Simplified seismic soil classification: the Vfz matrix

Site effect assessment studies aim at predicting the effect of seismic shaking on structures by modeling the subsoil as an oscillator coupled to another oscillator representing the construction. The resulting amplification functions and response spectra depend on so many strong assumptions and parameters that, in the standard engineering practice, simplified seismic classifications appear preferable to complex modeling procedures which can only offer an illusory better accuracy. Since stratigraphic seismic amplification is not properly related to the absolute rigidity of subsoil but to impedance contrasts, the standard simplified approaches based on the ‘average’ rigidity of subsoil in the first few meters (e.g. Vs30) can hardly be effective. Here it is proposed a simplified soil classification approach that takes into account the basic Physics of seismic amplification and its parameters, i.e. the average shear wave velocity of the cover layer, the resonance frequency and the impedance contrast between the cover and the bedrock, which we summarize as VfZ. A possible classification approach is illustrated through a set of examples.     

Local seismic site amplification: effects of obliquely incident antiplane motions

Seismic site amplification studies are generally used to assess the effects of local geology and soil conditions on ground motion characteristics. Although extensive reviews on site amplification phenomena associated with stratigraphic effects can be found in the specialized literature, it should be pointed out that most of the practical applications have been limited to the study of vertically propagating shear horizontal (SH) waves, i.e., to the 1-D soil amplification problem. Furthermore, little attention, if any, has been devoted to the study of the effects of non-vertically incident SH waves on surface accelerograms and on the earthquake response of structures. In the present work, the study is extended to an investigation of 2-D site amplification of non-vertically propagating seismic shear waves in multilayered viscoelastic soil deposits. Sensitivity analyses of the effects of non-vertical incidence on site amplification functions are performed based on site geotechnical data collected from post-seismic investigations of the 1980 El-Asnam earthquake. Analytical results are discussed in terms of seismic site transfer functions, spectral ratios, surface acceleration time histories, and structural response spectra for different values of wave incidence angle. Both bedrock and rock outcropping cases are examined.     

New code site classification, amplification factors and normalized response spectra based on a worldwide ground-motion database

A global dataset of more than 3,000 ground motion records from 536 sites from Greece, Italy, Turkey, USA and Japan is compiled and used to propose code-oriented elastic acceleration response spectra and soil amplification factors for a new site classification system, which, besides the classical geotechnical parameters $N_{SPT}, S_{u}$ and PI, uses also the fundamental period of the site, the thickness of soil deposits and the average shear wave velocity to the seismic bedrock, instead of $V_{s,30}$ . We propose a new classification system with the associated amplification factors and normalized response spectra for two seismicity levels, i.e. $M_{s}\le 5.5$ and $M_{s}>5.5$ . Uncertainties in the estimation of soil amplification factors are captured using a logic-tree approach, which allows the efficient use of alternative models and methods. The aim of this work is to improve the present EC8 soil classification. The effectiveness of the proposed classification system is compared to that of EC8 classification system using an error term, which represents the average dispersion of data within all categories of a given classification scheme. Error terms for the new classification system are lower than the error terms for EC8 classification system at all periods.     

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.     

卵石土场地地震反应特征振动台试验研究

为研究卵石土场地地震反应特征,基于四川成都典型卵石土场地,通过振动台模型试验研究卵石土场地在不同地震波、不同地震强度激励下的加速度峰值放大系数、加速度频谱反应及动土压力反应,并且对其场地地震反应非线性效应及土体动剪应力-动剪应变关系进行分析。结果表明：卵石土场地表层土层对地震波具有明显的放大效应,加速度峰值放大系数介于1～1.4之间,下部土层放大效应较小,加速度峰值放大系数介于0.9～1.2之间。卵石土场地对地震波具有低频放大,高频滤波的作用,滤波频率上、下限随激励强度的增大逐渐向低频方向移动。激励强度较小时,土体尚未破坏,动土压力在地震过程中逐渐增大;随着激励强度的增大,动土压力反应明显增大,表现出骤减后逐渐增大的现象。在激励强度较小时(SN1),中部土体最先进入非线性反应阶段,地震波在中部土层能量损耗最大;激励强度较大时(EL3),土体均发生了较大变形,土体最大动剪应变达到1.7%,此时卵石土场地对地震波的放大作用明显减弱。     

