Empirical evaluation of microtremor H/V spectral ratio

The objective of this work is to perform a purely empirical assessment of the actual capabilities of the horizontal-to-vertical (H/V) spectral ratio technique to provide reliable and relevant information concerning site conditions and/or site amplification. This objective has been tackled through the homogeneous (re)processing of a large volume of earthquakes and ambient noise data recorded by different research teams in more than 200 sites located mainly in Europe, but also in the Caribbean and in Tehran. The original recordings were first gathered in a specific database with information on both the sites and recorded events. Then, for all sites close to an instrumented reference, average site-to-reference spectral ratios (“spectral ratio method” (SSR)) were derived in a homogeneous way (window selection, smoothing, signal-to-noise ratio threshold, averaging), as well as H/V ratios (“HVSRE–RF”) on earthquake recordings. H/V ratios were also obtained from noise recordings at each site (either specific measurements, or extracted from pre- or post-event noise windows). The spectral curves resulting from these three techniques were estimated reliable for a subset of 104 sites, and were thus compared in terms of fundamental frequency, amplitude and amplification bandwidth, exhibiting agreements and disagreements, for which interpretations are looked for in relation with characteristics of site conditions. The first important result consists in the very good agreement between fundamental frequencies obtained with either technique, observed for 81% of the analyzed sites. A significant part of the disagreements correspond to thick, low frequency, continental sites where natural noise level is often very low and H/V noise ratios do not exhibit any clear peak. The second important result is the absence of correlation between H/V peak amplitude and the actual site amplification measured on site-to-reference spectral ratios. There are, however, two statistically significant results about the amplitude of the H/V curve: the peak amplitude may be considered as a lower bound estimate of the actual amplification indicated by SSR (it is smaller for 79% of the 104 investigated sites), and, from another point of view, the difference in amplitude exhibits a questioning correlation with the geometrical characteristics of the sediment/basement interface: large SSR/HV differences might thus help to detect the existence of significant 2D or 3D effects.     

基于H/V谱比法的乌恰地区场地分类研究

场地条件对于地震动特性影响显著,在工程地震领域中强震记录与之对应的场地条件在研究中十分重要。利用H/V谱比法对新疆乌恰地区12个强震台站场地进行场地分类计算,并与实际钻孔剪切波速的场地分类结果对比分析,H/V谱比法和实际钻孔波速分类结果还是有很好的对应关系,为研究区域内缺乏钻孔剪切波速测试资料的场地进行场地分类提供了参考依据。     

Applying empirical methods in site classification,using response spectral ratio (H/V): A case study on Iranian strong motion network (ISMN)

Shear wave velocity, measured recently at 107 strong motion stations, is a new empirical basis in the applicability investigation of empirical classification techniques. These stations are classified considering Iranian Practice Code criteria (Standard 2800). To check the applicability of empirical methods, three different empirical techniques are applied to re-classify the stations using previously determined site classes. The first method is based only on the determination of peak periods at each station. It is found that the fundamental periods in different site categories are within the ranges proposed by Japanese Road Association. The second one is upon the site classification index (SI), suggested by Zhao et al. In this study, a new site index term is proposed for quantitative site classification using the empirical H/V spectral ratio (here after HVRS) method. It is shown that the results from this scheme are comparable with those obtained by applying the method of Zhao et al. and are more reliable than the results from using only peak periods. A large number of strong motion stations are classified in Iran for more control of proposed SI applicability. The mean response spectral ratio curves for all data of ISMN stations are found to be fairly consistent with those obtained by Zhao et al. The results show the practicability and efficiency of the proposed method in site classification. However, more shear wave measurements and further information, like surface geology, borehole data etc., are still needed to clarify the uncertainties of such empirical schemes.     

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。     

Evaluation of the influence of experimental conditions on H/V results from ambient noise recordings

The H/V-noise technique is now widely used to estimate site effect parameters (fundamental frequency and sometimes the associated soil amplification), and many surveys using this technique have provided convincing results. However, a general agreement on a methodology for data acquisition, data processing and result interpretation has yet to be found. H/V measurements from ambient noise recordings imply both reliability of the results and rapidity of data collection. It is therefore important to understand which experimental conditions (1) influence data quality and reliability, and (2) can help speeding up the recording process. Within the framework of the SESAME European project, a specific task was defined to investigate the reliability of the H/V spectral ratio technique in assessing the site effects. The aim of WP02, one specific Work Package of the SESAME project, is to study the effects of experimental conditions on both stability and reproducibility of H/V results. This study has been conducted in a purely experimental way, by testing the possible influence of various experimental conditions on H/V results both on the frequency peak value and on its amplitude. WP02 results help setting up the experimental conditions under which ambient noise recordings have to be performed in order to provide reproducible, reliable and meaningful H/V results. In this paper we present the results of the WP02 SESAME project concerning the evaluation of the influence of experimental conditions of ambient noise recording on H/V results.     

