New PEER Report Published: 2014/05 “Seismic Velocity Site Characterization of Thirty-One Chilean Seismometer Stations by Spectral Analysis of Surface Wave Dispersion”

PEER has just published Report No. 2014/05 titled “Seismic Velocity Site Characterization of Thirty-One Chilean Seismometer Stations by Spectral Analysis of Surface Wave Dispersion” as a new addition to the PEER Report Series. It was authored by Robert Kayen, Brad D. Carkin, Skye Corbet, Camilo Pinilla, Allan Ng, Edward Gorbis, and Christine Truong.

Visit the PEER publications page to download a free color pdf of the document.

Abstract:
We present one-dimensional shear-wave velocity (VS) profiles at 31 strong-motion sites in Chile, from Valdivia in southern Chile to Copiapo in the northern Atacama Desert. We estimate the VS profiles with the spectral analysis of surface waves (SASW) method. The SASW method is a non-invasive method that is useful for indirect estimate of the VS at depth from variations in the Rayleigh wave phase velocity at the surface. The purpose of the study is to determine the detailed site velocity profile, the average velocity in the upper 30 m of the profile VS30, the average velocity for the entire profile, VSz, and the NEHRP site classification.