Wave propagation in layered soil deposits

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Abstract

Recent advances in the general theory of viscoelastic waves and rays in layered media provide a rigorous mathematical framework for site-specific, soil-response models used for earthquake resistant design. The advances provide general closed-form anelastic solutions for the classic problems of the response of a stack of soil layers to S and P waves, ray theory for reflected and refracted waves, Rayleigh- and Love-Type surface waves, and head waves. These general solutions valid for anelastic media regardless of the amount of material damping yield new insights regarding the characteristics of seismic waves and their ray paths that are not provided by conventional models. They provide corresponding numerical ground-response models and ray-tracing computation algorithms that account for changes in velocity and attenuation of anelastic waves associated with changes in inhomogeneity of the waves induced by anelastic soil and soil-rock boundaries. These anelastic effects manifest themselves as variations in amplitude response, amplitude attenuation, raypath location, and travel time as observed at the Earth’s surface. Implications of these anelastic effects for soil-response models used for earthquake resistant design are provided herein. 

Suggested Citation

Borcherdt, R.D., 2024, Wave propagation in layered soil deposits, in Proceedings of the 18th WCEE 2024, 12 p.

Publication type Conference Paper
Publication Subtype Conference Paper
Title Wave propagation in layered soil deposits
Year Published 2024
Language English
Publisher International Association for Earthquake Engineering
Contributing office(s) Earthquake Science Center
Description 12 p.
Larger Work Type Book
Larger Work Subtype Conference publication
Larger Work Title Proceedings of the 18th WCEE 2024
Additional publication details