Variation Of Shear Wave Velocity Research Articles

Radial anisotropy and S-wave velocity depict the internal to external zone transition within the Variscan orogen (NW Iberia)

Abstract. The cross-correlation of ambient noise records registered by seismic networks has proven to be a valuable tool to obtain new insights into the crustal structure at different scales. Based on 2 to 14 s period Rayleigh and Love dispersion data extracted from the seismic ambient noise recorded by 20 three-component broadband stations belonging to two different temporary experiments, we present the first (i) upper-crustal (1–12 km) high-resolution shear wave velocity and (ii) radial anisotropy variation models of the continental crust in NW Iberia. The area of study represents one of the best-exposed cross sections along the Variscan orogen of western Europe, showing the transition between the external eastern zones towards the internal areas in the west. Both the 2-D maps and an E–W transect reveal a close correspondence with the main geological domains of the Variscan orogen. The foreland fold-and-thrust belt of the orogen, the Cantabrian Zone, is revealed by a zone of relatively low shear wave velocities (2.3–3.0 km s−1), while the internal zones generally display higher homogeneous velocities (> 3.1 km s−1). The boundary between the two zones is clearly delineated in the models, depicting the arcuate shape of the orogenic belt. The velocity patterns also reveal variations of the elastic properties of the upper crust that can be linked to major Variscan structures, such as the basal detachment of the Cantabrian Zone, the stack of nappes involving pre-Variscan basement, or sedimentary features such as the presence of thick syn-orogenic siliciclastic wedges. Overall, the radial anisotropy magnitude varies between −5 % and 15 % and increases with depth. The depth pattern suggests that the alignment of cracks is the main source of anisotropy at < 8 km depths, although the intrinsic anisotropy seems to be significant in the West Asturian–Leonese Zone, the low-grade slate belt adjacent to the Cantabrian Zone. At depths > 8 km, widespread high and positive radial anisotropies are observed, which we attribute to the presence of subhorizontal alignments of grains and minerals in relation to the pre- or syn-orogenic deformation associated with the Variscan orogenesis.

The possible use of equivalent homogeneous subsoil models for 1D seismic response analyses in seismic microzonation studies

The possibility is here explored to use an ‘equivalent’ homogeneous configuration to simulate 1D seismic response of heterogeneous engineering-geological bodies when relatively weak seismic impedance contrasts internal to the bodies (it was assumed a shear wave velocity variation between the alternating layers equal to 150 m/s) only exist above the seismic bedrock. This equivalent configuration is obtained by considering an equivalent Vs value the harmonic average of the actual Vs values and a linear combination of G/G0 and D curves relative to the lithotechnical components present in the actual configuration. To evaluate feasibility of this approach, a wide set of numerical simulations was carried out by randomly generating subsoil layering including sequences of alternating thin layers of geotechnical units (e.g. sands and clays) each characterized by a characteristic nonlinear curve. Outcomes of these simulations are compared with those provided by considering a single homogeneous layer characterized by equivalent nonlinear curves obtained as a weighted average of the original curves. By comparing the heterogeneous and the homogeneous columns seismic response in terms of amplification factors and fundamental period, the results confirm the possibility to model a 1D column characterized by a generic lithostratigraphic succession with an equivalent one without introducing significative errors that, at least for the studied cases, do not exceed the 6%. This conclusion is substantially confirmed by extending the comparison to a real case, i.e., the 113 m-thick heterogeneous soil profile at Mirandola site (Northern Italy), presented in the last part.

ОБ ОЦЕНКАХ ТОЧНОСТИ МЕТОДА МИКРОСЕЙСМИЧЕСКОГО ЗОНДИРОВАНИЯ

In this paper, the author considers the necessity of the microseismic sounding method (MSM) and possible approaches to estimation of its accuracy. The MSM method is a passive amplitude method for seismic tomography in which spatial variations in Rayleigh wave amplitudes are associated with variations in shear wave velocities. Two statistical methods for estimating the accuracy of the values given on the high-speed sections of the MSM method are discussed.

