Seismic site characteristics of shallow sediments in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region, and their inherent relations

  • Amorntep Jirasakjamroonsri
  • Nakhorn Poovarodom
  • Pennung Warnitchai
Original Paper
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Abstract

This paper presents the site characteristics of soft deposits in Bangkok Metropolitan Region, and their inherent relations, which were explored using microtremor observations. The predominant period (T P ) and shear wave velocity (V S ) profiles from the surface to a 100-m depth at 150 sites over an area of approximately 150 × 200 km were explored using the Horizontal-to-Vertical (H/V) spectral ratio method and the Spatial Autocorrelation (SPAC) method, respectively. Spatial variations of T P and average V S are presented in maps and discussed with the distribution of soft clay. The results show that the shallow structure is rather uniform in the central area, having low V S , long T P , and thick soft clay. V S increases, while T P tends to decrease gradually towards the north and east and more sharply towards the west. Using a number of the observed site characteristics, relations among the average V S at different depths and T P were examined. Regression analysis revealed high correlations and almost linear relations among them, suggesting that V S at deep strata could be simply estimated from the shallow V S or T P . Finally, a simple scheme to estimate the V S profile using only the phase velocity at specific wavelengths is proposed.

Keywords

Site characteristics Microtremor Shear wave velocity Predominant period Soft clay 
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Notes

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Ph.D. scholarship from Thammasat University for the first author and the Thailand Research Fund, research number RDG5630026. The sources of support are gratefully acknowledged. The authors also express their thanks to Mr. Akkarit Nantayotsakul, Mr. Narakorn Boontem, and Mr. Weera Choopthong for their assistance in field work.

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2018

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Faculty of EngineeringThammasat UniversityPathumthaniThailand
  2. 2.School of Engineering and TechnologyAsian Institute of TechnologyPathumthaniThailand

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