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ASPECTS OF DISPERSION IMAGING SCHEME OF PASSIVE MASW SURVEY FOR

SUBSURFACE CHARACTERISATION

Conference Paper · December 2015

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Dipjyoti Baglari Shibayan Biswas

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 50th INDIAN GEOTECHNICAL CONFERENCE
50th
IGC
17th – 19th DECEMBER 2015, Pune, Maharashtra, India
Venue: College of Engineering (Estd. 1854), Pune, India

ASPECTS OF DISPERSION IMAGING SCHEME OF PASSIVE MASW SURVEY

FOR SUBSURFACE CHARACTERISATION
D. Baglari., Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, JIST Jorhat, dipjyoti.baglari@gmail.com
S. Biswas., Research Scholar, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay, shibayanbsws@gmail.com
J. Taipodia., Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, NIT Arunachal, jtaipodia@gmail.com
A. Dey., Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Guwahati, arindamdeyiitk@gmail.com

ABSTRACT: MASW or multichannel analysis of surface wave is a new technique for non destructive testing of
subsurface characterisation. A passive MASW method utilises ambient cultural or traffic noise which are of low
frequency and therefore can result deeper investigation. In this study, passive roadside MASW technique has been
experimented and various aspects relating to the resolution of dispersion image such as vertical stacking, array
length and acquisition time are studied. Vertical stacking resulting in the domination of higher energy content
yields an enhanced and relatively distinct resolution of dispersion image. Moreover, increase of array length and
data acquisition time manifested better resolution characteristics.

INTRODUCTION with the aid of the medium’s Rayleigh wave

For geotechnical site characterization, the close
inherent relationship between the surface wave
propagation and elastic constants of soil has been
in extensive use from last few decades. Shear-wave
velocity has been considered to be an essential
parameter for evaluating the dynamic properties of
soils. It has a direct correlation with the stiffness of
soil (Vs = √G/p) and is one of the most critical
engineering parameter. It is used extensively in soil
classification.
There are a number of methods for Vs
determination including both invasive and non
invasive methods. Cross-hole, down-hole and up-
hole tests are example of invasive techniques
whereas seismic reflection/refraction, SASW,
MASW are some of the non-invasive techniques.
MASW or multichannel analysis of surface wave is
a surface wave testing method in which seismic
surface waves mainly Rayleigh waves (those can
be generated from the various sources such as a
simple sledge hammer or passive sources such as
ambient noises from traffic etc.) are utilised [1].
Velocities of surface waves are mainly determined
velocity. Since the propagation velocities of shear
waves are nearly equal to those of Rayleigh waves
(0.9-0.95 times), the obtained Rayleigh wave
velocity can be effectively represented in terms of
shear wave velocities. The wavelength of surface
wave largely affects/determines the sampling or
penetration depth in soil strata. This makes the
propagation of surface wave packets of various
frequencies travel with different velocities and the
property is known as dispersive property [2].
Although Rayleigh waves are not purely dispersive
waves, heterogeneity and stratification of soil
layers make it behave like a dispersive wave. The
MASW method utilises this dispersive property of
surface waves for the evaluation of Vs profile
determination of an area. In this technique, the
generated surface waves are collected and recorded
by a set of number of geophones (normally more
than 12) and a seismograph. The propagation
velocities of these surface waves then are analyzed
by various techniques. And finally, shear-wave
velocity (Vs) variations below the surveyed area
that is most responsible for the analyzed
propagation velocity pattern of surface waves is
obtained. Thereafter, with relatively a simple
D. Baglari, S. Biswas, J. Taipodia and A. Dey
procedure, final Vs information can be represented
in 1-D, 2-D and 3-D formats (Fig. 1).
Fig. 1 MASW survey in 1-D, 2-D and 3-D format
[1]
THEORY AND PROCEDURE
Detail Procedure of MASW
The common procedure for MASW survey usually
consists of three steps which are enlisted as follows
[3,4]:
1. Data Acquisition: In this stage,
multichannel field records, commonly
called as shot gathers in conventional
seismic exploration, are acquired. It can be
achieved by using an active source such as
a sledge hammer or passive sources from
ambient cultural and traffic activities.
Normally, active source results in shallower
depth of investigation up to 25-30 metre
and ambient passive sources can result up
to a depth of 150-180 metres [1].
2. Dispersion Analysis: The field records are
then processed to evaluate the parameters
of surface wave propagation to obtain the
phase velocity v/s frequency (wavelength)
curve which is widely known as dispersion
curve. Extracting dispersion curves is the
most critical part of the analysis with the
MASW method as the accuracy of the Vs
profile will completely depend upon it.
Primary techniques for dispersion curve
analysis are: frequency wave-number (f-k)
analysis, slowness frequency (p-ω) analysis
etc [5,6,7]. All the techniques are primarily
based on the Fourier transform to
decompose the time domain data into
frequency domain.
3. Inversion Analysis: After dispersion
analysis, inversion of dispersion data results
1-D shear-wave velocity (Vs) variation with
depth [1,4]. It uses an optimization
technique to search for the most probable
earth model for which the theoretical
dispersion curves matches closest to the
experimental dispersion curve. The Root-
Mean-Square error (R-M-S) is usually used
as an indicator of the closeness between the
two dispersion curves.
Scheme for Dispersion Imaging
In dispersion analysis of 1-D scheme in MASW
survey, Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT) is
applied to a raw field record (with two independent
variables x and t) of n channel – mrn=ri. It can be
denoted as MRN(ω) = Ri(ω) = FFT[ ri ] ( i = 1, 2,
3, …, N). Then, for a particular frequency, the
energy of the normalized sinusoidal curves
propagating with same phase velocity is summed
up for all traces and the same process is continued
for the desired range of phase velocity to obtain the
dispersion image space which is a plot of summed
amplitude vs. phase velocity for different
frequencies. This summed amplitude can be
represented as an energy accumulation (E1-d) for a
particular frequency (ω) and particular phase
velocity (c).
 50th INDIAN GEOTECHNICAL CONFERENCE
50th
IGC
17th – 19th DECEMBER 2015, Pune, Maharashtra, India
Venue: College of Engineering (Estd. 1854), Pune, India

E1D ,c   e ji  Ri  
This is continued for a frequency range which
yields a plot of frequency vs. phase velocity from
which the dispersion curve can be extracted [5].
In case of passive MASW survey, a field record
have three independent variables (x,y,t). Two of
these (x, y) are for source co-ordinates and one is
for time (t) co-ordinate. After applying a discrete
Fourier Transformation, this record can be
represented in frequency domain as R(x,y,)= FFT
[r(x,y,t)], with  being the angular velocity.
Thereafter, the projection principle as shown in
Fig. 2, is used to calculate energy (E2-d)
corresponding to a given azimuth angle and
velocity for a particular frequency [8]. With a
repetition of same step for different azimuths and
phase velocities, an image of azimuth-energy space
can be constructed in a scanning manner.
Source of wave
y generation
𝑑𝑦 𝑐
𝑑𝑡
= 𝐶𝑦 = −
sin 𝜃
𝐶 of a recording system. Geophones are the
x

𝑑𝑥
= 𝐶𝑥 = −
𝑑𝑡
Fig. 2 Projection principle to derive x and y
components of phase velocities of a surface wave
arriving with an azimuth  [8]
N
j y
E2d (, c, )   e jx e Ri ( x, y, )
i 1
cos sin 
x   x ,  y   wy
c c
The energy peaks of such maps will give azimuth
and phase velocity of the sources of wave
generation. If those energy peaks are aligned in the
azimuth axis, they represent same mode arriving
(1) from various source points and if they are aligned
in the phase velocity axis, they represent different
mode with the same source. In the next step, all the
energy obtained in each mapping is summed along
the azimuth axis which vanishes itself leaving only
phase velocity axis. This image represents phase
velocity of different modes for a particular
frequency. This implies that the same modes which
are generated at various azimuthal locations are
superimposed. This also corrects any random
energy peaks which may arise due to
computational error and/or unrelated noise field.
If these steps are repeated for different frequencies,
then an image space can be formed between phase
velocity and frequency and in that space dispersion
trends/curves can be identified by the pattern of
energy accumulation.
METHODOLGY
Description of the instruments used
Geophone or Receivers
The geophones or receivers are the first component
electrodynamic velocity transducer which converts
the ground motion into an electric signal that is
then transmitted and recorded by the acquisition
device.
𝑐
cos 𝜃
In its build, a small coil is suspended by a spring in
a magnetic field. This magnetic field is produced
by a permanent magnet fixed with the casing (Fig.
3). The wave propagations cause soil vibration that
results displacement of the geophone casing and
magnet. Owing to its inertia, the relative movement
of the coil produces a small voltage proportional to
(2) the relative velocity. This is the basis on which a
geophone accumulates seismic data. In this study,
geophones of 4.5 Hz natural frequency have been
used. Fig.3 shows the typical and schematic view
of the geophone used in the present study.
Data Acquisition System-Seismograph
D. Baglari, S. Biswas, J. Taipodia and A. Dey
The signals received by the geophone are collected
by a data acquisition system. The functions of data
acquisition system are conditioning, sampling and
digitizing of those signal. In multichannel
acquisition, multi channel seismographs are used
for data acquisition. These are specifically
developed instruments for seismic testing and can
be easily transported and used.
Spring
Wire coil
Magnet
Fig. 3 A typical and schematic view of a Geophone
used in the present study
Fig. 4 Seismograph and Cable (with geophone
connected) used for data collection
Fig. 4.15Map
The seismograph employed here as shown in Fig. 4
has 24 bit A/D converters based on sigma delta
oversampling which corresponds to a 144 dB
dynamic range. The geophones are connected to
the connection cables as shown in Fig. 4. One such
cable can connect 12 numbers of geophones. The
seismograph can connect two such cables giving a
total geophone connection of 24 numbers.
Descriptions of SurfSeis
Commercialised software “Surfseis” of the Kansas
Geological Survey has been used in this study for
the analysis of raw field record. The version of the
software used is 3.45. The software gives full
flexibility in determining key processing
parameters e.g. frequency range, velocity range
and their interval etc. during the dispersion
analysis.
Description of the Site
For all the field experimentation, the sites have
been chosen near and inside IIT Guwahati campus.
