• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.893-906
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• 2017

Automatic large scale soil model generation is very critical stage for earthquake hazard simulation of urban areas. Manual model development may cause some data losses and may not be effective when there are too many data from different soil observations in a wide area. Geographic information systems (GIS) for storing and analyzing spatial data help scientists to generate better models automatically. Although the original soil observations were limited to soil profile data, the recent developments in mapping technology, interpolation methods, and remote sensing have provided advanced soil model developments. Together with advanced computational technology, it is possible to handle much larger volumes of data. The scientists may solve difficult problems of describing the spatial variation of soil. In this study, an algorithm is proposed for automatic three dimensional soil and velocity model development of southern part of the European side of Istanbul next to Sea of Marmara based on GIS data. In the proposed algorithm, firstly bedrock surface is generated from integration of geological and geophysical measurements. Then, layer surface contacts are integrated with data gathered in vertical borings, and interpolations are interpreted on sections between the borings automatically. Three dimensional underground geology model is prepared using boring data, geologic cross sections and formation base contours drawn in the light of these data. During the preparation of the model, classification studies are made based on formation models. Then, 3D velocity models are developed by using geophysical measurements such as refraction-microtremor, array microtremor and PS logging. The soil and velocity models are integrated and final soil model is obtained. All stages of this algorithm are carried out automatically in the selected urban area. The system directly reads the GIS soil data in the selected part of urban area and 3D soil model is automatically developed for large scale earthquake hazard simulation studies.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.144-152
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• 2010

To study the thickness variation of volcanic rocks of Jeju Island, microtremor data were recorded at eight and four sites using short-period and broadband seismometers, respectively, for 30 ~ 60 minutes with a 100 Hz sampling rate. During the daytime, these records show increased cultural noise at frequencies above 1.8 Hz. Natural noise occurs in the frequency range of 0.4 to 0.8 Hz in both daytime and nighttime data. Predominant frequencies determined by the H/V spectral-ratio method are in the range of 0.2 ~ 0.7 Hz. These frequencies decrease gradually as the central part of the Mt. Halla is approached. This may indicate that the basement is warped downward beneath the center of the island, which is consistent with previous gravimetric and magnetic models. Assuming an average shear-wave velocity of 1,800 m/s for the overburden basalts, the depths to basement are estimated to be between 640 and 2,140 m.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.367-376
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• 2014

Ambient vibration techniques are nowadays a very popular tool to assess dynamic properties of buildings. Due to its non destructive character, this method is particularly valuable, especially for health monitoring of historical monuments. The present ambient vibration experiment consists on the evaluation of vibration modes of a Medieval tower. Situated in Soncino (close to Cremona, in the Northern Italian region named Lombardia), the tower of 41.5 meters height has been monitored by seismometers located at different points inside the structure. Spectral ratios of the recorded ambient vibrations clearly identify a fundamental mode at about 1 Hz, with a slight difference in the two horizontal components. A second mode is also evidenced at approx 4-5 Hz, with a moderate degree of uncertainty. The records of a ML 4.4 earthquake, occurred during the monitoring period, confirm the information obtained by microtremor analysis. Daily variations of both 1st and 2nd mode were detected: these variations, of an amount up to 2%, seem to be well related with the temperature.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.121-131
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• 2009

