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Sediment thickness and average Vs prediction using HVSR of ambient seismic noise: case studies in Singapore

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Abstract

The thickness of sediment and average shear-wave velocity (Vs) are crucial information for geotechnical site investigation and engineering geology. The horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) approach has become an appealing complementary tool due to its convenience and simplicity in field acquisition and processing. This study discusses essential technical details for acquiring and processing HVSR data and provides recommendations based on case studies in Singapore. We conducted 51 HVSR tests using a multi-component 4.5-Hz geophone coupled with a reference borehole to identify sediment thickness. By establishing such database, we produced three high-level colormaps on sediment characteristics, including resonance frequency f0, thickness, and estimated average Vs. These high-level colormaps agree with the general trend of local terrain and the location of the Bukit Timah Fault. Additionally, we established empirical functions to estimate sediment thickness and average Vs, allowing geologists and engineers to quickly assess two crucial geotechnical design parameters.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the Land Transport Authority, Singapore, to fund this research project, using the land transportation innovation fund project: non-invasive geophysical study for bedrock evaluation (Award Number: R-302-000-164-490). We also thank them for conducting and sharing part of these testing. We also acknowledge the open source graphic software GMT and the earth topography open database brought by USGS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, 1 Engineering Drive 2, Singapore, 117576, Singapore

    Yunhuo Zhang & Yunyue Elita Li

  2. Geotechnical & Tunnel Division, Land Transport Authority Singapore, 1 Hampshire Road, Singapore, 219428, Singapore

    Yunhuo Zhang

  3. Department of Civil Engineering, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, 310058, China

    Xiao Wei

  4. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Purdue University, 550 Stadium Mall Dr, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA

    Yunyue Elita Li

  5. Department of Civil Engineering, Changwon National University, Changwon, Republic of Korea

    Seokho Jeong

  6. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, 05029, Republic of Korea

    Taeseo Ku

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Correspondence to Taeseo Ku.

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Zhang, Y., Wei, X., Li, Y.E. et al. Sediment thickness and average Vs prediction using HVSR of ambient seismic noise: case studies in Singapore. Bull Eng Geol Environ 82, 195 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-023-03195-3

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