The ‘pargasosphere’ hypothesis: Looking at global plate tectonics from a new perspective

Apart from the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary (LAB), mid-lithospheric discontinuities (MLDs) in thick and old continental lithospheres appear to play an important role in global plate tectonics. Initiation of intra-continental subduction, delamination of the lower continental lithospheric mantle and removal of cratonic roots are likely to occur along MLDs. Here we introduce the ‘pargasosphere’ hypothesis which could account for the origin of both boundaries. The observation that pargasitic amphibole is stable even at very low bulk ‘water’ concentration (~a few hundreds ppm wt.) implies that the solidus of the shallow upper mantle (<3 GPa) is usually the pargasite dehydration solidus at ~1100 °C. In young continental and oceanic lithosphere (<70 Ma) this solidus defines the LAB. The LAB separates the deeper, partial melt bearing asthenosphere from the shallower melt barren lithosphere, explaining their contrasting rheology. In old continents pargasite breaks down at the sub-solidus pargasite dehydration boundary at ~3 GPa and liberates ‘water’-rich fluids. This latter process may be responsible for the formation of MLDs. The occurrence of partial melts or fluids beyond the pargasite stability field can explain commonly observed geophysical anomalies associated with the LAB and MLDs. We present forward modelled variations of shear wave velocity and resistivity at the LAB and MLDs for idealised lithospheric columns. These columns are constructed based on the ‘pargasosphere’ hypothesis and geotherms corresponding to continental lithospheres with various tectono-thermal ages. The ‘pargasosphere’ hypothesis offers a number of other empirically testable implications. For instance, cooling asthenosphere beneath young extensional continental and oceanic lithosphere settings can be the source of surface CO 2 emanations even at locations distant from areas with active volcanoes. The Vrancea zone (Eastern Europe) appears to be a suitable site for testing the ‘pargasosphere’ hypothesis for elucidating the origin of intermediate-depth earthquakes (70–300 km) and to explain the delamination of the lower continental lithospheric mantle. • ‘Pargasosphere’ refers to part of the upper mantle where pargasite is stable. • The rheology of the shallow upper mantle (<100 km) is controlled by pargasite. • The upper limit of pargasite stability defines mid-lithosphere discontinuities. • Along this horizon, the lower part of the continental lithosphere can delaminate. • In the cooling asthenosphere, formation of pargasite can lead to CO 2 emission.

Guidelines and pitfalls of refraction microtremor surveys

The geotechnical industry has widely adopted the refraction microtremor shear-wave velocity measurement technique, which is accepted by building authorities for evaluation of seismic site class around the world. Clark County and the City of Henderson, Nevada, populated their Earthquake Parcel Map with over 10,000 site measurements for building code enforcement, made over a 3-year period. 2D refraction microtremor analysis now allows engineers to image lateral shear-wave velocity variations and do passive subsurface imaging. Along with experience at a basic level, the ability to identify the “no energy area” and the “minimum-velocity envelope” on the slowness-frequency (p-f) image helps practitioners to assess the quality of their ReMi data and analysis. Guides for grading (p-f) image quality, and for estimating depth sensitivity, velocity-depth tradeoffs, and depth and velocity resolution also assist practitioners in deciding whether their refraction microtremor data will meet their investigation objectives. Commercial refraction microtremor surveys use linear arrays, and a new criterion of 2.2% minimum microtremor energy in the array direction allows users to assess the likelihood of correct results. Unfortunately, any useful and popular measurement technique can be abused. Practitioners must follow correct data collection, analysis, interpretation, and measurement procedures, or the results cannot be labeled “refraction microtremor” or “ReMi” results. We present some of the common mistakes and provide solutions with the objective of establishing a “best practices” template for getting consistent, reliable models from refraction microtremor measurements.

