Evaluation of Uncertainties in Site Response Analysis of Deep Soil Profiles in South Carolina Coastal Plain

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siwadol Dejphumee ◽  
Inthuorn Sasanakul
Keyword(s):  
South Carolina ◽  
Shear Wave ◽  
Wave Velocity ◽  
Shear Wave Velocity ◽  
Coastal Plain ◽  
Amplification Factor ◽  
Site Response ◽  
Velocity Profiles ◽  
The South ◽  
Deep Soil

ABSTRACT The South Carolina Coastal Plain consists of deep soil sediments over basement bedrock. The depth of basement bedrock varies from being present at the surface to a depth of more than 1200 m at the southern tip of the state. A large variation exists in the thickness of the sediment, which impacts the seismic site response analyses of the Coastal Plain, particularly in areas where the availability of deep shear-wave velocity profiles is limited. This study evaluates the impact of variations in the shear-wave velocity profiles for two sites in the South Carolina Coastal Plain. The shear-wave velocity profiles were measured using different geophysical methods, including a combined multichannel analysis of surface waves and microtremor array measurement (MASW-MAM) method and P–S suspension logging. The equivalent-linear site response analyses were conducted by applying a synthetic earthquake motion at the depth of the B–C boundary (a depth of competent rock in which the shear-wave velocity is 760 m/s). The results are presented in terms of the amplification factor and its standard deviation. Results show that the average shear-wave velocity at the first 30 m (VS30), the shear-wave velocity contrast at the interface of the base layer and the B–C boundary, and the depth to the B–C boundary have a significant impact on the amplification factor and its variability, particularly for the amplification factor at periods higher than 0.1 s. The MASW-MAM method provided significantly lower VS30 values than the P–S suspension logging method at one of the two sites. Consequently, an additional peak in the amplification factor was observed for the site that had a low VS30, and the corresponding period was close to the resonant period of the loose, surface deposit.

scholarly journals Characterization of shear wave velocity profiles for South Carolina Coastal Plain

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 303-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inthuorn Sasanakul ◽  
◽  
Sarah Gassman ◽  
Pitak Ruttithivaphanich ◽  
Siwadol Dejphumee
Keyword(s):  
South Carolina ◽  
Shear Wave ◽  
Wave Velocity ◽  
Shear Wave Velocity ◽  
Coastal Plain ◽  
Velocity Profiles

Mapping Fundamental-Mode Site Periods and Amplifications from Thick Sediments: An Example from the Jackson Purchase Region of Western Kentucky, Central United States

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yichuan Zhu ◽  
Zhenming Wang ◽  
N. Seth Carpenter ◽  
Edward W. Woolery ◽  
William C. Haneberg
Keyword(s):  
Shear Wave ◽  
Wave Velocity ◽  
Shear Wave Velocity ◽  
Fundamental Mode ◽  
Site Response ◽  
Velocity Profiles ◽  
Wave Velocities ◽  
Shear Wave Velocities ◽  
Jackson Purchase ◽  
Western Kentucky

ABSTRACT V S 30 is currently used as a key proxy to parameterize site response in engineering design and other applications. However, it has been found that VS30 is not an appropriate proxy, because it does not reliably correlate with site response. Therefore, the VS30-based National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program site maps may not capture regional site responses. In earthquake engineering, site resonance, which can be characterized by the fundamental mode with a site period (Tf) and its associated peak amplification (A0), is the primary site-response concern. Mapping Tf and A0 is thus essential for accurate regional seismic hazard assessment. We developed a 3D shear-wave velocity model for the Jackson Purchase Region of western Kentucky, based on shear-wave velocity profiles interpreted from seismic reflections and refractions, mapped geologic units, and digital-elevation-model datasets. We generated shear-wave velocity profiles at grid points with 500 m spacing from the 3D model and performed 1D linear site-response analyses to obtain Tf and A0, which we then used to construct contour maps for the study area. Our results show that Tf and A0 maps correlate with the characteristics of regional geology in terms of sediment thicknesses and their average shear-wave velocities. We also observed a strong dependency of A0 on bedrock shear-wave velocities. The mapped Tf and A0 are consistent with those estimated from borehole transfer functions and horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio analyses at broadband and strong-motion stations in the study area. Our analyses also demonstrate that the depth to bedrock (Zb) is correlated to Tf, and the average sediment shear-wave velocity (VS-avg) is correlated to A0. This implies that Zb and VS-avg may be considered as paired proxies to parameterize site resonance in the linear-elastic regime.

Evaluation of Surface Soil Amplification for Wide Areas in Lima, Peru

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 259-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toru Sekiguchi ◽  
◽  
Diana Calderon ◽  
Shoichi Nakai ◽  
Zenon Aguilar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Shear Wave ◽  
Wave Velocity ◽  
Shear Wave Velocity ◽  
Soil Type ◽  
Amplification Factor ◽  
Surface Soil ◽  
Velocity Profiles ◽  
Soil Amplification ◽  
Peak Period ◽  
Best Value

In order to create a soil amplification map for Lima, Peru, parameters that correlate best with amplification are examined. Shallow shear wave velocity profiles estimated from MASW measurements at 105 sites were used to provide amplification factor AvTF. AVs10 seems to be the best value for estimating amplification in Lima from the data available. We have attempted to create AVs10 map correlating three parameters – elevation, H/V peak period, and soil type. From this AVs10 map, we have estimated an amplification map for Lima.

scholarly journals Evaluation of liquefaction potentials based on shear wave velocities in Pohang City, South Korea

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yumin Ji ◽  
Byungmin Kim ◽  
Kiseog Kim
Keyword(s):  
South Korea ◽  
Shear Wave ◽  
Wave Velocity ◽  
Shear Wave Velocity ◽  
Ground Surface ◽  
Velocity Profiles ◽  
Liquefaction Potential ◽  
Attenuation Relationships ◽  
Cyclic Resistance ◽  
Sand Boils

AbstractThis study evaluates the potentials of liquefaction caused by the 2017 moment magnitude 5.4 earthquake in Pohang City, South Korea. We obtain shear wave velocity profiles measured by suspension PS logging tests at the five sites near the epicenter. We also perform downhole tests at three of the five sites. Among the five sites, the surface manifestations (i.e., sand boils) were observed at the three sites, and not at the other two sites. The maximum accelerations on the ground surface at the five sites are estimated using the Next Generation Attenuation relationships for Western United State ground motion prediction equations. The shear wave velocity profiles from the two tests are slightly different, resulting in varying cyclic resistance ratios, factors of safety against liquefaction, and liquefaction potential indices. Nevertheless, we found that both test approaches can be used to evaluate liquefaction potentials. The liquefaction potential indices at the liquefied sites are approximately 1.5–13.9, whereas those at the non-liquefied sites are approximately 0–0.3.

scholarly journals Evaluating simplified methods for liquefaction assessment for loss estimation

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 781-800 ◽  
Author(s):  
Indranil Kongar ◽  
Tiziana Rossetto ◽  
Sonia Giovinazzi
Keyword(s):  
Shear Wave ◽  
Wave Velocity ◽  
Shear Wave Velocity ◽  
Ground Deformation ◽  
Insurance Industry ◽  
Binary Classification ◽  
Remote Sensing Data ◽  
Velocity Profiles ◽  
Loss Estimation ◽  
Liquefaction Assessment

Abstract. Currently, some catastrophe models used by the insurance industry account for liquefaction by applying a simple factor to shaking-induced losses. The factor is based only on local liquefaction susceptibility and this highlights the need for a more sophisticated approach to incorporating the effects of liquefaction in loss models. This study compares 11 unique models, each based on one of three principal simplified liquefaction assessment methods: liquefaction potential index (LPI) calculated from shear-wave velocity, the HAZUS software method and a method created specifically to make use of USGS remote sensing data. Data from the September 2010 Darfield and February 2011 Christchurch earthquakes in New Zealand are used to compare observed liquefaction occurrences to forecasts from these models using binary classification performance measures. The analysis shows that the best-performing model is the LPI calculated using known shear-wave velocity profiles, which correctly forecasts 78 % of sites where liquefaction occurred and 80 % of sites where liquefaction did not occur, when the threshold is set at 7. However, these data may not always be available to insurers. The next best model is also based on LPI but uses shear-wave velocity profiles simulated from the combination of USGS VS30 data and empirical functions that relate VS30 to average shear-wave velocities at shallower depths. This model correctly forecasts 58 % of sites where liquefaction occurred and 84 % of sites where liquefaction did not occur, when the threshold is set at 4. These scores increase to 78 and 86 %, respectively, when forecasts are based on liquefaction probabilities that are empirically related to the same values of LPI. This model is potentially more useful for insurance since the input data are publicly available. HAZUS models, which are commonly used in studies where no local model is available, perform poorly and incorrectly forecast 87 % of sites where liquefaction occurred, even at optimal thresholds. This paper also considers two models (HAZUS and EPOLLS) for estimation of the scale of liquefaction in terms of permanent ground deformation but finds that both models perform poorly, with correlations between observations and forecasts lower than 0.4 in all cases. Therefore these models potentially provide negligible additional value to loss estimation analysis outside of the regions for which they have been developed.

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