New Trends: HS, MAAM and Beyond

Abstract

This chapter focuses on two state-of-the-art techniques for the analysis of surface wave dispersion: HS (Holistic analysis of Surface waves) and MAAM (Miniature Array Analysis of Microtremors). HS is based on the analysis of active data recorded by a single 3-component (3C) geophone deployed at a fixed distance (offset) from the source. MAAM is a passive methodology aimed at the determination of the Rayleigh-wave dispersion curve from the data collected by very few geophones (4 or 6) deployed symmetrically around a circle with a radius of just few (2–3) meters. From a practical point of view, MAAM and HS have in common the fact that the field equipment is extremely simple and the acquisition procedures extremely straightforward. HS and MAAM data can be easily integrated with the HVSR and provide a well-constrained (i.e. robust) subsurface model. Since the HS methodology also allows to analyze the actual Rayleigh-wave Particle Motion (RPM), a series of facts and case studies are presented in order to make the reader familiar with this observable (to include in the data joint inversion both in case of single- and multi-offset data).