MASW − Overall Procedure

• Data Acquisition → Data Processing (Dispersion + Inversion)

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1D Velocity (Vs) Profile − Location
◆ Center of the receiver array

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• Vs ≤ 100 m/s − “extremely soft” soil
• 100 m/s ≤ Vs ≤ 200 m/s − “soft” soil
• 200 m/s ≤ Vs ≤ 300 m/s − “stiff” soil
• 300 m/s ≤ Vs ≤ 500 m/s − “weathered”
zone
• 500 m/s ≤ Vs − “rock”
• 1000 m/s ≤ Vs − “competent” rock

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 Seismic Site Classification (Vs30-m or Vs100-ft)−NEHRP

Color Code E
D C B A
Used in ParkSEIS F

NEHRP* Seismic site classification based on shear-velocity (Vs) ranges.

Site Class S-Velocity (Vs) (ft/sec) S-Velocity (Vs) (m/sec)
A
> 5,000 > 1500
(Hard Rock)
B
2,500 − 5000 760 − 1500
(Rock)
C
1,200 − 2,500 360 − 760
(Very Dense Soil and Soft Rock)
D
600 − 1,200 180 − 360
(Stiff Soil)
E
< 600 < 180
(Soft Clay Soil)
F < 600, and meeting some < 180, and meeting some
(Soils Requiring Add’l Response) additional conditions. additional conditions.

* National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program (www.nehrp.gov) 4

 Ground Types - Euro Code*

Color Code S1 D
C B A
Used in ParkSEIS S2 E

Parameters
Type Description
Vs30a NSPTb CUc
Rock or other rock-like geological formation, including at most 5 m of weaker
A material at the surface.
> 800 – –

Deposits of very dense sand, gravel, or very stiff clay, at least several tens of
B meters in thickness, characterized by a gradual increase of mechanical properties 360 – 800 > 50 > 250
with depth.
Deep deposits of dense or medium-dense sand, gravel or stiff clay with thickness
C from several tens to many hundreds of meters.
180 – 360 15 – 50 70 – 250

Deposits of loose-to-medium cohesionless soil (with or without some soft

D cohesive layers), or of predominantly soft-to-firm cohesive soil.
< 180 < 15 < 70

A soil profile consisting of a surface alluvium layer with Vs values of type C or D

E and thickness varying between about 5 m and 20 m, underlain by stiffer material
with Vs > 800 m/s.

Deposits consisting, or containing a layer at least 10 m thick, of soft clays/silts < 100
S1 with a high plasticity index (PI > 40) and high water content (indicative)
– 10 – 20

Deposits of liquefiable soils, of sensitive clays, or any other soil profile not
S2 included in types A – E or S1

* defined by shear wave velocities (Vs’s) in the top 30 m, and also by values for NSPT and CU [from “Eurocode 8: Seismic Design of Buildings
Worked Examples (EUR 25204 EN – 2012)“ by Bisch et al. (2011)]
a shear wave velocities in the top 30 m (m/sec), b standard penetration test (blows/30cm), c undrained cohesive resistance (kPa)
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 Triggering Sensor
(Hammer Switch)

Triggering
Geophone

Strike Plate

Seismograph (24-
channel)

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 MASW Field Operation Schematic
• Main Components
✓ Multichannel Recording Device (“Seismograph”) (and Control Laptop Computer)
✓ Seismic Source (e.g., Sledge Hammer)
✓ Seismic Receivers (Geophones)
✓ Seismic Cable
• Accessories
✓ Land Streamer and Towing Vehicle, Jumper Cable, Radio Triggering, etc.
• Key Parameters
✓ Receiver Spacing (dx), Source Offset (X1), and Number of Channels (NCh)

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• Proportional to receiver spread length (L): ½ L ≤ Zmax ≤ L (e.g., Zmax  ½ L)

Survey
Interval
(dSR)

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• Optimum source offset (X1)  ¼ L; i.e., in proportion to L due to “near-field effects of surface waves”
• Procedure − determine (1) Zmax, (2) L  2xZmax, (3) dx  L/NCh, and (4) X1  ¼ NCh x dx

X1  ¼ L

X1 L

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Table of approximate field parameters for different investigation depths (Zmax’s)

dx (m)* X1 (m)*
Zmax (m) L (m)
24-CH 48-CH 24-CH 48-CH

5 10 0.5 0.3 3.0 3.6

10 20 1.0 0.5 6.0 6.0
15 30 1.5 1.0 9.0 12.0
20 40 2.0 1.5 12.0 18.0
25 50 2.0 1.5 12.0 18.0
30 60 2.5 2.0 15.0 24.0
*Values within 30% are acceptable.

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• Sampling interval (dt) (e.g., 1 ms)
• Recording time (T) (e.g., 2 s)
• Stacking (e.g., 3)
• Acquisition filter (e.g., low-cut, high-cut,
band-pass, etc.) − “NO Filter”

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 • Sampling frequency (df) = 1 / Sampling interval (dt in second)
• Highest frequency (fmax = Nyquist frequency) = ½ df

Optimum Recording Parameters

MASW Sampling Recording Nyquist Possible Range
Type Interval (dt) Time (T) Frequency (fmax)
Active 1.0 (ms) 2 seconds 500 Hz 0.5 ms ≤ dt ≤ 1.0 ms
1s≤T≤3s
Passive 4.0 ms 60 seconds 125 Hz 2 ms ≤ dt ≤ 8.0 ms
10 s ≤ T ≤ 120 s
ACT-PAS 4.0 ms 60 seconds 125 Hz 2 ms ≤ dt ≤ 8.0 ms
Combined 10 s ≤ T ≤ 120 s

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 • Weak surface waves suffering from excessively long offset

X1 = 5 ft

X1 = 30 ft
Increased X1
helping low
frequencies

X1 = 60 ft
Excessively long
X1 gives low SN

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 *Approximate distance

Xmax ≤ 100 M Xmax ≤ 200 M Xmax ≤ 300 M Xmax ≤ 300 M

HAMMER PEG WEIGHT DROP BUFFALO GUN

Xmax ≤ 300 M Xmax ≤ 1000 M

BETSY GUN DYNAMITE 14

 Geophones on Land Streamer
• A land streamer can increase survey speed by an order of magnitude.

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 • Survey Speed  10 times

Sledge Hammer

Shot Point

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