Lithospheric Structure and Flat‐Slab Subduction in the Northern Appalachians: Evidence From Rayleigh Wave Tomography

AbstractA billion years of tectonic history makes southeastern Canada and the northeastern United States an exciting area to investigate the evolution of continental lithosphere. Our study area comprises terranes with either Laurentian or Gondwanan provenance that accreted to eastern North America at different times. With the aim of resolving the isotropic velocity variations across the northern Phanerozoic Appalachians and the southeastern Proterozoic Grenville Province, we adopted a Rayleigh wave tomography technique that takes multipathing, scattering, and finite frequency effects into account. Our data sets include records of teleseismic earthquakes recorded by 71 broadband seismic stations over a 2‐year period. Our high‐resolution tomography models indicate significant (±3.5%) variations in shear wave velocity across different lithospheric domains, enabling us to discuss tectonic implications. In contrast to the Peri‐Laurentian zones, seismic signatures in the Peri‐Gondwanan domains are more complex and variable. Although systematic variations of seismic velocities across different tectonic zones are observed, we find no simple relation between the lithospheric thicknesses of different tectonic zones and their age. We interpret the lithosphere‐asthenosphere boundary in our study area, located at 70–120 km depth, with the thickest and fastest lithosphere beneath New Brunswick. We suggest that this relatively thicker lithosphere is due to a slab stacking process that occurred after flat subduction of a younger domain in the Late Silurian. Occurrence of flat subduction in the Late Silurian in the northern Appalachians is also supported by geochemical and paleomagnetic evidence.

Impact of spatial variability of shear wave velocity on the lagged coherency of synthetic surface ground motions

The spatial incoherence of ground motion during an earthquake can have a significant effect on the dynamic response of engineering structures such as bridges, dams, nuclear power plants and lifeline facilities. The main objective of this paper is to study the effect of anisotropic heterogeneities in a soil layer overlying homogeneous bedrock on the lagged coherency of surface ground motion. A set of numerical experiments is performed based on 2D spatial variability of shear-wave velocities modeled as a homogeneous stationary random field and discretized by the EOLE method (Expansion Optimal Linear Estimation). Seismic ground motions were simulated using FLAC2D software in the 1–25 Hz band for a plane wave excitation with SV polarization. The soil is characterized by horizontal and vertical autocorrelation distances ranging between 5 and 20 m and 1 and 2 m, respectively, and a coefficient of variation of the shear-wave velocity varying between 5% and 40%. The synthetic seismograms calculated for 9 parameter sets (100 realizations each) clearly show seismic waves scattering and surface waves diffracted locally by the ground heterogeneities, generating large spatial variations in coherence mainly controlled by the coefficient of variation of shear-wave velocity. Consistently with existing models and experimental data, the numerical coherency curves decrease with frequency and receiver distance, however at a rate which is lower than that observed in the experimental data. This difference is probably due to intrinsic attenuation that is not accounted for in the simulations and/or to our 2D simulations that do not reproduce the complete wavefield. The numerical average coherency curves for each parameter set exhibit maxima within narrow frequency bands caused by the vertically trapped body waves and surface wave propagation properties within the average ground model. This interpretation is supported by experimental data recorded in the Koutavos-Argostoli valley (Greece).

Wave velocities depending on shear strain, directionality, and excess pore water pressure from wildlife liquefaction array

Data from the Wildlife Liquefaction Array, which is located at southern California’s Imperial Valley in the USA, are analyzed. Variations in shear wave (Vs) and compression wave (Vp) velocities are identified during strong motions. Shear strains (γ) are computed from recorded acceleration time series between the sensors. All these variables are compared with the ground-surface accelerations and excess pore water pressure ratio (Ru) at different depths. Results show that Ru starts to accumulate when γ exceeds the threshold strain of 0.01–0.015%. Vs is negatively correlated to Ru and γ. Further investigation shows that Vs degradation depends on maximum horizontal shear strain with the different azimuthal angles at the same time window. By contrast, Vs reduction with Ru is caused by the decrease in effective stress; hence Ru reduces Vs regardless of the azimuthal angles. Vp degradation is limited compared with that of Vs under strong shaking, indicating that the constrain modulus is determined by the combination of soil skeleton and pore fluid.

Three-Dimensional Mapping of Shear Wave Velocity in Human Tendon: A Proof of Concept Study.

