Effect of Shear Wave Velocity on Seismic Wave Amplification
Seismic shaking depends on shear wave velocity in soil or rock transmitting shear waves. Lower shear wave velocity in softer, thicker soils leads to stronger shaking and greater wave amplification.
Soil Type Study
Three sites with different shear wave velocities (65, 300, 600 m/s) were analyzed. Nail length and angle were fixed at 10 m and 10°. Two seismic accelerations (PGA = 0.05g and 0.2g) were applied.
Results show that lower shear wave velocity causes higher amplification ratios, especially at lower PGA, as soil remains elastic with small strains. At higher PGA (0.2g), loose soil shows smaller amplification due to nonlinear behavior.
Figure 1: Amplification ratio based on shear wave velocity in soil
Figure 2: Horizontal acceleration amplification factor versus a) distance from excavation edge b) excavation depth for different PGAs
