Shear-Wave Velocity Survey of Seismographic Sites in Eastern Canada: Calibration of Empirical Regression Method of Estimating Site Response

Abstract

Other| November 01, 1997 Shear-Wave Velocity Survey of Seismographic Sites in Eastern Canada: Calibration of Empirical Regression Method of Estimating Site Response Igor A. Beresnev; Igor A. Beresnev Department of Earth Sciences Carleton University 1125 Colonel By Drive Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada (beresnev@ccs.carleton.ca; gma@ccs.carleton.ca) Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Gail M. Atkinson Gail M. Atkinson Department of Earth Sciences Carleton University 1125 Colonel By Drive Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada (beresnev@ccs.carleton.ca; gma@ccs.carleton.ca) Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Seismological Research Letters (1997) 68 (6): 981–987. https://doi.org/10.1785/gssrl.68.6.981 Article history first online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Igor A. Beresnev, Gail M. Atkinson; Shear-Wave Velocity Survey of Seismographic Sites in Eastern Canada: Calibration of Empirical Regression Method of Estimating Site Response. Seismological Research Letters 1997;; 68 (6): 981–987. doi: https://doi.org/10.1785/gssrl.68.6.981 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search nav search search input Search input auto suggest search filter All ContentBy SocietySeismological Research Letters Search Advanced Search Abstract Reliable information concerning the predominant site effects on ground motions can be obtained from low-cost shear-wave refraction surveys using a sledgehammer as an energy source. For the south and southeast Ontario region, the velocity structure can be determined to a depth of approximately 70 m. Near-surface shear-wave velocities of hard-rock sites range from 1.7 to 3.1 km/sec, with an average value of approximately 2.6 km/sec. Typical soil sites have shear-wave velocities of 250–700 m/sec near the surface.Empirical methods of determining the relative values of frequency-dependent amplification are commonly employed. These methods fit the observed earthquake spectra with a regression model that decomposes the recorded spectrum into source, path, and site terms. By regression analysis of large amounts of recorded data, the average site term for a particular station can be determined. We calibrated such an empirical technique against the theoretical responses based on the velocity structure obtained from a detailed field survey. The empirical-regression approach and the theoretical-response approach provide reasonably consistent estimates of amplification at hard-rock sites. We conclude that the amplification for an average hard-rock site is about a factor of 1.3. At soil sites, empirical-analysis and theoretical-response results agree as to the frequency of the fundamental resonance peaks. The maximum theoretical amplification values generally exceed those indicated from the empirical analyses; theoretical amplifications by as much as factors of 6 and 7 were calculated, while empirical amplifications were below a factor of 3. Thus use of theoretical site responses may be conservative. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not currently have access to this article.