Geotechnical Site Characterization Using Multi-channel Analysis of Rayleigh and Love Waves

The Multi-Channel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) is a technique in which surface waves can be analyzed to determine soil shear wave velocity profiles with depth. The shear wave velocity of soil can be used to calculate the shear modulus, which is an important geotechnical engineering parameter. Site surveys were conducted and analyzed located at a location on the flood plain of the Tennessee River. The flood plain consists of a thin layer of soil above rigid (Knox Dolomite) bedrock and exhibited strong stratification. Three different aspects of MASW data acquisition and analysis are presented in the study. The first aspect is the response correction of the classical horizontal and vertical component geophone and its effects on surface wave dispersion; the second aspect is the effect of Rayleigh wave MASW data acquisition, analysis, and modeling as influenced by Rayleigh wave guides; the third aspect is the use of MASW and Love wave data acquisition, analysis, and modeling. MASW is performed using a seismic source and geophones (velocity sensor) without correcting the amplitude and phase errors induced by the equivalent single degree of freedom response function representing the mechanical response of a given velocity sensor. Geophones were experimentally tested in the laboratory to determine their natural frequency, damping ratio, and transduction constants. The results from these tests were mathematically corrected for their mechanical response and compared to uncorrected and corrected field data. Several seismic sources and various sourceoffset distances were evaluated to determine their effects on Rayleigh wave dispersion. Rayleigh waves, guided in a layer, were interpreted to have a profound influence on the Rayleigh wave dispersion data obtained using different seismic sources and source-offset distances. Results from Love wave data analysis produced superior dispersion data in comparison to the dispersion data obtained from Rayleigh wave data, making interpretation much more certain.