In recent years, microtremor array observations have been used for estimation of shear-wave velocity structures. One of the methods is the conventional spatial autocorrelation (SPAC) method, which requires simultaneous recording at least with three or four sensors. Modified SPAC methods such as 2sSPAC, and linear array methods, allow estimating shear-wave structures by using only two sensors, but suffer from instability of the spatial autocorrelation coefficient for frequency ranges higher than 1.0 Hz. Based on microtremor measurements from four different size triangular arrays and four same-size triangular and linear arrays, we have demonstrated the stability of SPAC coefficient for the frequency range from 2 to 4 or 5 Hz. The phase velocities, obtained by fitting the SPAC coefficients to the Bessel function, are also consistent up to the frequency 5 Hz. All data were processed by the SPAC method, with the exception of the spatial averaging for the linear array cases. The arrays were deployed sequentially at different times, near a site having existing Parallel Seismic (PS) borehole logging data. We also used the imaginary part of the SPAC coefficients as a data-quality indicator. Based on perturbations of the autocorrelation spectrum (and in some cases on visual examination of the record waveforms) we divided data into so-called 'reliable' and 'unreliable' categories. We then calculated the imaginary part of the SPAC spectrum for 'reliable', 'unreliable', and complete (i.e. 'reliable' and 'unreliable' datasets combined) datasets for each array, and compared the results. In the case of insufficient azimuthal distribution of the stations (the linear array) the imaginary curve shows some instability and can therefore be regarded as an indicator of insufficient spatial averaging. However, in the case of low coherency of the wavefield the imaginary curve does not show any significant instability.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.132-142
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• 2009

The Tamar rift valley runs through the City of Launceston, Tasmania. Damage has occurred to city buildings due to earthquake activity in Bass Strait. The presence of the ancient valley, the Tamar valley, in-filled with soft sediments that vary rapidly in thickness from 0 to 250mover a few hundreds metres, is thought to induce a 2D resonance pattern, amplifying the surface motions over the valley and in Launceston. Spatially averaged coherency (SPAC), frequency-wavenumber (FK) and horizontal to vertical spectrum ratio (HVSR) microtremor survey methods are combined to identify and characterise site effects over the Tamar valley. Passive seismic array measurements acquired at seven selected sites were analysed with SPAC to estimate shear wave velocity (slowness) depth profiles. SPAC was then combined with HVSR to improve the resolution of these profiles in the sediments to an approximate depth of 125 m. Results show that sediments thicknesses vary significantly throughout Launceston. The top layer is composed of as much as 20m of very soft Quaternary alluvial sediments with a velocity from 50 m/s to 125 m/s. Shear-wave velocities in the deeper Tertiary sediment fill of the Tamar valley, with thicknesses from 0 to 250m vary from 400 m/s to 750 m/s. Results obtained using SPAC are presented at two selected sites (GUN and KPK) that agree well with dispersion curves interpreted with FK analysis. FK interpretation is, however, limited to a narrower range of frequencies than SPAC and seems to overestimate the shear wave velocity at lower frequencies. Observed HVSR are also compared with the results obtained by SPAC, assuming a layered earth model, and provide additional constraints on the shear wave slowness profiles at these sites. The combined SPAC and HVSR analysis confirms the hypothesis of a layered geology at the GUN site and indicates the presence of a 2D resonance pattern across the Tamar valley at the KPK site.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.73-85
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• 2006

Array observations of the vertical component of microtremors are frequently conducted to estimate a subsurface layered-earth structure on the assumption that microtremors consist predominantly of the fundamental mode Rayleigh waves. As a useful tool in the data collection, processing and analysis, the spatial autocorrelation (SPAC) method is widely used, which in practice requires a circle array consisting of M circumferential stations and one centre station (called "M-station circle array", where M is the number of stations). The present paper considers the minimum number of stations required for a circle array for efficient data collection in terms of analytical efficacy and field effort. This study first rearranges the theoretical background of the SPAC algorithm, in which the SPAC coefficient for a circle array with M infinite is solely expressed as the Bessel function, $J_0(rk)$ (r is the radius and k the wavenumber). Secondly, the SPAC coefficient including error terms independent of the microtremor energy field for an M-station circle array is analytically derived within a constraint for the wave direction across the array, and is numerically evaluated in respect of these error terms. The main results of the evaluation are: 1) that the 3-station circle array when compared with other 4-, 5-, and 9-station arrays is the most efficient and favourable for observation of microtremors if the SPAC coefficients are used up to a frequency at which the coefficient takes the first minimum value, and 2) that the Nyquist wavenumber is the most influential factor that determines the upper limit of the frequency range up to which the valid SPAC coefficient can be estimated.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.19-28
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• 2007