Ultrasound-based shear wave elastography (SWE) provides the means to quantify tissue mechanical properties in vivo and has proven valuable in detecting degenerative processes in tendons. Its current mode of use is for two-dimensional rendering measurements, which are highly position-dependent. We therefore propose an approach to create a volumetric reconstruction of the mechano-acoustic properties of a structure of interest based on optically tracking the ultrasound probe during free-hand measurement sweeps. In the current work, we aimed (1) to assess the technical feasibility of the three-dimensional mapping of unidirectional shear wave velocity (SWV), (2) to evaluate the possible artefacts associated with hand-held image acquisition, (3) to investigate the reproducibility of the proposed technique, and (4) to study the potential of this method in detecting local adaptations in a longitudinal study setting. Operative and technical feasibility as well as potential artefacts associated with hand-held image acquisition were studied on a synthetic phantom containing discrete targets of known mechanical properties. Measurement reproducibility was assessed based on inter-day and inter-reader scans of the patellar, Achilles, and supraspinatus tendon of ten healthy volunteers and was compared to traditional two-dimensional image acquisition. The potential of this method in detecting local adaptations was studied by testing the effect of short-term voluntary isometric loading history on SWV along the tendon long axis. The suggested approach was technically feasible and reproducible, with a moderate to very good reliability and a standard error of measurement in the range of 0.300–0.591 m/s for the three assessed tendons at the two test-retest modalities. We found a consistent variation in SWV along the longitudinal axis of each tendon, and isometric loading resulted in regional increases in SWV in the patellar and Achilles tendons. The proposed method outperforms traditional two-dimensional measurement with regards to reproducibility and may prove valuable in the objective assessment of pathological tendon changes.

An H/V geostatistical approach for building pseudo-3D Vs models to account for spatial variability in ground response analyses Part II: Application to 1D analyses at two downhole array sites

Common procedures used to account for spatial variability of shear wave velocity (Vs) in one-dimensional (1D) ground response analyses (GRAs), such as stochastic randomization of Vs or increasing small-strain damping, have been shown to improve seismic site response predictions relative to 1D GRAs where no attempts are made to account for spatial variability. However, even after attempting to account for spatial variability using common procedures, 1D GRAs often still yield results that are different than ground motions recorded at many downhole array sites. When 1D predictions differ from observations, the site is typically considered to be too spatially variable to effectively use 1D GRAs. While there is no doubt that some sites are indeed too variable for 1D GRAs, it is also possible that simple 1D analyses could still be effectively used at many sites if spatial variability is accounted for through a more rational, site-specific approach. In this study, an H/V geostatistical approach for building pseudo-3D Vs models is implemented to account for spatial variability in 1D GRAs. The geostatistical approach is used to generate a uniform grid of Vs profiles that have been scaled to match fundamental site frequency estimates from horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (H/V) noise measurements. In this article, 1D GRAs are performed for each grid point and the results are statistically combined to reflect the average site response and its variability. This 1D application is demonstrated at the Treasure Island and Delaney Park Downhole Array sites, where it is shown to produce superior fits to the small-strain recorded site response relative to existing approaches used to account for spatial variability in 1D GRAs. Using the proposed approach, we also investigate the lateral area that is likely influencing site response at each site and show that it could extend to significant distances (as much as 1 km) from the boreholes.

The relationships among faults, geology and geophysical data in the southwestern Korean Peninsula, including the Haenam area, and their application for the interpretation of earthquakes

The southwestern Gyeonggi Massif features many faults. The main faults are NE-striking faults, including the Jeonju and Kwangju faults, and they are cut by N-S- and NNE-striking faults. Additionally, E-W-, WNW-, and NW-striking faults occur as minor faults. Historical earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 5.0 have occurred on or near these faults. Earthquakes with focal depths shallower than 12 km have generally occurred on the NE-, NNE-, and N-S-striking faults, while those with hypocenters deeper than 12 km have occurred on the NW-, WNW-, and NE-striking faults or do not show a relationship with any faults. The instrumental earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 5.0 in the Korean Peninsula mainly have hypocenters deeper than 12 km, and their epicenters form a NW-oriented trend. These data effectively reflect two seismogenic layers with a boundary at ca. 12 km, as suggested in a previous study. The recent earthquake in the Haenam area occurred in the lower seismogenic layer. The shallower earthquakes seem to be the result of the reactivation of pre-existing faults. In comparison, the deeper earthquakes tend to occur on recently formed or newly formed faults related to the present regional stress of the Korean Peninsula. The shear-wave velocity tomography of the southwestern Gyeonggi Massif at 1 km corresponds well to the geology. In contrast, the shear-wave velocity variations at 5–9 km generally correspond to the locations of brittle faults. The depth of the ~3.5 km/s isovelocity line is quite irregular and is deeper in areas with active fault movement. In the Gyeongsang basin, the relationship between the shear-wave velocity and faults is somewhat unclear because the thickness of low-density sedimentary rocks is up to 8 km. Shear-wave velocity tomography at 13 km can be used to identify areas with high shear stress. These data indicate that shear-wave velocity tomography may provide different information depending on the depth and that the brittle faults in this region may not extend to a depth of 13 km.

