Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Dynamic amplification factor concept of soil layers: a case study in İzmir (Western Anatolia)

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Arabian Journal of Geosciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Dynamic soil amplification factor (DAF) defining which ratio earthquake acceleration will reach the soil surface by changing is one of the most important factors in seismic risk studies. When computing the value of DAF at a point without a strong motion station, peak horizontal acceleration values (PGA) at the bedrock and soil transfer function are needed. PGA value at the bedrock can be obtained by using either real seismic records or the earthquake scenario. However, the soil transfer function (soil transfer function) can be computed observationally and theoretically. Observational soil transfer function is defined by microtremor horizontal/vertical spectral ratio. In case of theoretical computation, the density belonging to the soil layers between the bedrock and the soil surface is used together with the change of P-S wave rates with the depth and the damping factor. In this study, the dynamic amplification factor (DAF) has been computed and mapped for 57 points by using observational soil transfer functions obtained by microtremor horizontal/vertical spectral ratio as well as the earthquake scenario at a new city center located within the metropolitan area of Izmir. Also, theoretical soil transfer function at 1 point was obtained through spatial autocorrelation method (SPAC) study and determined to be compatible with observational result. It was observed that both peak period values are higher than 1 s and DAF values are higher than 2 throughout the area. Also, according to the soil profile obtained from the SPAC study, S wave rate changes up to a depth of 1300 m showing that acoustic impedance differences may occur in the frequencies and the magnitudes of the earthquake waves. The fact that peak period values obtained from microtremor studies are higher than 2 s supports this result. This means that acoustic impedance differences likely to occur in these depths should also be taken into consideration while computing the dynamic amplification factor.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Akgün M, Gönenç T, Pamukçu O, Özyalın Ş, Özdağ ÖC (2013a) Integrated geophysical methods for the determination of engineering bedrock: İzmir New City Center Mühendislik Ana Kayasının Belirlenmesine Yönelik Jeofizik Yöntemlerin Bütünleşik Yorumu: İzmir Yeni Kent Merkezi Uygulamaları. Turkish J Geophys (in Turkish)

  • Akgün M, Gönenç T, Tunçel A, Pamukçu O (2013b) A multi-approach geophysical estimation of soil dynamic properties in settlements: a case study in Güzelbahce-İzmir (Western Anatolia). J Geophys Eng 10(2013):045001. doi:10.1088/1742-2132/10/4/045001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Akgün M, Gönenç T, Pamukçu O, Özyalin Ş (2014) Investigation of the relationship between ground and engineering bedrock at northern part of the Gulf of İzmir by borehole data supported geophysical works. J Earth Syst Sci 123(3):545–564. doi:10.1007/s12040-014-0414-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ansal A, İyisan R, Özkan M (1997) A preliminary microzonation study for town of dinar seismic behaviour of ground and geotechnical structures: Proc. Discussion Special Technical Session on Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering During 14th Int. Conf. on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering (Hamburg, Germany, 6–12 September) (London: Taylor and Francis) pp 3–9

  • Bonnefoy-Claudet S, Cotton F, Bard PY (2006a) The nature of noise wavefield and its applications for site effects studies: a literature review. Earth-Sci Rev 79:205–227

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bonnefoy-Claudet S, Cornou C, Bard PY, Cotton F, Moczo P, Kristek J, Fäh D (2006b) H/V ratio: a tool for site effects evaluation results from 1-D noise simulations. Geophys J Int 167:827–837

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D’Amico V, Picozzi M, Albarello D, Naso G, Tropenscovino S (2004) Quick estimates of soft sediment thicknesses from ambient noise horizontal to vertical spectral ratios: a case study in southern Italy. J Earthq Eng 8(6):895–908

    Google Scholar 

  • Delgado J, Casado CL, Lopez Giner J, Estevez A, Cuenca A, Molina S (2000) Microtremors as a geophysical exploration tool: applications and limitations. J Pure Appl Geophys 157:1445–1462