地震预警仪观测地脉动差异与评估场地条件的可行性研究

根据台站场地条件进行地震动参数校正,有助于提高地震预警的有效性和准确性。针对我国地震预警台网中部分台址场地条件信息不完整及观测仪器的多样性,通过采用不同灵敏度的力平衡式加速度仪、速度仪和MEMS烈度仪,同时进行大量不同类别场地的地脉动观测,多角度对比分析时、频差别,探讨基于地震预警仪观测地脉动评价场地条件的可行性。结果表明,加速度仪灵敏度越高,H/V谱比卓越频率越易识别;速度仪与力平衡式加速度仪观测的地脉动,三分向傅氏谱和H/V谱比的谱形与卓越频率均一致;与TAG-33M强震仪相比,TMA-53烈度仪观测的地脉动整体幅值略高,波形较差,但随着振幅增大趋于一致;在近80%的场地上,TAG-33M强震仪与TMA-53烈度仪观测的地脉动傅氏谱卓越频率相差<0.5 Hz;当幅值均方根值>0.05 Gal时,TAG-33M强震仪与TMA-53烈度仪观测的地脉动竖向和水平向傅氏谱均趋于一致;当幅值均方根值为0.02 Gal～0.05 Gal时,TAG-33M强震仪与TMA-53烈度仪观测的地脉动竖向和水平向傅氏谱谱形均有较高的相似性;当幅值均方根值<0.02 Gal时,TAG-3...     

3D near-surface soil response from H/V ambient-noise ratios

The applicability of the horizontal-to-vertical (H/V) ambient-noise spectral ratio for characterizing earthquake site effects caused by near-surface topography and velocity structures was evaluated at sites underlain by thick (i.e. >100 m) sediment deposits near the southern-end of the New Madrid seismic zone in the central United States. Three-component ambient-noise and velocity models derived from seismic (shear-wave) refraction/reflection surveys showed that a relatively horizontal, sharp shear-wave velocity interface in the soil column resulted in an H/V spectral ratio with a single well-defined peak. Observations at sites with more than one sharp shear-wave velocity contrast and horizontally arranged soil layers resulted in at least two well-defined H/V spectral ratio peaks. Furthermore, at sites where there were sharp shear-wave velocity contrasts in nonhorizontal, near-surface soil layers, the H/V spectra exhibited a broad-bandwidth, relatively low-amplitude signal instead of a single well-defined peak.     

基于实测记录分析场地因素对海底地震动特性影响

目前基于海底实测记录的分析发现海底与陆地地震动特性存在明显差异,但难以进一步确定海底地震动特性的影响因素。在以往研究的基础上对比同次地震中相邻海底台站间地震动特性的差异,并分析造成差异的原因。以日本K-NET地震台网中6个海底强震台站及其相邻不同场地条件陆地台站监测的8次强震记录为研究对象,通过分析强震记录的峰值加速度、水平放大系数谱、竖向与水平反应谱的比谱等,对比分析不同海底台站地震动的特性,以及海底台站与相邻不同场地条件陆地台站地震动特性的差别。研究发现：（1）海底与陆地竖向地震动存在明显差异;（2）不同海底台站间地震动特性亦存在较大差异和明显的规律性,海底场地条件、地形等场地因素对海底地震动特性的影响较大;（3）海底水平向地震动反应谱的特征周期较大,谱特性介于陆地中硬土与软土场地间。     

Site effects in the Aterno River Valley (L’Aquila,Italy): comparison between empirical and 2D numerical modelling starting from April 6th 2009 Mw 6.3 earthquake

In this paper, we focused our attention on a cross-section of the Aterno River Valley where a good quality geological and geophysical dataset allowed to reconstruct accurately the geometry and the Vs profiles along all the plane of the section. Its trace is deliberately aligned close to the strong motion stations that recorded the Mw 6.3 (April 6th 2009) L’Aquila earthquake. We analysed strong and weak motion data available at these latter stations as well as at one of the temporary stations installed during the Microzonation activities and located on outcropping bedrock, in proximity of the cross-section. We used the H/V technique to select a reliable reference site and once we found it, we applied the SSR technique to compute amplification functions in correspondence of two strong motion stations. In turn, for both sites we performed a site response numerical modelling with two different 2D codes and we compared simulated versus experimental transfer functions. We found that the cross-section is well constrained based on the very reasonable agreement between results of numerical modelling and earthquake data analysis. We pointed out also a strong amplification of the deposit at the centre of the valley due to the constructive interference of S and surface waves, not predictable by means of 1D numerical modelling. We also compared the H/V as well as the SSR obtained from strong motion data with the ones computed from weak motion finding evidences of non-linearity in soil behaviour.     