Non-destructive ultrasonic evaluation of construction variability effect on concrete pavement performance

It is commonly recognized that non-uniformity of as-constructed Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) pavement may negatively affect long-term pavement performance. Conventional wisdom states that PCC thickness deficiency is the most important factor causing premature pavement failures. To address it, transportation agencies often impose strict penalties for not meeting the designed slab thickness requirements, thus contractors build slightly thicker slabs to avoid fines. However, other aspects of construction variability on pavement performance are mostly ignored by studies because conventional methods for construction uniformity assessment fail to provide sufficient information to quantify their effect. This study utilized a non-destructive ultrasonic test to evaluate in-situ pavement construction variability. To investigate the correlation between construction variability and surface distresses, a combination of non-destructive ultrasonic thickness measurements and visual distress surveys were performed in highways prior to rehabilitation. PCC slab thicknesses and shear wave velocities were computed from recorded ultrasound signals. An in-depth statistical analysis was performed to investigate possible relations between thickness or shear wave velocity and distresses using various pavement performance parameters. The main results of this analysis illustrate the importance of material quality and uniformity control during construction, since alterations in material properties significantly influence the presence of distresses. Shear wave velocity variations significantly correlate to cracked and broken slab panels in two sections, and, more importantly, to any type of distress in all tested pavement sections.

Characteristics of spatial variability of shear wave velocity on seismic response of slopes

The soil shear wave velocity has long been recognized as an effective parameter in the assessment of the seismic response of slopes. However, most seismic analyses have been carried out by deterministic models considering just a single realization of soil shear wave velocity. In other words, only a small number of researchers have explored the spatial variability effects of soil shear wave velocity on the seismic response of slopes. This paper investigates this phenomenon stochastically, and the auto-correlation matrix decomposition method based on Monte Carlo Simulation was applied to generate the stationary random fields in order to simulate the spatial variability of soil shear wave velocity. This framework includes interpreting the coefficient of the soil shear modulus variation and auto-correlation length effected on maximum horizontal equivalent acceleration. The results showed that the spatial variation of shear wave velocity might have a significant effect on the dynamic response of the sliding mass if slopes were subjected to weak ground motions. By contrast, it could have a significant effect on maximum horizontal equivalent acceleration induced in slopes subjected to intense ground motions.

Effects of CH4–CO2 replacement in hydrate-bearing sediments on S-wave velocity and electrical resistivity

CH4–CO2 replacement has been considered as a method for methane production from hydrate-bearing sediments to maintain sediment stability. Sediment stability has been studied at both the particle scale and mesoscale. However, the shear stiffness of sediments has not yet been explored. Moreover, the effects of CO2 and CO2–N2 mixtures as injection fluids on sediment stability remain unclear. Thus, this study aimed to determine the variations in shear wave velocity and electrical resistivity during hydrate formation, CH4–CO2 replacement, and hydrate dissociation using two types of injecting fluids (CO2 and CO2–N2 mixture). The results demonstrated that hydrate-bearing sediment could maintain its stability during CH4–CO2 replacement by injecting CO2 or CO2–N2 mixture. Furthermore, injecting CO2–N2 mixture was more efficient for methane production than injecting CO2. The Results also revealed that injecting CO2–N2 mixture could lead to higher stability of sediments during CH4–CO2 replacement than injecting CO2, although the difference in sediment stability was small between the two cases.

