Comparison of State-of-the-Art Approaches Used to Account for Spatial Variability in 1D Ground Response Analyses
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 148, Issue 5
Abstract
A significant amount of seismic site response research over the past decade has focused on our abilities to replicate recorded ground motions at borehole array sites, where both the input (rock) and output (surface) ground motions are known. When viewed in aggregate, these studies have found that approximately 50% of borehole array sites are poorly modeled using one-dimensional (1D) ground response analyses (GRAs) based on a single shear wave velocity () profile, with individual studies reporting values between approximately 30%–80%. While there is no doubt that some sites are indeed too variable to be modeled using 1D GRAs, it is possible that simple 1D analyses could still be effectively used at many sites if spatial variability is accounted for via a rational, site-specific approach. In this study, we investigate five alternative approaches that can be used to account for spatial variability in 1D GRAs: (1) randomization, (2) shear wave travel time randomization, (3) utilization of suites derived from surface wave testing covering a large area, (4) incorporation of a pseudo-3D model derived from a horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio geostatistical approach, and (5) damping modifications. These approaches are investigated at two US borehole array sites (the Treasure Island and Delaney Park Downhole Arrays) so that the GRA results can be compared with recorded small-strain ground motions. Spatial variability is accounted for by generating approximately 250 profiles for each approach, except for damping modifications, wherein only a single profile is used, but with increased damping to account for wave scattering originating from spatial discontinuities. Through qualitative and quantitative comparisons, we assess the relative and absolute effectiveness of each approach, highlight their limitations, and propose potential improvements that can help overcome these limitations in practice.
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Data Availability Statement
The surface wave data and the pseudo-3D models developed at TIDA and DPDA are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The and surface wave data from DPDA and TIDA were collected with funding from Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E). However, any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of PG&E. The authors appreciate the insightful comments from Dr. Julian J. Bommer and one other anonymous reviewer, which have improved the article. We would like to thank Mr. Michael Yust for his help in and collecting the surface wave data at DPDA and TIDA, Dr. Albert Kottke, Dr. David Teague, and Dr. Krishna Kumar for their help in collecting the data at TIDA, and Ms. Jodie Crocker for her help in accessing and processing the ground motions.
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Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 148 • Issue 5 • May 2022
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© 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jul 13, 2021
Accepted: Dec 21, 2021
Published online: Feb 24, 2022
Published in print: May 1, 2022
Discussion open until: Jul 24, 2022
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Cited by
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