Skip to main content

Site-Specific Relationships between Bedrock Depth and HVSR Fundamental Resonance Frequency Using KiK-NET Data from Japan

Research Abstract
It is commonly accepted that the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) technique enables the detection of the fundamental resonance frequency (fHVSR) of a given site. The utility of this fHVSR is analyzed using the nonlinear regression relationships between fHVSR and bedrock depth (h). The derived relationships are mostly site-specific, so that the present paper consists of two main parts. The first is a literature review for the available empirical relationships between fHVSR and h. The aim of this part is to highlight the practical limitations of these established relationships and to make fair comparisons. The second is to generate new relationships, taking advantage of the very wide range of available lithological, geophysical, and geotechnical borehole drilling data of the 697 KiK-NET seismic stations in Japan. For this purpose, HVSR are calculated using 10,000 weak earthquakes or linear events recorded at KiK-NET stations to determine the fHVSR and correlate it with the corresponding h. The overlying layers/bedrock interface falling within sedimentary, igneous, or metamorphic layers significantly affect the derived frequency–depth relationships. In addition, these relationships are strongly reproduced by the Vp=Vs ratio of the bedrock in the range of 1.6–2.2. Interestingly, it is found that fHVSR less than 1 Hz corresponding to h more than 100 m leads the trend of the overall frequency–depth relationship.
Research Authors
Mostafa Thabet
Research Department
Research Journal
Pure Appl. Geophys.
Research Pages
pp. 4809 - 4831
Research Publisher
2019 Springer Nature Switzerland
Research Rank
1
Research Vol
Vol. 176 , Issue 11
Research Website
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-019-02256-7
Research Year
2019