Surface Wave Method as Applied to Geotechnical Site Investigation and Pavement Evaluation

Seismic surface waves exhibit distinguishable dispersion characteristics for different geotechnical sites or pavement structures and thus the surface wave method has been used in site investigation and pavement evaluation. Effects of measurement errors, depth resolution and separation of different structural parameters are the three major aspects to be concerned with this method. With the aid of simple concepts and examples, it shows that the measurement errors have a direct impact on all the three aspects and that the depth resolution, the accuracy of structural parameter estimates and the separation of different structural parameters are three competing objectives which are related reciprocally. The study of measurement errors and depth resolution can be useful for selecting the model to be inverted and for evaluating the reliability of the inversion result. In most cases, use of the dispersion data consisting of the fundamental-mode Rayleigh wave phase velocities only may resolve a structure of up to 4 to 5 layers, depending on the measurement error and the structural feature. This situation is independent of the method or algorithm adopted in data analysis.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0784408661
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Civil Engineers

  Geo-Institute
  Reston, VA  United States  20191-4400
• Authors:
  • Yuan, Deren
  • Nazarian, Soheil
  • Abdallah, Imad
• Conference:
  • Pavement Mechanics and Performance - GeoShanghai International Conference
  • Location: Shanghai , China
  • Date: 2006-6-6 to 2006-6-8
• Publication Date: 2006

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: pp 110-116
• Monograph Title: Pavement Mechanics and Performance: Proceedings of Sessions of GeoShanghai, June 6-8, 2006, Shanghai, China

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accuracy; Errors; Geotechnical engineering; Measurement; Pavements; Rayleigh waves
• Uncontrolled Terms: Depth resolution; Dispersion (Waves); Seismic analysis of surface waves; Site investigation
• Subject Areas: Design; Geotechnology; Highways; Pavements; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways; I23: Properties of Road Surfaces;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01038883
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0784408661
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 29 2006 11:08AM