Soil properties and site characterization through Rayleigh waves

Vitantonio Roma
(1)
Multichannel SASW (Spectral Analysis of Surface Waves) is a non-invasive technique, based on the detection of Rayleigh waves on the free surface of the site. The wave field can be generated on the free surface by means of a point source, either impulsive or harmonic.
From the measured travelling perturbation the Experimental Geometric Dispersion Relation of Rayleigh waves is evaluated, by 2D Fourier Transformation of the wave field from time-space domain to frequency-wave number domain. The Identification Procedure is based
on iterative variation of the initial set of System Parameters, until the distance between the Experimental and the Numerically Simulated Dispersion Relations is minimized. The Numerical Simulation is obtained by only 1D Fourier Transformation of the Transfer Function
of the System, which is available in analytical form. The physical concept the method is based on is that the Dispersion Relation of Rayleigh wave represents an intrinsic characteristic of the Layered Medium. With this method the 2D Fourier Transformation of the wave
field as in the experiments is avoided; there is no need of Source characterization; sites with irregular stiffness profiles can be identified, since Higher Modes of Rayleigh are considered; Congruence between Experiment and Simulation is guaranteed in the receivers
configuration. As an example the method has been successfully applied to the Site under the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
R a y l ei g h W a v e s - M u l t i c h a n n e l S A S W
w a v e n u m b e r k
f r e q u e n c y
D i s p e r s i o n R e l a t i o n
V s , G s
d e p t h
S h a k e r
S i g n a l A n a l y z e r
R a y l e i g h W a v e s
S e n s o r s
D y n a m i c S o i l I d e n t i f i c a t i o n
E x p e r i m e n t a l T e s t
N u m e r i c a l S i m u l a t i o n
I n i t i a l H y p o t h e s i s f o r g e o m e t r i c -
m e c h a n i c a l s y s t e m p a r a m e t e r s
M a t c h i n g
E x p e r i m e n t a l a n d
N u m e r i c a l S y s t e m
R e s p o n s e s
M i n i m i z a t i o n o f t h e d i s t a n c e
?
V a r i a t i o n o f p a r a m e t e r s
N o
Y e s
E N D
Experimental System Response
space-time
( ) t r u , ( ) , k u
wavenumber-frequency
Geometrical Dispersion
Relation of Rayleigh Waves
Numerical System Response
( ) ( )

+
1
]
1

,
_

M
j
r
j
k i
e
j
z r A z r
1
, , , , u

( ) , k u
space-frequency Only 1D Fourier wavenumber-frequency
System Transfer Function for Rayleigh Waves
I mp o r t a n c e o f H i g h e r R a y l e i g h M o d e s
d e p t h
S t i f f n e s s
I n c r e a s e s
d e p t h
S t i f f n e s s
S o f t l a y e r s
N o r m a l l y D i s p e r s i v e S i t e s I n v e r s e l y D i s p e r s i v e S i t e s
f r e q u e n c y
V p h a s e
f r e q u e n c y
V p h a s e
O n l y F u n d a me n t a l M o d e E f f e c t s o f H i g h e r M o d e s
A p p l i c a t i o n t o t h e S i t e o f t h e L e a n i n g To we r o f Pi s a
2 4 r e c e i v e r s a r r a y
D i spe r si on R e l at i on i n Pi sa
120
140
160
180
200
220
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
fre q u e n cy ( Hz )
P
h
a
s
e
V
e
lo
c
ity
(m
/s
)
Ve x p (m / s )
V i nver t ed
S i t e o f t h e L e a n i n g T o we r o f P i s a
+ 3 . 0 m a . s . l .
0 . 0 m a n m a d e g r o u n d
- 7 . 5 s i l t s a n d s a n d s
- 1 8 . 0 u p p e r c l a y s p a n c o n e
- 2 2 . 0 i n t e r m e d i a t e c l a y s
l o w e r c l a y s
- 2 5 . 0 i n t e r m e d i a t e s a n d s
1) Experimental setup-System Response and Stiffness Profile
2) Inversion Procedure: Experimental Test + Numerical
Simulation + Optimization Problem
3) System Response: Geometrical Dispersion Relation of
Rayleigh Waves
4) Rayleigh Dispersion Relation as intrinsic characteristic of the
Layered Media
5) The Numerical Simulation can be performed using the System
Transfer Function
6) For Site Identification with Irregular Stiffness Profile the
Higher Modes of Rayleigh Waves must be considered
7) Experimental Response (rhombus) and Numerical
Simulation at last iteration (solid squared line) of the Inversion
Procedure at Miracles Square in Pisa
8) Comparison among Cross Hole and Multichannel SASW and
the stratigraphy. The Site at Miracles Square in Pisa is Inversely
Dispersive.
9) The proposed Numerical Simulation of Rayleigh Dispersion
Relation as System Response is based on Wave Propagation in
Layered Media and allowes for: (a) Congruence between
experimental and theoretical procedures (b) Higher Modes of
Rayleigh to be considered (c) No need of Source Characterization
(d) Time saving in the iterative Inversion Problem
(1)
GEODATA ( GeoEngineering Consultants, Torino, Italy)
IS LYON 2003
Deformation Characteristics of
Geomaterials
Conclusions
(1) Rayleigh Waves as a powerful means for Soil
Characterization at very small strain level
(2) Non-Invasive technique promising for in Situ
determination of Stiffness and Damping Profiles
(3) Application to Earthquake Engineering and Soil-
Structure Static and Dynamic Interaction
(4) Higher Rayleigh Modes are included in the Wave
Propagation Simulation
Numerical System Response
Advantages
(1) No need for Source characterization used in
the Experiment
(2) Congruence between Experimental and
Numerical procedures (i.e. same configuration
of receivers)
(3) Only 1D Fourier Transformation: time saving
for Inversion Procedure
(4) Higher Rayleigh Modes are included in the
Wave Propagation Simulation
Numerical System Response
space-time
Response to Time-Harmonic Excitation (Aki and Richards, 1980)
( ) t z r , , , u

( )

+
1
]
1

,
_

M
j
r
j
k i
e
j
z r A
1
, ,

t i
e

System Transfer Function for Rayleigh Waves

Geometric Dispersion Relation of Rayleigh Waves does
not depend on frequency content of the Point Source