Stochastic analysis of ground response using non-recursive algorithm

During an earthquake, the amplitudes of seismic wave may amplify significantly as it propagates through the soil layers near the ground surface. Analysis of site amplification potential is strongly influenced by the uncertainty associated to the definition of soil thickness and its properties. In this paper, the non-recursive algorithm is used in linear and nonlinear Hybrid Frequency Time Domain (HFTD) approaches for stochastic analysis of site amplification. The non-recursive algorithm causes time reduction of analysis that is the essential base of stochastic analysis. The selected soil stochastic parameters are shear wave velocity, density, damping and thickness. The results of sensitivity analysis also show that the damping ratio is the most effective parameter in PGA at ground surface. The stochastic peak ground acceleration, response spectrum and amplification factor at the ground surface are determined by the two approaches for four sites with different average shear wave velocities. Comparison of the results shows that the nonlinear HFTD approach predicts closer response to real recorded data with respect to linear HFTD.     

天津滨海软土场地的大震远场作用

利用天津滨海地区丰富的地震地质钻孔资料及测试数据,建立了相应的地震反应模型.选取美国加州1992年Landers地震的远场记录P0841作为基底输入,采用工程上常用的等效线性化方法进行了土层地震反应分析,以期对天津滨海软土场地的大震远场作用得到一些定性的认识．结果显示,天津滨海软土场地对远场大震地震动峰值加速度的放大作用比较显著,但不同场地条件放大作用有明显差异,Ⅳ类场地的放大效应明显减弱.对基岩与地表反应谱比的分析显示, 滨海场地对基岩地震动的不同频率分量的放大作用具有明显的不同,对短周期分量甚至出现了缩减,但当滨海软土场地受到与场地卓越周期相吻合的地震动影响时,可能会产生很可观的放大作用,这对建在其上的高层、超高层建筑可能会构成较大的威胁．      

Centrifuge modeling of seismic response of layered soft clay

Centrifuge modeling is a valuable tool used to study the response of geotechnical structures to infrequent or extreme events such as earthquakes. A series of centrifuge model tests was conducted at 80g using an electro-hydraulic earthquake simulator mounted on the C-CORE geotechnical centrifuge to study the dynamic response of soft soils and seismic soil–structure interaction (SSI). The acceleration records at different locations within the soil bed and at its surface along with the settlement records at the surface were used to analyze the soft soil seismic response. In addition, the records of acceleration at the surface of a foundation model partially embedded in the soil were used to investigate the seismic SSI. Centrifuge data was used to evaluate the variation of shear modulus and damping ratio with shear strain amplitude and confining pressure, and to assess their effects on site response. Site response analysis using the measured shear wave velocity, estimated modulus reduction and damping ratio as input parameters produced good agreement with the measured site response. A spectral analysis of the results showed that the stiffness of the soil deposits had a significant effect on the characteristics of the input motions and the overall behavior of the structure. The peak surface acceleration measured in the centrifuge was significantly amplified, especially for low amplitude base acceleration. The amplification of the earthquake shaking as well as the frequency of the response spectra decreased with increasing earthquake intensity. The results clearly demonstrate that the layering system has to be considered, and not just the average shear wave velocity, when evaluating the local site effects.     

Site response study in Abruzzo (Central Italy): underground array versus surface stations

In this site response study we examined local earthquakes recorded at surface stations of a local seismic network and at a temporary underground seismic array installed in a tunnel underneath the Gran Sasso Massif in Abruzzo (central Italy). This allowed us to compare the seismic site response beneath the mountain and on the surface in similar geological environment (soft rock sites). We applied spectral ratios method on different segments of the seismograms and used different reference spectra in the 1–20 Hz frequency band. We found little or no amplification effects at most of the surface stations whereas site transfer functions evaluated with respect to underground sites show an amplification factor up to 6 in the 1–8 Hz frequency range. Coda spectral ratios estimated at soft rock sites are confirmed as good estimates of shear wave transfer function.     