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dinesh BV, Nair GJ, Prasad AGV, Nakkeeran PV, Radhakrishna MC (2010) Estimation of sedimentary layers shear wave velocity using micro-tremor H/V ratio measurements for Bangalore City. Soil Dyn Earthq Eng 30:1377–1382

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • EC8 (2004) Eurocode 8: design of structures for earthquake resistance. Part 1: General rules,seismic actions and rules for buildings, European Norm, European Committee for Standardisation, European Committee for Standardisation Central Secretariat, Rue de Stassart 36, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium

  • Field E, Jacob K (1993) The theoretical response of sedimentary layers to ambient seismic noise. Geophys Res Lett 20(24):2925–2928

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Field EH, Clement AC, Jacob KH, Aharonian V, Hough SE, Friberg PA, Babaian TO, Karapetian SS, Hovanessian SM, Abramian HA (1995) Earthquake site-response study in Giuari (Formerly Leninakan) Armenia using ambient noise observations. Bull Seismol Soc Am 85(1):349–353

    Google Scholar 

  • Foti S, Parolai S, Albarello D, Picozzi M (2011) Application of surface-wave methods for seismic site characterization. Surv Geophys 32:777–825

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gosar A (2007) Microtremor HVSR study for assessing site effects in the Bovec Basin (NW Slovenia) related to 1998 Mw 56 and 2004 Mw 52 earthquakes. Eng Geol 91:178–193

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gosar A, Lenart A (2010) Mapping the thickness of sediments in the Ljubljana Moor Basin (Slovenia) using microtremors. Bull Earthq Eng 8:501–518

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gosar A, Martinec M (2009) Microtremor HVSR study of site effects in the Ilirska Bistrica Town area (S Slovenia). J Earthq Eng 13:50–67

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guo X, Wong YL, Yuan YF (2002) Estimation of damping ratio of soil sites using microtremor. Earthq Eng Eng Vib 1(1):45–49

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hardesty K, Wolf LW, Bodin P (2010) Case history, noise to signal: a microtremor study a liquefaction sites in the New Madrid Seismic Zone. Geophysics 75(3):83–90

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Herak M (1985) Ovisnost parametara potresa o geotehnicnico svojstvima povrssvima p slojeva tla (Dependence of earthquake parameters on geotechnical properties of surface layers of the soil). Unpublished M.Sc. Thesis, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, 117pp. (in Croatian)

  • Herak M (2008) Model HVSR-A Matlab® tool to model horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio of ambient noise. Comput Geosci 34:1514–1526

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang HC, Teng TL (1999) An evaluation on H/V ratio vs spectral ratio for site response estimation using the 1994 Northridge earthquake sequence. Pure Appl Geophys 156:631–649

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ibs-von Seth M, Wohlenberg J (1999) Microtremor measurements used to map thickness of soft sediments. Bull Seismol Soc Am 89:250–259

    Google Scholar 

  • Kanai K (1957) The requisite conditions for predominant vibration of ground. Bull Earthq Res Inst Univ Tokyo 31:457

    Google Scholar 

  • Komazawa M, Morikawa H, Nakamura K, Akamatsu J, Nishimura K, Sawada S, Erken A, Önalp A (2002) Bedrock structure in Adapazari, Turkey—a possible cause of severe damage by the 1999 Kociaeli earthquake. Soil Dyn Earthq Eng 22:829–836

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lachet C, Bard PY, Hatzfeld D, Theodulidis N, Papaioannou C, Savvaidis A (1996) Site effects and microzonation in the city of Thessaloniki (Greece) comparison of different approaches. Bull Seismol Soc Am 67:713–724

    Google Scholar 

  • Langston CA, Chiu Shu-Chioung C, Lawrence Z, Bodin P, Horton S (2009) Array observations of microseismic noise and the nature of H/V in the Mississippi embayment. Bull Seismol Soc Am 99(5):2893–2911

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee VW, Trifunac MD (1995) Frequency dependent attenuation function, and Fourier amplitude spectra of strong earthquake ground motion in California. University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USC Report no. CE 95-03, 190pp

  • Lermo J, Chavez-Garcia FJ (1994) Are microtremors useful in the site response evaluation? Bull Seismol Soc Am 84:1350–1364

