Abstract
The analysis of seismic noise provides a reliable estimation of the soil properties, which supposes the starting point for the assessment of the seismic hazard. The horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio technique calculates the resonant frequency of the soil just by using a single three-component sensor. Array measurements require at least several vertical sensors registering simultaneously and their analysis provides an estimation of the surface waves dispersion curve. Although these methods are relatively cheaper than other geotechnical techniques, the cost of the sensors and the multi-channel data acquisition system means that small research groups cannot afford this kind of equipment. In this work, two prototypes for registering seismic noise have been developed and implemented: a three-channel acquisition system, optimized for working with three-component sensors; and a twelve-channel acquisition system, prepared for working simultaneously with twelve vertical geophones. Both prototypes are characterized by being open-hardware, open-software, easy to implement, and low-cost. The main aim is to provide a data acquisition system that can be reproduced and applied by any research group. Both developed prototypes have been tested and compared with other commercial equipment, showing their suitability to register seismic noise and to estimate the soil characteristics.
Highlights
Ambient seismic noise corresponds to vibrations or fluctuations on the earth’s surface due to different natural and artificial causes
In this work we have developed a new multi-channel data acquisition system with the following characteristics: open-hardware, open-software, easy to implement, and low-cost
The two prototypes developed for seismic noise measurements are presented
Summary
Ambient seismic noise corresponds to vibrations or fluctuations on the earth’s surface due to different natural and artificial causes These vibrations are imperceptible to a human being, but not to seismic sensors. In contrast to other geotechnical and geophysical techniques, ambient noise methods are non-invasive and easier to implement, which makes them especially suited for urban areas They only require the deployment of one or several sensors on the ground surface in order to measure the vibrations produced by different natural and human sources (the location of the sources is far enough from the recording area, so as to consider the register of plane wave fronts). A complete review of the noise characteristics and its application to site effects studies can be found in the work of Bonnefoy-Claudet et al [4]
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