Proposal for a soil classification based on parameters alternative or complementary to Vs,30

The selection of specific elastic response spectra according to soil categories is the easiest way to account for site effects in engineering projects and general-purpose hazard maps. Most of the international seismic codes make use of the average shear wave velocity of the upper 30 m (Vs_,30) to discriminate soil categories, although some doubts arose about the capability of Vs_,30 to predict actual soil amplification. In this work we propose two soil classifications in which the soil fundamental frequency (f₀) becomes either an alternative or a complement to Vs_,30. The performance of the derived categorizations is achieved through the estimation of the standard deviation associated to ground motion prediction equations of acceleration response spectra, considering recordings extracted from the Italian strong motion data base. The results indicate that there is a significant reduction of the standard deviation when the classification is based on the couple of variables Vs_,30–f₀, although a classification based of the single f₀ also leads to satisfactory results, comparable with those obtained assuming a classification scheme based on Vs_,30.     

Neural network estimation of duration of strong ground motion using Japanese earthquake records

The duration of strong motion has a significant influence on the severity of ground shaking. In this work, a combination of average values of four geophysical properties of site (Standard Penetration Test (SPT) blow count, primary wave velocity, shear wave velocity, and density of soil) including hypocentral distance of less than 50 km and magnitudes more than 5.0 from Japanese ground motion records were used for development of neural network model, to estimate duration of strong ground motion. Since majority of strong motion databases provide only average shear wave velocity for site characterization, an attempt has also been made to train the neural network with magnitude, hypocentral distance and average shear wave velocity as three input variables. Results obtained from this study show that the duration of strong motion is mostly dependent on average shear wave velocity rather than other geophysical properties of site.     

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.     

Free vibration of soils during large earthquakes

Free vibration of soils happens frequently during some large earthquakes, perhaps seeming like a paradox. This happens because the energy released from seismic sources in some cases is not stationary in time, allowing relaxation intervals in between without important seismic wave arrivals in which free soil vibration happens. Two techniques to estimate the natural period of the free vibration from accelerograms are presented: autocorrelograms and Fourier spectra. Both techniques sometimes allow measuring higher mode frequencies of the soil for the three first modes as well as modal damping. Free vibration modal periods satisfy the classic 1D equation S-wave theory. The presence of free vibrations corresponds to shear wave soil energy radiation episodes rather than to energy amplification of incoming stationary seismic shear waves suggested by the dynamic soil amplification. These results explain the discrepancies observed between the theoretical soil dynamic amplification and the accelerographic measurement. Observation of free vibration of soils is not always possible, it depends on the duration of the time windows without important seismic waves arrivals compared to the natural period and damping of the soil.     

Effects of random variations of soil properties on site amplification of seismic ground motions

This paper investigates the effects of random variations of soil properties on site amplification of seismic waves. First, based on attenuation laws and the filtered Tajimi–Kanai spectrum, seismic motion at the base rock of a soil site is stochastically generated according to an assumed earthquake with a given magnitude and epicentral distance. Motions on the surface of this layered random soil site are calculated by nonlinear wave propagation methods, and by assuming the incoming seismic wave consisting of SH wave or combined P and SV waves. Soil properties, including shear modulus, damping ratio and mass density, as well as ground water level are considered as random in the numerical calculation. The Rosenblueth method is used to solve the random dynamic responses of the soil site. Parametric calculations are performed to investigate the effects of various parameters on site amplification of seismic waves. The mean and maximum ground motions on surface of the site are estimated. Numerical results indicate that the estimated surface motions differ substantially if the random variations of soil properties and soil saturation level are taken into consideration in the analysis.     

