ISSN: 1945-7545
CODEN: GTJODJ
Published Online: 21 February 2008
Page Count: 9

Potential Phase Unwrapping Errors Associated with SASW Measurements at Soft-Over-Stiff Sites

Rosenblad, Brent L.
Assistant Professor, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO

Bertel, Jeffrey D.
Project Engineer, Reitz and Jens, Inc., St. Louis, MO

(Received 20 August 2007; accepted 11 January 2008)

Abstract

Results from simulations of spectral-analysis-of-surface-waves (SASW) measurements are presented for the common geotechnical condition of soft surficial soils overlying a stiffer half-space. Several recent experimental and numerical studies have demonstrated the dominance of higher-mode surface wave propagation at low frequencies for profile conditions where strong, shallow contrasts in elastic properties exist. This transition to higher-mode propagation has proven problematic for methods utilizing a fundamental-mode forward model in the inversion procedure, resulting in overprediction of the shear wave velocity (V_S) profile. The objective of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of the SASW methodology, which uses an effective-velocity forward model, in dealing with the soft-over-stiff profile condition. Specifically, this study focuses on the phase unwrapping procedure used in the SASW method. Nine V_S profiles were simulated in this study, representing different conditions of V_S contrast and depth to the stiffer layer. The results show that in some cases the phase unwrapping procedure produces an experimental dispersion curve that is inconsistent with both the fundamental mode and the true effective-velocity dispersion curve for the profile. The resulting V_S profile is substantially under-predicted. Experimental results from measurements at a soft-over-stiff site are presented that support the findings from the simulated measurements.

Keywords:
surface waves, SASW, site characterization, shear wave velocity

Paper ID: GTJ101411
DOI: 10.1520/GTJ101411
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