Surface Wave Dispersion in a Layered Medium for Varying Subsurface Scenarios

Surface wave techniques are widely used to characterize a site based on shear wave velocity (Vs) or stiffness variation with depth. It utilizes the dispersion property of Rayleigh wave in a heterogeneous media. Dispersion curve is obtained from analyzing collected field test data and the final Vs profile is extracted from the inversion of the generated dispersion curve. The varying subsoil structures influence whether one or more Rayleigh modes will participate in the resulting wave propagation phenomenon. So, neglecting the higher mode participation may sometimes results in a completely different velocity profile than the actual existing one. In this paper, a detailed and comprehensive numerical study has been performed using finite element method for different types of soil profiles with different half-space impedances to assess how it affects the surface wave dispersion phenomenon. In addition to that, the effect of different data acquisition parameters on surface wave dispersion has also been studied.

Ultrasound Shear Wave Velocity Varies Across Anatomical Region in Ex Vivo Bovine Ovaries.

The physical properties of the ovarian extracellular matrix (ECM) regulate the function of ovarian cells, specifically the ability of the ovary to maintain a quiescent primordial follicle pool while allowing a subset of follicles to grow and mature in the estrous cycle. Design of a long-term, cycling artificial ovary has been hindered by the limited information regarding the mechanical properties of the ovary. In particular, differences in the mechanical properties of the two ovarian compartments, the cortex and medulla, have never been quantified. Shear wave (SW) ultrasound elastography is an imaging modality that enables assessment of material properties, such as the mechanical properties, based on the velocity of SWs, and visualization of internal anatomy, when coupled with B-mode ultrasound. We used SW ultrasound elastography to assess whole, ex vivo bovine ovaries. We demonstrated, for the first time, a difference in mechanical properties, as inferred from SW velocity, between the cortex and medulla, as measured along the length (cortex: 2.57 ± 0.53 m/s, medulla: 2.87 ± 0.77 m/s, p < 0.0001) and width (cortex: 2.99 ± 0.81 m/s, medulla: 3.24 ± 0.97 m/s, p < 0.05) and that the spatial distribution and magnitude of SW velocity vary between these two anatomical planes. This work contributes to a larger body of literature assessing the mechanical properties of the ovary and related cells and specialized ECMs and will enable the rational design of biomimetic tissue engineered models and durable bioprostheses. Impact Statement Shear wave (SW) ultrasound elastography can be used to simultaneously assess the material properties and tissue structures when accompanied with B-mode ultrasound. We report a quantitative difference in mechanical properties, as inferred from SW velocity, between the cortex and medulla, with SW velocity being 11.4% and 8.4% higher in the medulla than the cortex when measured along the length and width, respectively. This investigation into the spatial and temporal variation in SW velocity in bovine ovaries will encourage and improve design of more biomimetic scaffolds for ovarian tissue engineering.

Crustal structure across the Deccan Volcanic Province and Eastern Dharwar craton in south Indian shield using receiver function modelling

The south Indian shield, primarily consisting of Archean cratons and Cretaceous-Tertiary Deccan Volcanic Province (DVP), has undergone several major tectonic episodes during its evolution. The Deccan volcanism at Cretaceous-Tertiary (~65 Ma) is the last major tectono-thermal event, which influenced a substantial part of the south Indian shield. To understand the influence of the Deccan volcanism on the evolution of the south Indian shield, we study the crustal seismic structure of the ~65 Ma Deccan Volcanic Province and the adjacent ~2.6 Ga Eastern Dharwar Craton (EDC), which forms the basement of the volcanic terrain. We calculate teleseismic receiver functions for 18 broadband seismic stations along a ~1000 km long seismological profile that cut across both the EDC and DVP. The analysis and modelling, using H-Vp/Vs stacking and generalized neighbourhood algorithm inversion of the receiver functions show distinct crustal structure (crustal thickness, average composition, shear wave velocity variation, nature of crust-mantle boundary, etc.) across the EDC and DVP. The results clearly indicate that the crustal structure is heterogeneous beneath the DVP compared to a relatively uniform structure below the EDC. Using results from this study along with earlier results, we infer that the present Eastern Dharwar Craton terrain is not affected by any tectono-thermal event for a long geological time, including the Deccan volcanism. Whereas, the present Deccan Volcanic Province is highly affected by the Reunion mantle plume-crust interaction.