The site A has been chosen on the approach road to
IIT Guwahati from Amingaon. Another Site B has
been selected inside IIT Guwahati campus near the
cricket field which facilitates to carry out both
passive roadside and remote survey. Both of these
sites are selected so as to have a straight stretch of
road (of around 100m) as far as possible which
helps to lay out a long receiver array with ease.
Fig.
Site Locations
showing positionnear
of thetosites
IIT(a)Guwahati
Site No. 1 (b) Site No. 2
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Effect of Vertical-Stacking on Dispersion Image
In all seismic survey the primary objective of data
acquisition is to increase the Signal-to-Noise Ratio
(SNR). This can be achieved either by reducing the
level of the noise or by increasing the level of the
signal. An alternative solution known as vertical-
stacking can be utilised to achieve a higher SNR
value. It is a technique in which the SNR is
enhanced by summing the signals for a number of
shots into one set of geophones at one offset.
Normally assumed hypothesis states that vertical-
stacking increases the SNR by the square root of
the number of repetitions [9].
 50th INDIAN GEOTECHNICAL CONFERENCE
50th
IGC
17th – 19th DECEMBER 2015, Pune, Maharashtra, India
Venue: College of Engineering (Estd. 1854), Pune, India
In this study, an attempt has been made to study
the effect of different number of stacking ranging
from 1 to 10 on the resolution of dispersion images
for Passive roadside MASW. For this, field data
have been collected on a road inside IIT Guwahati
campus. Inter-receiver spacing to collect these data
was set at 2m with a total of 24 numbers of
geophones. At every data acquisition time (ranging
from 0.7 sec to 218 sec), 10 field records with
same set up of the receiver array has been
collected. It has been observed at all the acquisition
time that with increase in the vertical stacking
resolution of the dispersion images increases.
No stacking
5 stacking
10 stacking
Fig. 5 Effect of vertical stacking on enhancement
of resolution of dispersion image
Fig. 5 shows dispersion images with different
number of stacking at a data acquisition time of
10.8 sec. If there is no vertical stacking, the
dispersion image produced does not have sufficient
energy accumulation and a dispersion trend could
not be recognised from it. On increasing the
number of stacking, the resolution of dispersion
images continuously increases. With 5 and 10
number of stacked samples, it shows a better
resolution with later being the best. Though not
reported in this paper, it is also to be stated that
with further increasing in stacking there has been
observed little enhancement on the resolution of
dispersion image. So, there exists an optimum
value of stacking, found to be 10 in this study.
Effect of Data Acquisition/ Recording Time
Data acquisition or recording time is the time
length specifically set on the seismograph to record
seismic data during field survey. In earlier studies
[10], it has been suggested to maintain an
acquisition time in such a way that at-least one
vehicle should pass through the receiver array
during the recording time. Such a vehicle moving
during the recording time produces the wave field
desired which is again a function of weight of the
vehicle, speed of the vehicle, characteristics of
irregularities on the road surface etc. In the
seismograph system employed in this study, there
are 8 numbers of acquisition times are available as
shown in the Table 1.
Table 1 Details of acquisition time
Acquisition Sampling rate Total
time (seconds) (samples/sec) number of
samples
0.7 30000 21000
1.4 15000 21000
2.8 7500 21000
5.8 3750 21750
10.8 2000 21600
21.8 1000 21800
43.6 500 21800
218 100 21800
Table 1 also shows all the sampling rates and total
number of samples associated with each
acquisition time. All these acquisition times have
been used for different receiver array length i.e.
1m, 2m and 4m respectively and their relative
dispersion images have been extracted and studied.
D. Baglari, S. Biswas, J. Taipodia and A. Dey
For a better prospect of having higher investigation
depth, an array length of 92m with 4m spacing
between geophone (i.e. total 24 numbers of
geophone) have been analysed thoroughly. The site
B has been selected for this particular study.
0.7 sec
5.8 sec
10.8 sec
21.8 sec
Fig. 6 Effect of data acquisition time
At every acquisition time, at-least 10 set of data
have been collected so that vertical stacking can be
conducted effectively. Fig. 6 shows the respective
