Description: The selection of the elementary analysis windows in continuous noise recordings for optimal estimation of the mean horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) curve is generally performed by visual inspection of HVSR curves considered as functions of time. Starting from full-length records, HVSR curves are determined in consecutive time windows of appropriate lengths. Time windows with HVSR curves that are anomalous on the basis of a simple visual inspection are generally ignored in the computation of the average HVSR curve. It is often very difficult to optimize the selection of time windows to be used for the calculation of the HVSR curve representative of a site. The use of nonobjective selection criteria produces results which depend on personal opinions of the operator and for which reliability cannot be assessed with quantitative parameters. We implemented an automatic procedure, based on cluster analysis, for the determination of the optimal window subset for the computation of the average HVSR curve. The procedure is based on the application of the agglomerative hierarchical clustering, using a measure of proximity of the standard correlation between HVSR curves and, as a rule for merging clusters, the average linking criterion. The procedure has been applied to 814 measures of seismic noise, carried out for the first-level microzonation of 20 municipalities of Eastern Sicily characterized by high seismic hazard. A critical comparison of the results obtained by the clustering procedure implemented with those previously obtained by processing the same recordings with a technique based on the visual comparison of the spectral ratios of all the analysis windows has shown that the automatic clustering procedure seems to be capable of achieving a better partitioning of a set of HVSR curves and thus provides effective help in the process of distinguishing between peaks mainly linked to the site effects and others mainly related to the source effects.

Description: The selection of the elementary analysis windows in continuous noise recordings for optimal estimation of the mean horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) curve is generally performed by visual inspection of HVSR curves considered as functions of time. Starting from full-length records, HVSR curves are determined in consecutive time windows of appropriate lengths. Time windows with HVSR curves that are anomalous on the basis of a simple visual inspection are generally ignored in the computation of the average HVSR curve. It is often very difficult to optimize the selection of time windows to be used for the calculation of the HVSR curve representative of a site. The use of nonobjective selection criteria produces results which depend on personal opinions of the operator and for which reliability cannot be assessed with quantitative parameters. We implemented an automatic procedure, based on cluster analysis, for the determination of the optimal window subset for the computation of the average HVSR curve. The procedure is based on the application of the agglomerative hierarchical clustering, using a measure of proximity of the standard correlation between HVSR curves and, as a rule for merging clusters, the average linking criterion. The procedure has been applied to 814 measures of seismic noise, carried out for the first-level microzonation of 20 municipalities of Eastern Sicily characterized by high seismic hazard. A critical comparison of the results obtained by the clustering procedure implemented with those previously obtained by processing the same recordings with a technique based on the visual comparison of the spectral ratios of all the analysis windows has shown that the automatic clustering procedure seems to be capable of achieving a better partitioning of a set of HVSR curves and thus provides effective help in the process of distinguishing between peaks mainly linked to the site effects and others mainly related to the source effects.

Description: A set of horizontal to vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) and multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) measurements, carried out in the Altavilla Milicia (Sicily) area, is analyzed to test a geological model of the area. Statistical techniques have been used in different stages of the data analysis, to optimize the reliability of the information extracted from geophysical measurements. In particular, cluster analysis algorithms have been implemented to select the time windows of the microseismic signal to be used for calculating the spectral ratio H/V and to identify sets of spectral ratio peaks likely caused by the same underground structures. Using results of reflection seismic lines, typical values of P-wave and S-wave velocity were estimated for each geological formation present in the area. These were used to narrow down the research space of parameters for the HVSR interpretation. MASW profiles have been carried out close to each HVSR measuring point, provided the parameters of the shallower layers for the HVSR models. MASW inversion has been constrained by extrapolating thicknesses from a known stratigraphic sequence. Preliminary 1D seismic models were obtained by adding deeper layers to models that resulted from MASW inversion. These justify the peaks of the HVSR curves due to layers deeper than MASW investigation depth. Furthermore, much deeper layers were included in the HVSR model, as suggested by geological setting and stratigraphic sequence. This choice was made considering that these latter layers do not generate other HVSR peaks and do not significantly affect the misfit. The starting models have been used to limit the starting research space for a more accurate interpretation, made considering the noise as a superposition of Rayleigh and Love waves. Results allowed to recognize four main seismic layers and to associate them to the main stratigraphic successions. The lateral correlation of seismic velocity models, joined with tectonic evidences, allowed to plot two geological sections, showing the main pattern of geological formations and tectonic structures. © 2016 Sinopec Geophysical Research Institute.