The SAFER geodatabase for the Kathmandu Valley: Geotechnical and geological variability

The Kathmandu Valley is within a seismically active region with only few recorded strong-motion data. Geophysical information in the Valley is also sparse. In addition, the absence of an open database which compiles in situ geophysical tests, borehole records, and geotechnical laboratory data is affecting the advancement of knowledge in the region. This article presents SAFER/GEO-591 database, named after the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)-funded project Seismic Safety and Resilience of Schools in Nepal (SAFER). SAFER/GEO-591 contains data from groundwater wells and boreholes originally commissioned for research and commercial purposes. This work describes (1) the quality assessment and harmonization process conducted on the dataset, (2) the variation of shear-wave velocity ( VS) measurements and geotechnical parameters with depth and elevation in the Valley, (3) the current understanding of the Valley sediment/bedrock topography, and finally (4) new geological cross sections. A companion article presents an updated VS30map across the Valley based on the contributions of this article. The database can be downloaded from the University of Bristol repository via DOI: https://doi.org/10.5523/bris.3gjcvx51lnpuv269xsa1yrb0rw

Shear wave velocity structure of the upper-mantle beneath the northern Zagros collision zone revealed by nonlinear teleseismic tomography and Bayesian Monte-Carlo joint inversion of surface wave dispersion and teleseismic P-wave coda

The continental collision between the Arabian and Eurasian plates plays an important role in the geodynamical evolution of the Zagros and Iranian plateau. In order to investigate the upper mantle structure across the collision zone, we calculated the absolute and relative shear-wave velocity structure along a dense and long temporary seismic profile in NW Iran. The probabilistic 1-D absolute shear-wave velocity (Vs) depth profiles beneath 23 seismic stations were calculated using a trans-dimensional joint inversion approach of P-wave coda together with the Rayleigh wave phase and group velocity dispersion data. These 1-D models are then interpolated to obtain a 2-D Vs model along the profile. In addition, we used a nonlinear teleseismic tomography method to determine shear wave velocity variations beneath 44 seismic stations. Both the absolute and relative velocity models, obtained by different data sets and methods, show a thick (>150 km) high-velocity anomaly beneath the northern part of the Zagros, which could be the thickened Zagros lithosphere associated with continental shortening. A relatively thin lithosphere (~80 km) and lower S-wave velocity beneath Central Iran may suggest a weakened Iranian mantle lithosphere by upwelling of the hot asthenosphere following slab break-off. The presence of a thickened lithosphere beneath the Zagros implies that the Arabian-Eurasian convergence is accommodated mainly as shortening in the mantle lithosphere beneath the Zagros, rather than underthrusting beneath Central Iran. A narrow low-velocity corridor between the Zagros lithosphere and overriding plate (Central Iran), south of the Sanandaj-Sirjan Zone (SSZ), probably due to delamination of the subducting Arabian lithosphere from the Zagros lower crust, likely prohibits transferring stress from the Zagros lithosphere to Central Iran, causing less deformation in the SSZ which is the edge of the overriding plate.

Evaluation of the seismic site response in randomized velocity profiles using a statistical model with Monte Carlo simulations

Abstract Uncertainty associated with the soil properties inevitably affects the seismic ground response, which is unable to be properly assessed using a deterministic seismic site response analysis. In this paper, an attempt has been made to investigate the possible impact of the shear-wave velocity ( V s ) variation on the predicted ground motions using a real site in Italy. A statistically-based randomization model is adopted to describe the uncertainty of the V s profiles for various scenarios. The equivalent-linear method combined with the direct Monte Carlo simulation is employed to perform the stochastic seismic site response analysis. The results are presented in terms of amplification function ( AF ), spectral acceleration ( S a ), fundamental frequency ( f 0 ) and amplification factor ( F a ). The mean and standard deviation of these four factors are evaluated for a wide range of shear-wave velocity variations, interlayer correlations, and input motion intensities. This study also explores the accuracy of adopting truncated bounds as an approximate process of preventing the generation of unrealistic soil profiles. The results show that the variability of the predicted ground motion is significant in some situations and can be decreased by reducing the shear-wave velocity uncertainty.