scholarly journals Nonlinear Site Amplification as Function of 30 m Shear Wave Velocity

2005 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoojoong Choi ◽  
Jonathan P. Stewart

We develop empirical relationships to predict nonlinear (i.e., amplitude-dependant) amplification factors for 5% damped response spectral acceleration as a continuous function of average shear wave velocity in the upper 30 m, Vs-30. We evaluate amplification factors as residuals between spectral accelerations from recordings and modified rock attenuation relationships for active regions. Amplification at low- and mid-periods is shown to increase with decreasing Vs-30 and to exhibit nonlinearity that is dependent on Vs-30. The degree of nonlinearity is large for NEHRP Category E (Vs-30<180 m/s) but decreases rapidly with Vs-30, and is small for Vs-30>∼300 m/s. The results can be used as Vs-30-based site factors with attenuation relationships. The results also provide an independent check of site factors published in the NEHRP Provisions, and apparent bias in some of the existing NEHRP factors is identified. Moreover, the results provide evidence that data dispersion is dependent on Vs-30.

2003 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 653-675 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen M. Rathje ◽  
Kenneth H. Stokoe ◽  
Brent Rosenblad

The 1999 Kocaeli and Duzce earthquakes in Turkey generated a moderate amount of strong ground motion data. This paper describes the shear-wave velocity profiles measured at a number of strong motion stations in Turkey using the spectral-analysis-of-surface-waves (SASW) method. The shear-wave velocity profiles from SASW testing compare well with deeper profiles developed by microtremor surface wave inversion, but SASW provides more shear-wave velocity resolution near the ground surface. The developed shear-wave velocity profiles are used to define site classifications for each station. For the Kocaeli earthquake, event-specific attenuation relationships are developed. These relationships show considerable amplification of peak ground acceleration and spectral acceleration (at a period of 0.3 s) at deep soil sites in the far field, but no amplification in the near-fault region. For spectral accelerations at longer spectral periods (1.0 and 2.0 s), amplification is indicated in both the near field and far field. Amplification factors derived from the Kocaeli earthquake strong motion data are generally larger than those used in current attenuation relationships and building codes. The short-period amplification factors derived from the regression decrease with increasing rock motion intensity (PGArock), and the derived long-period amplification factors increase with increasing PGArock. These trends are most likely due to soil nonlinearity. The increase in long-period amplification factors with PGArock is not taken into account in current building codes.


Author(s):  
Roberto Paolucci ◽  
Mauro Aimar ◽  
Andrea Ciancimino ◽  
Marco Dotti ◽  
Sebastiano Foti ◽  
...  

AbstractIn this paper the site categorization criteria and the corresponding site amplification factors proposed in the 2021 draft of Part 1 of Eurocode 8 (2021-draft, CEN/TC250/SC8 Working Draft N1017) are first introduced and compared with the current version of Eurocode 8, as well as with site amplification factors from recent empirical ground motion prediction equations. Afterwards, these values are checked by two approaches. First, a wide dataset of strong motion records is built, where recording stations are classified according to 2021-draft, and the spectral amplifications are empirically estimated computing the site-to-site residuals from regional and global ground motion models for reference rock conditions. Second, a comprehensive parametric numerical study of one-dimensional (1D) site amplification is carried out, based on randomly generated shear-wave velocity profiles, classified according to the new criteria. A reasonably good agreement is found by both approaches. The most relevant discrepancies occur for the shallow soft soil conditions (soil category E) that, owing to the complex interaction of shear wave velocity, soil deposit thickness and frequency range of the excitation, show the largest scatter both in terms of records and of 1D numerical simulations. Furthermore, 1D numerical simulations for soft soil conditions tend to provide lower site amplification factors than 2021-draft, as well as lower than the corresponding site-to-site residuals from records, because of higher impact of non-linear (NL) site effects in the simulations. A site-specific study on NL effects at three KiK-net stations with a significantly large amount of high-intensity recorded ground motions gives support to the 2021-draft NL reduction factors, although the very limited number of recording stations allowing such analysis prevents deriving more general implications. In the presence of such controversial arguments, it is reasonable that a standard should adopt a prudent solution, with a limited reduction of the site amplification factors to account for NL soil response, while leaving the possibility to carry out site-specific estimations of such factors when sufficient information is available to model the ground strain dependency of local soil properties.


2015 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Azam Ghazi ◽  
Naser Hafezi Moghadas ◽  
Hosein Sadeghi ◽  
Mohamad Ghafoori ◽  
Gholam Reza Lashkaripur

<p>Shear wave velocity, V<sub>s</sub>, is one of the important input parameters in seismic response analysis of the ground. Various methods have been examined to measure the soil V<sub>s</sub> directly. Direct measurement of V<sub>s</sub> is time consuming and costly, therefore many researchers have been trying to update empirical relationships between V<sub>s</sub> and other geotechnical properties of soils such as SPT Blow count, SPT-N. In this study the existence of a statistical relationship between V<sub>s</sub>, SPT-N<sub>60 </sub>and vertical effective stress, signa<sub>nu</sub>´, is investigated. Data set we used in this study was gathered from geotechnical and geophysical investigations reports. The data have been extracted from more than 130 numbers of geotechnical boreholes from different parts of Mashhad city. In each borehole the V<sub>s</sub> has been measured by downhole method at two meter intervals. The SPT test also has performed at the same depth. Finally relationships were developed by regression analysis for gravels, sands and fine grain soils. The proposed relationships indicate that V<sub>s</sub> is strongly dependent on signa<sub>nu</sub>´. In this paper the effect of fine percent also is considered on the V<sub>s</sub> estimation.</p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yumin Ji ◽  
Byungmin Kim ◽  
Kiseog Kim

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.


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