–depth information is required for predicting the ground motion response to earthquakes in areas where significant soil cover exists over firm bedrock. Rather than estimating this critical parameter, it can be reliably measured using a suite of surface (non-invasive) and downhole (invasive) seismic methods. Shear wave velocities from surface measurements can be obtained using SH refraction techniques. Array lengths as large as 1000 m and depth of penetration to 250 m have been achieved in some areas. High resolution shear wave reflection techniques utilizing the common midpoint method can delineate the overburden-bedrock surface as well as reflecting boundaries within the overburden. Reflection data can also be used to obtain direct estimates of fundamental site periods from shear wave reflections without the requirement of measuring average shear wave velocity and total thickness of unconsolidated overburden above the bedrock surface. Accurate measurements of vertical shear wave velocities can be obtained using a seismic cone penetrometer in soft sediments, or with a well-locked geophone array in a borehole. Examples from thick soil sites in Canada demonstrate the type of shear wave velocity information that can be obtained with these geophysical techniques, and show how these data can be used to provide a first look at predicted ground motion response for thick soil sites.