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.     

地震动加速度反应谱场地条件影响调整系数研究

场地条件对地震动特性影响显著,在抗震设计反应谱的确定过程中,需根据场地条件对加速度反应谱予以相应的调整。已有场地条件影响调整方案研究成果,均基于数值模拟或局部地区强震动记录统计,多数仅给出了峰值加速度PGA场地条件影响调整系数,对非线性的考虑缺乏观测数据依据。为此在全球强震动记录统计获得的PGA归一化加速度反应谱和日本钻井台阵记录获得的加速度反应谱平台值非线性衰减指数的基础上,结合钻孔模型数值模拟和近期研究成果,建立了考虑场地条件影响非线性的地震动加速度反应谱场地条件影响调整系数方案。     

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.     

Characteristics of strong ground motion data recorded in the Gubbio sedimentary basin (Central Italy)

Various authors, analysing the set of accelerograms recorded at Gubbio Piana (GBP) (central Italy), have demonstrated that strong amplification occurs at this accelerometric station, which is installed within an alluvial basin. In particular, Ambraseys et al. [(2005a), Bull Earthq Eng 3:1–53; (2005b), Bull Earth Eng 3:55–73] observed that the strong motion peaks at GBP greatly exceed the median values predicted by the attenuation relationships they derived for Europe. In this work, we analyse and discuss some characteristics of the ground motion recorded at the GBP station. We show that the ground motion parameters, such as peak-ground acceleration and peak-ground velocity, are strongly influenced by the presence of locally induced surface waves that produce both a lengthening of the significant shaking duration and an increase in the peak values with respect to a nearby bedrock site. The basin-induced surface waves are observed in the three components of motion and their effects on the peak values are particularly evident in the vertical component. In the frequency domain, the energy of the surface waves is mostly restricted to the frequency band 0.4–0.8 Hz for both the horizontal and vertical components. The horizontal and vertical Fourier amplitudes are also very similar, and this indicates that the H/V spectral ratio technique is not applicable to describing the site response due to the propagation of seismic wave in a complex 2D/3D geological structure. Finally, a preliminary polarization analysis shows that the directions of polarization, as well as the degree of elliptical polarization, exhibit a strong variability with time, that may be related to a complex propagation of Love and Rayleigh waves within the basin.     

强震动台站周边地面建筑物对观测结果的影响分析

强震动观测是获取地震地面运动最基本的手段,但其观测质量会受到观测台站周边环境的影响。本文针对不同场地条件的观测台站和附近不同高度建筑物,开展建筑物对观测场地地震动影响的模拟分析,探讨其对强震动观测的影响规律。基于ABAQUS有限元分析软件以及粘弹性边界方法,建立了8个场地-建筑物体系计算模型,分别考虑了4种不同剪切波速的场地和4种不同层数的框架结构建筑物,计算分析了建筑物高度、观测点与建筑之间的距离对强震动观测及场地土波速变化的影响。结果表明:强震动台站附近地面建筑物的存在对观测结果将产生明显的影响,近距离建筑物影响的相对误差可高达20%以上;建筑物高度的变化并没有明显改变其影响程度和影响较大的地震动周期范围,但较高建筑物的影响程度会随距离增加衰减速度减慢;场地土越软,周边建筑物对观测带来的影响越大。建议:对于较软弱场地（土层平均剪切波速低至210m/s）,强震动台站避让建筑物的距离应不小于40m,对于较坚硬场地（土层平均剪切波速大于250m/s）,强震动台站避让建筑物的距离应不小于25m。同时还认为,如果强震动观测要求较高精度,需进一步增加避让距离,且应具体考虑建筑物高度等因素的影响。     

基于小田原试验场地数据的不同基岩输入模型对预测地震动特征的影响研究

随着强震台网的密布及观测记录的增加,为研究各类局部场地地震反应预测模型的合理性提供了有效的参考依据,也使利用强震记录及场地条件研究地震动特征成为可能。选取场地地质参数资料和地震记录数据齐全的日本小田原（Ashigara Valley）盲测试验场地,通过对比不同地震动输入方式及场地反应分析模型,研究地震动特征,分析现有模型的优劣。基于1990年8月5日M5.1强震事件的地表基岩记录和地下基岩地震记录,采用地下台强震记录直接输入、地表基岩台强震记录减半为基底地震动输入、地表基岩台强震记录反演为基底地震动输入作为3种基岩地震动输入。基于局部场地条件分别建立一维等效线性模型、二维黏弹性模型及二维时域等效线性化模型等工程中常用的场地数值分析模型,进行局部场地地震反应分析,预测该盲测场地的地表地震动特征,并与对应的实测强震记录结果进行对比,分析不同基岩地震动输入方式对预测地震动特征及地表土层反应谱特征的影响,重点分析地震动输入、土体非线性、场地横向不均匀性及几何与非线性特征共同作用等因素对地表地震动特征的影响,以期为地表地震动的合理预测提供参考。     