In this study, we propose a joint inversion method, using genetic algorithms, to estimate an S-wave velocity structure for deep sedimentary layers from receiver functions and surface-wave phase velocity observed at several sites. The method takes layer continuity over a target area into consideration by assuming that each layer has uniform physical properties, especially an S-wave velocity, at all the sites in a target area in order to invert datasets acquired at different sites simultaneously. Numerical experiments with synthetic data indicate that the proposed method is effective in reducing uncertainty in deep structure parameters when modelling only surface-wave dispersion data over a limited period range. We then apply the method to receiver functions derived from earthquake records at one site and two datasets of Rayleigh-wave phase velocity obtained from microtremor array surveys performed in central Tokyo, Japan. The estimated subsurface structure is in good agreement with the results of previous seismic refraction surveys and deep borehole data. We also conclude that the proposed method can provide a more accurate and reliable model than individual inversions of either receiver function data only or surface-wave dispersion data only.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.26-33
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• 2005

Inversion of multi-mode surface-wave phase velocity for shallow engineering site investigation has received much attention in recent years. A sensitivity analysis and inversion of both synthetic and field data demonstrates the greater effectiveness of this method over employing the fundamental mode alone. Perturbation of thickness and shear-wave velocity parameters in multi-modal Rayleigh wave phase velocities revealed that the sensitivities of higher modes: (a) concentrate in different frequency bands, and (b) are greater than the fundamental mode for deeper parameters. These observations suggest that multi-mode phase velocity inversion can provide better parameter discrimination and imaging of deep structure, especially with a velocity reversal, than can inversion of fundamental mode data alone. An inversion of the theoretical phase velocities in a model with a low velocity layer at 20 m depth can only image the soft layer when the first higher mode is incorporated. This is especially important when the lowest measurable frequency is only 6 Hz. Field tests were conducted at sites surveyed by borehole and PS logging. At the first site, an array microtremor survey, often used for deep geological surveying in Japan, was used to survey the soil down to 35 m depth. At the second site, linear multichannel spreads with a sledgehammer source were recorded, for an investigation down to 12 m depth. The f-k power spectrum method was applied for dispersion analysis, and velocities up to the second higher mode were observed in each test. The multi-mode inversion results agree well with PS logs, but models estimated from the fundamental mode alone show f large underestimation of the depth to shallow soft layers below artificial fill.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.594-610
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• 2023

The horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) has been widely applied to evaluate ground characteristics such as site response and thickness of the soft sedimentary layer on top of the bedrock via dominant frequencies and amplification factors of microtremors. Eight seismic stations were selected to investigate the HVSR results at the surface and at varying depths, and their variations due to wind speeds. These stations are equipped with seismic sensors on the surface and downhole(s) at depths. The borehole data analysis reveals that the geological condition at burial depth influences the HVSR results. Their dominant frequencies indicate the entire thickness of the soft layer, not the thickness to the bottom or top of the soft sedimentary layer from the seismometer burial depth. Analysis of the background noise observed at the surface showed that the resonance frequency estimation varied with wind speed changes. In the studied cases, the background noise observed in the sedimentary layer at depths of 20 to 66 meters yielded stable and consistent resonance frequency estimation regardless of wind speed fluctuations. The results of the seismic sensors buried deeper than 100 meters are unstable. The result indicates that the background noise from the buried seismometer at shallow depths (~0.3 m) under light wind conditions (wind speeds less than 3 m/s) is sufficient to achieve the purpose of the HVSR analysis.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.673-679
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• 2005

Urban conditions such as underground facilities and ambient noises due to cultural activity restrict the application of conventional geophysical techniques in general. We used the linear array microtremor technique which uses these noises as strong energy source. The result parameter of the survey is shear wave velocity profile which had been applied as an fundamental information for the determination of the rock support type in tunnel design. This study was the first case in Korea which utilized a surface geophysical technique yielding successful result in urban area especially under the existing rail ways. The quantitative relation between the shear wave velocity from this method and the rock mass rating(RMR) determined from the inspection of the cores recovered from the same boreholes showed high statistical relationship. These correlations were then used to relate the shear-wave velocity to RMR along the entire profile.