    Google Scholar 

  • Luzi L, Bind D, Franceschina G, Pacor F, Castro R (2005) Geotechnical site characterisation in the Umbria-Marche area and evaluation of earthquake site-response. Pure Appl Geophys 162:2133–2161

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mucciarelli M, Gallipoli MR (2001) A critical review of 10 years of microtremor HVSR technique. Boll Geofis Teor Appl 42:255–266

    Google Scholar 

  • Nakamura Y (1989) A method for dynamic characteristics estimation of subsurface using microtremor on the ground surface. Railway Technical Research Institute, Quarterly Reports, 30(1)

  • Nakamura Y (2000) Clear identification of fundamental idea of Nakamura’s technique and its applications. Proc. 12th World Conf. on Earthquake Engineering, 2656

  • Özalaybey S, Zor E, Ergintav S, Tapırdamaz MC (2011) Investigation of 3-D basin structures in the İzmit Bay area (Turkey) by single-station microtremor and gravimetric methods. Geophys J Int 186:883–894. doi:10.1111/j.1365-246X.2011.05085.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parolai S, Bormann P, Milkereit C (2002) New relationship between Vs thickness of sediments and resonance frequency calculated by the H/V ratio of seismic noise for the cologne area (Germany). Bull Seismol Soc Am 92(6):2521–2527

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paudyal YR, Yatabe R, Bhandary NP, Dahal RK (2012) A study of local amplification effect of soil layers on ground motion in the Kathmandu Valley using microtremor analysis. Earthq Eng Eng Vib 11:257–268. doi:10.1007/s11803-012-0115-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paudyal YR, Yatabe R, Bhandary NP, Dahal RK (2013) Basement topography of the Kathmandu Basin using microtremor observation. J Asian Earth Sci 62:627–637. doi:10.1016/j.jseaes.2012.11.011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sukumaran P, Parvez IA, Sant DA, Rangarajan G, Krishnan K (2011) Profiling of Late Tertiary–Early Quaternary surface in the lower reaches of Narmada valley using microtremors. J Asian Earth Sci 41:325–334

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teves-Costa P, Matias L, Bard PY (1996) Seismic behaviour estimation of thin alluvium layers using microtremor recordings. Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, London, AGU, 15, no. 3, pp. 201-209, pp. B12310, (ISSN: 1340-4202)

  • Trifunac MD (1993) Broad band extension of Fourier amplitude spectra of strong motion acceleration. University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USC Report no. CE 93-01, 109 pp

  • Tsai NC, Housner GW (1970) Calculation of surface motions of a layered half-space. Bull Seismol Soc Am 60(16250):162

    Google Scholar 

  • Uzel B, Sözbilir H, Özkaymak Ç (2011) Neotectonic evolution of an actively growing superimposed basin in Western Anatolia: the inner bay of İzmir, Turkey. Turk J Earth Sci 09-10 http://www.usgs.org

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study has been achieved under the scope of No. 106G159 of The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) project. We also thank anonymous reviewers for their suggestions, which considerably improved the paper. Also, this study is a part of Özkan Cevdet ÖZDAĞ’s PhD thesis at the Institute of Natural and Applied Sciences in Dokuz Eylül University.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Dokuz Eylül University, Buca-İzmir, Turkey

    Özkan Cevdet Özdağ

  2. Department of Geophysical Engineering, Dokuz Eylül University Engineering Faculty, Buca-İzmir, Turkey

    Tolga Gönenç & Mustafa Akgün

  3. Dokuz Eylül University Rectorate, Central Research Laboratories, Buca-İzmir, Turkey

    Özkan Cevdet Özdağ

Authors
  1. Özkan Cevdet Özdağ
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Tolga Gönenç
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mustafa Akgün
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Özkan Cevdet Özdağ.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Özdağ, Ö.C., Gönenç, T. & Akgün, M. Dynamic amplification factor concept of soil layers: a case study in İzmir (Western Anatolia). Arab J Geosci 8, 10093–10104 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-015-1881-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-015-1881-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation