Application of Surface-Wave Methods for Seismic Site Characterization

• Published in: Surveys in geophysics Vol. 32; no. 6; pp. 777 - 825
• Main Authors: Foti, Sebastiano, Parolai, Stefano, Albarello, Dario, Picozzi, Matteo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01-11-2011; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Astronomy; Dispersion; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Experimental data; Geophysics; Geophysics/Geodesy; Internal geophysics; Observations and Techniques; Propagation; Seismology; Subsoils; Surface waves; Wave velocity; Seismic characterization; Surface waves; Inverse problems; Seismic noise; Shear wave velocity; Rayleigh waves; models; inverse problem; shear; surveys; geophysics; velocity; heterogeneous media; surface waves; propagation; solution; collections; interpretation; noise; wave dispersion; strategy
• ISSN: 0169-3298; 1573-0956
• DOI: 10.1007/s10712-011-9134-2

Surface-wave dispersion analysis is widely used in geophysics to infer a shear wave velocity model of the subsoil for a wide variety of applications. A shear-wave velocity model is obtained from the solution of an inverse problem based on the surface wave dispersive propagation in vertically heterogeneous media. The analysis can be based either on active source measurements or on seismic noise recordings. This paper discusses the most typical choices for collection and interpretation of experimental data, providing a state of the art on the different steps involved in surface wave surveys. In particular, the different strategies for processing experimental data and to solve the inverse problem are presented, along with their advantages and disadvantages. Also, some issues related to the characteristics of passive surface wave data and their use in H/V spectral ratio technique are discussed as additional information to be used independently or in conjunction with dispersion analysis. Finally, some recommendations for the use of surface wave methods are presented, while also outlining future trends in the research of this topic.