烟台海岸软土场地特征及对地震动参数的影响

本文利用剪切波速和钻孔资料，根据中国GB50011-2001规范、美国FEMA-NEHRP规范、欧洲EUROCODE 8规范，对烟台滨海软土场地类别进行评定。并通过场地地震动效应分析，研究滨海场地土特征对地震动的影响。结果表明，简单的场地类别划分难以反映软土场地的实际情况；滨海软土场地对地震动加速度的幅值和频谱的影响非常明显，其对峰值加速度的放大倍数较高，但受土的非线性变形影响，随地震动输入的增大其放大倍数呈非线性降低；软土场地使得加速度反应谱谱形变宽，特征周期变大。     

The effects of torsion and motion coupling in site response estimation

Soil amplification characteristics are investigated using data from the Chibaken‐Toho‐Oki earthquake and its aftershocks recorded at Chiba dense array in Japan. The frequency‐dependent amplification function of soil is calculated using uphole‐to‐downhole spectral ratio analysis, considering the horizontal components of shear wave. The identified spectral ratios consistently demonstrate the splitting of peaks in their resonance frequencies and low amplification values in comparison with a 1D model. The torsional behaviour and horizontal ground motion coupling are clarified as the reasons for these phenomena at the site. To prove the hypothesis, the torsional motion is directly evaluated using the data of the horizontal dense array in different depths at the site. The comparison between Fourier spectra of torsional motion and identified transfer functions reveals the peaks at the same frequencies. The wave equation including torsion and horizontal motion coupling is introduced and solved for the layered media by applying wave propagation theory. Using the developed model, the effects of torsional motion with horizontal motion coupling on soil transfer function are numerically examined. Splitting and low amplification at resonance frequencies are confirmed by the results of numerical analysis. Furthermore, the ground motion in two horizontal directions at the site is simulated using site geotechnical specification and optimizing the model parameters. The simulated and recorded motions demonstrate good agreement that is used to validate the hypothesis. In addition, the spectral density of torsional ground motions are compared with the calculated one and found to be well predicted by the model. Finally, the results are used to explain the overestimation of damping in back‐calculation of dynamic soil properties using vertical array data in small strain level. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

工程场地分类中等效剪切波速计算深度问题的讨论

根据中国华北、华东、华南、东北和西北等地918个实测钻孔资料的计算统计,探讨了工程场地分类中等效剪切波速计算深度取值20m和30m的实际差别,并对中国、美国、欧洲现有规范利用等效剪切波速进行场地类别划分的方法特点和具体指标进行了对比讨论。结果表明:1)计算深度由20m增加至30m时,钻孔等效剪切波速值的增大范围约为15～50m/s,平均增加值为25m/s;2)与欧美规范相比,中国现行规范(GB50011-2001)在划分场地类别时要求同时考虑20m计算深度的等效剪切波速值和覆盖层厚度,而在许多实际工程中,因较准确的覆盖层厚度不易获取而难以具体进行场地分类。因此,有必要借鉴欧美规范,通过增大等效剪切波速的计算深度至30m来强化该指标在场地类别判定中的作用     

地震波对干砂场地土层加速度放大系数影响分析

为研究土体加速度在向上传递时,不同地震动对其峰值的影响,设计制作了干砂场地离心振动台试验,通过对比得出加速度放大系数沿深度变化的规律.结果表明:地震动加速度幅值越大, 其沿深度变化的放大系数越小;在波的幅值增大时,其放大系数存在一定的衰减率,且衰减率随着幅值的增大而减小;在相同幅值不同频谱特性地震动作用下,等幅正弦波的加速度放大系数最大, LEAP波其次,El-Centro波最小.土体加速度放大系数及其衰减率的分析有助于研究场地的动力响应变化规律,对抗震设计具有一定参考价值.     