Description: Published

Description: 159 – 172

Description: 4T. Sismologia, geofisica e geologia per l'ingegneria sismica

Description: JCR Journal

Description: Archaeoseismology can provide a useful chronological tool for constraining earthquakes and documenting significant evidence that would otherwise be lost. In this paper, we report a case of surface faulting on ancient man-made structures belonging to the archaeological site of Santa Venera al Pozzo situated along the eastern flank of Mt. Etna volcano in eastern Sicily (southern Italy), which is affected by well-developed tectonic faults. Geological surveys highlight a set of fractures affecting the archaeological ruins, suggesting the occurrence of a capable fault zone across the area. An integrated geophysical survey was carried out in order to identify the main subsurface tectonic discontinuity ascribable to the fault zone. The information derived from different geophysical techniques, such as electrical resistivity tomography, seismic refraction tomography, ground-penetrating radar, and magnetic surveys allowed us to infer that the fractures observed at the surface could have been produced by coseismic rupture. They are conceivably linked to a strong earthquake that probably occurred in the Roman period, around mid-end of the third-century AD; time constraints are inferred through the dating of buildings of the archaeological site.

Description: Published

Description: 1263–128

Description: 4T. Sismicità dell'Italia

Description: JCR Journal

Description: Seismotectonic activity and slope instability are a permanent threat in the archaeological site of Abakainon and in the nearby village of Tripi in NE Sicily. In recent times, signs of an ancient earthquake have been identified in the necropolis of Aba- kainon which dating was ascertained to the first century AD earthquake. The site is located on a slope of Peloritani Mts. along the Tindari Fault Line and contains evidence for earthquake-in- duced landslide, including fallen columns and blocks, horizontal shift and counter slope tilting of the tomb basements. In this paper, we used an integrated geomorphological and geophysical analysis to constrain the landslide. The research was directed to the acquisition of deep geological data for the reconstruction of slope process and the thickness of mobilized materials. The applied geophysical techniques included seismic refraction tomography and electrical resistivity tomography. The surveys were performed to delineate the sliding surface and to assess approximately the thickness of mobilized materials. The geophysical and geomor- phologic data confirmed the presence of different overlapped landslides in the studied area. Moreover, a numerical simulation of the slope under seismic loads supports the hypothesis of a mobi- lization of the landslide mass in case of strong earthquakes (PGA〉0.3 g). However, numerical results highlight that the main cause of destruction for the Abakainon necropolis is the amplifi- cation of the seismic waves, occasionally accompanied by surficial sliding

Description: Published

Description: 133–148

Description: 5T. Sismologia, geofisica e geologia per l'ingegneria sismica

Description: JCR Journal

Description: Traditional electrode arrays such Wenner-Schlumberger or dipole-dipole are still widely used thanks to their well-known properties but the array configurations are generally not optimized for multi-channel resistivity measures. Synthetic datasets relating to four different arrays, dipole-dipole (DD), pole-dipole (PD),Wenner-Schlumberger (WS) and a modified version of multiple gradient (MG), have been made for a systematic comparison between 2D resistivity models and their inverted images. Different sets of array configurations generated from simple combinations of geometric parameters (potential dipole lengths and dipole separation factors) were tested with synthetic and field data sets, even considering the influence of errors and the acquisition velocity. The purpose is to establish array configurations capable to provide reliable results but, at the same time, not involving excessive survey costs, even linked to the acquiring time and therefore to the number of current dipoles used. For DD, PD andWS arrays a progression of different datasets were considered increasing the number of current dipoles trying to get about the same amount of measures. A multi-coverage MG array configuration is proposed by increasing the lateral coverage and so the number of current dipoles. Noise simulating errors both on the electrode positions and on the electric potential was added. The array configurations have been tested on field data acquired in the landfill site of Bellolampo (Palermo, Italy), to detect and locate the leachate plumes and to identify the HDPE bottom of the landfill. The inversion results were compared using a quantitative analysis of data misfit, relative model resolution and model misfit. The results show that the trends of the first two parameters are linked on the array configuration and that a cumulative analysis of these parameters can help to choose the best array configuration in order to obtain a good resolution and reliability of a survey, according to generally short acquisition times.

Description: Published

Description: 34-48

Description: 7A. Geofisica per il monitoraggio ambientale e geologia medica

Description: JCR Journal