dispersion images where it has been observed that
with less acquisition time e.g. 0.7sec, 1.4 sec etc.
dispersion images does not yield distinct energy
accumulations from where dispersion trends could
be recognised. This may be attributed to the fact
that within short span of time, surface waves
propagated through the receiver array may not be
properly recorded by all the geophones and as a
result, effect of energy deficit on the dispersion
images observed. With higher acquisition time, e.g.
5.8 sec, 10.8sec and 21.8sec etc., improved
dispersion images has been obtained. It has been
observed that with increase in acquisition time
dispersion images becomes more distinct with
better energy accumulation which may be
attributed to the fact that in higher acquisition time
more number of waves with various frequency
components is recorded from the sources of wave
generation. Moreover, when these data are stacked
together, waves with higher energy becomes more
prominent giving an enhanced dispersion trend
with better resolution. Although mere increase in
acquisition time, e.g. above 21.8 sec, does not have
much effect on the enhancement of the dispersion
image. The probable reason for this is believed to
be the fact that upon further increase in acquisition
time, different energies coming from different
azimuths superimpose and degrade the resolution
of the image. As in most studies a 10-second
acquisition time is suggested to be used in the case
of Passive roadside survey [10], it has been
observed in this study that any acquisition time
above 2.8 seconds can be effectively used without
much of significant error.
Effect of Length of Receiver Array
In urban areas, the maximum length of receiver
array that can be effectively used for MASW
survey will be limited. Whereas a longer receiver
array is assumed to give better result, deployment
of it can be difficult in congested areas. It is also
quite tiresome to deploy a longer receiver array. It
will be always beneficial if a shorter receiver array
can be used from the point of view of above two
concerns. Therefore, study on the use of shorter
receiver array or lesser inter-geophone spacing
becomes an important area for research. Therefore
different receiver spacing (dx) i.e. 1m, 2m and 4m
with 24 numbers of geophone which yield receiver
array of length 23m, 46m and 92m have been
tested in this study (at site A). The main aspect of
 50th INDIAN GEOTECHNICAL CONFERENCE
50th
IGC
17th – 19th DECEMBER 2015, Pune, Maharashtra, India
Venue: College of Engineering (Estd. 1854), Pune, India
this study is to study in the possibilities of using
shorter array length in congested urban areas where
it is difficult to obtain a longer stretch for laying of
geophone array.
dx=1m
dx=2m
dx=4m
Fig. 7 Effect of length of receiver array
The result from this experimental work here shows
a significant dependency of array length on the
resolution of dispersion imaging. As shown in Fig.
7, with 1m inter-geophone spacing (i.e. 23m length
of receiver array), the dispersion images has high
energy accumulation but with undistinguishable
dispersion trends. It has a broad energy band where
it is very difficult to properly locate the point of
dispersion curve. This problem arises due to
recording of undesirable signals by the system
from the surroundings and is often known as
“Aliasing”. With increase in receiver spacing the
energy accumulation decreases and gives a more
distinguishable, clearer and thinner dispersion
band. With 2m and 4m receiver spacing, the
resolution of the images continuously observed to
be increasing.
CONCLUSIONS
The main development of this study has been
achieved in conducting extensive field
investigation for passive roadside MASW inside
and near to IIT Guwahati campus. The data have
been thoroughly analysed with the commercialised
software “Surfseis” version 3.45. Based on the
present study, the following conclusions can be
drawn:
1. Vertical stacking resulting in the domination
of higher energy content yields an enhanced
and relatively distinct resolution of
dispersion image
2. The acquisition time in passive roadside
survey should be sufficiently long so as to
record sufficient energy from the strong and
effective sources of wave generation.
3. The resolution of dispersion image is
significantly affected by the length of
receiver array or inter receiver spacing. Low
receiver spacing generates aliasing problems
yielding undistinguishable dispersion images
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