Proposal of an empirical site classification method based on target simulated horizontal over vertical spectral ratio

Nowadays, most of the site classifications schemes are based on the predominant period of the site as determined from the average horizontal to vertical spectral ratios of seismic motion or microtremor. However, the difficulty lies in the identification of the predominant period in particular if the observed average response spectral ratio does not present a clear peak but rather a broadband amplification or multiple peaks. In this work, based on the Eurocode-8 (2004) site classification, and assuming bounded random fields for both shear and compression waves-velocities, damping coefficient, natural period and depth of soil profile, one propose a new site-classification approach, based on “target” simulated average \( H/V \) spectral ratios, defined for each soil class. Taking advantage of the relationship of Kawase et al. (Bull Seismol Soc Am 101:2001–2014, 2011), which link the \( H/V \) spectral ratio to the horizontal (\( HTF \)) over the vertical (\( VTF \)) transfer functions, statistics of \( H/V \) spectral ratio via deterministic visco-elastic seismic analysis using the wave propagation theory are computed for the 4 soil classes. The obtained results show that \( H/V \) and \( HTF \) have amplitudes and shapes remarkably different among the four soil classes and exhibit fundamental peaks in the period ranges remarkably similar. Moreover, the “target” simulated average \( H/V \) spectral ratios for the 4 soil classes are in good agreement with the experimental ones obtained by Zhao et al. (Bull Seismol Soc Am 96:914–925, 2006) from the abundant and reliable Japanese strong motions database Kik-net, Ghasemi et al. (Soil Dyn Earthq Eng 29:121–132, 2009) from the Iranian strong motion data, and Di Alessandro et al. (Bull Sesismol Soc Am 106:2, 2011.  https://doi.org/10.1785/0120110084) from the Italian strong motion data. In addition to the 4 EC-8 standard soil classes (A, B, C and D), the superposition of the 4 target \( H/V \) reveals 3 new boundary site classes; AB, BC and CD, for overlapping \( V_{s,30} \) ranges when the predominant peak is not clearly consistent with any of the 4 proposed classes. Finally, one proposes a site classification index based on the ratio between the cross-correlation and the mean quadratic error between the in situ \( H/V \) spectral ratio and the “target” one. In order to test the reliability of the proposed approach, data from 139 sites were used, 132 collected from the Kik-net network database from Japan and 7 from Algeria. The site classification success rate per site class are around 93, 82, 89 and 100% for rock, hard soil, medium soil and soft soil, respectively. Zhao et al. (2006) found an average success for the 4 classes of soil close to 60%, similar to what one found in the present study (63%) without considering the new soil classes, but much smaller if one considers them (86%). In the absence of \( V_{s,30} \) data, the proposed approach can be an alternative to site classification.     

Spatial zonations for regional assessment of seismic site effects in the Seoul metropolitan area

Earthquake-induced hazards are profoundly affected by site effects related to the amplification of ground motions, which are strongly influenced by local geologic conditions such as soil thickness or bedrock depth and soil stiffness. In this study, an integrated geographic information system (GIS)-based system for geotechnical data, called the geotechnical information system (GTIS), was developed to establish a regional counterplan against earthquake ground motions in the Seoul metropolitan area. In particular, to reliably predict spatial geotechnical information, a procedural methodology for building the GTIS within a GIS framework was developed and applied to the Seoul area in Korea. To build the GTIS, pre-existing geotechnical data were collected in and around the study area, and then a walk-over site survey was conducted to acquire surface geo-knowledge data. In addition, the representative shear wave velocities for geotechnical layers were derived by statistically analyzing many seismic test data in Korea. The GTIS was used in a practical application to estimate site effects in the study area; seismic zoning maps of geotechnical earthquake parameters, such as the depth to bedrock and the site period, were created and presented as a regional synthetic strategy for earthquake risk assessment. Furthermore, seismic zonation of site classification was also performed to determine the site amplification coefficients for seismic design and seismic performance evaluation at any site and administrative sub-unit in the study area. The methodology and results of the case study of seismic zonations in the Seoul area verified that the GIS-based GTIS can be very useful for the regional estimation of seismic risk and also to support decisions regarding seismic hazard mitigation, particularly in the metropolitan area.