离散Fréchet距离在强震台站场地分类中的应用

当强震台站场地资料不完整时,所收集到的强震数据因缺乏准确的场地类别信息而难以有效利用。为解决这一问题,本文提出一种基于离散Fréchet距离的强震台站场地分类方法。将获取到的664个KiK-net台站场地按照《建筑抗震设计规范（GB 50011—2010）》进行分类,并构建2个数据集。利用数据集1得到Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ类场地标准谱比曲线,并结合离散Fréchet距离对数据集2中的台站进行场地分类,统计分类成功率与误判率。统计结果表明,本文方法能较准确地对场地进行分类,且误判率在可接受范围内。将本文方法分类统计结果与斯皮尔曼秩相关系数法分类的成功率与误判率进行对比,结合本文方法分类后得到的平均谱比曲线,均可表明应用本文方法进行强震台站场地分类具有合理性。     

Application of horizontal-to-vertical (H/V) Fourier spectral ratio for analysis of site effect on rock (NEHRP-class B) sites in Taiwan

The frequency-dependent amplification for rock (NEHRP-class B) sites was studied using earthquake ground-motion database collected in Taiwan during implementation of the Taiwan Strong Motion Instrumentation Program. The database used includes several hundred records from earthquakes of M_L 4.0–7.3 occurred between 1993 and 2004. The characteristics of amplification were evaluated using the well-known technique of horizontal-to-vertical Fourier spectral ratio (H/V) of the S-wave phase [Lermo J, Chavez-Garcia FJ. Site effect evaluation using spectral ratios with only one station. Bull Seism Soc Am 1993;83:1574–94]. The study allows us to analyze peculiarities of rock sites amplification in Northern and Eastern Taiwan. It was suggested to divide the NEHRP-class B site amplification into four types based on frequency of maximum amplification and the shape of amplification function. The applicability of the technique was also checked for a few stiff and soft soil sites (NEHRP-classes D and E).     

Some Analyses on Effects of Site Classification on Ground Motion Characteristics in the Chi-Chi, Taiwan Earthquake

According to the epicenter distance and the site classification, the 404 groups of earthquake recordings of the main shock of the Chi-Chi, Taiwan China earthquake in 1999 are catalogued. Based on these data, we analyze the statistical features of duration, PGA, envelopes and the response spectra ratio of the horizontal and vertical components of the acceleration recordings. The results of these analyses show that the effect of site classification on the acceleration of various components is obvious; furthermore, fault direction also has certain effects on the characteristics of the horizontal components of ground motion. The detailed research results are as follows： （ 1 ） the duration of the horizontal components of acceleration records increases with the softening of the site; （2） the direction of fault slip has some effects on PGA＇s attenuation features; （3） the average envelopes of acceleration records at different distances and site dames are basically single peak functions of time and the envelopes of horizontal and vertical components of ground motion are obviously different; （4） with the same epicenter distance, EW/NS response spectrum ratios tend to approximate 1.0 as the site becomes softer and the period shorter. V/H response spectrum ratios in short periods （〈 0. 1s） increase with the softening of site, however, V/H ratios within the long-period range （ 〉 characteristic period） decrease with the softening of the site, and the decrease of V/EW ratio speeds up relatively.     

辽宁省地震易发区地震危险性研究

盘锦、海城、营口地区是辽宁省内地震活动性最强、地震危险性最高的地区。该地区开展了大量重点工程地震安全性评价、区域性地震区划和地震小区划工作，但尚未开展基于场地条件的区域尺度地震危险性研究。独有的沉积特点使该地区场地条件较复杂，因此在地震危险性概率分析中考虑场地条件是必要的。本文基于新一代中国地震动参数区划图基本原理和技术原则，结合盘锦、海城、营口地区场地条件特征，采用基于地形坡度的方法对场地条件进行分类，确定场地地震动影响系数，给出该地区基于区域场地条件的地震危险性分布，相关研究结果可为地震风险评估和防震减灾规划提供参考。     

一种利用单台强震记录计算任意场地三分量地面运动的方法

本文利用近场理论格林函数反褶积的方法计算土层的地震反应.解答中包含了产生地面运动的各种反射、透射和转换波震相,也计入了土层与基底介质的相互作用.将计算的土层响应与已获得的近场加速度记录褶积,可算出不同土层场地上垂直向和水平向三分量的地面运动.文中利用1982年卢龙地震的近场加速度记录,检验了方法的可行性.