The use of the inversion of single-station Rayleigh wave ellipticity curve in routine site investigation: numerical inversion and case-studies

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Published: 2025-08-21
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4401/ag-9150

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Ana Carolina Antunes
CERIS, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
Paula Teves-Costa
Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, Instituto Dom Luiz, Lisboa, Portugal; European Centre on Urban Risks ´(CERU), Lisboa, Portugal
Rui Carrilho Gomes
CERIS, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa

Abstract

Non-invasive single-station ambient vibration recordings have become very common nowadays for


microzonation studies. Usually, these records are processed using Nakamura’s method to determine


the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (H/V) curve, but the Rayleigh waves’ ellipticity curve can


also be determined and inverted alone or combined with data acquired using other surface wave


methods. Since single-station ambient vibration-based analyses are a very cost-effective technique,


this paper studies the reliability of the shallow ground structure that results from the ellipticity


curve inversion, with prior knowledge on the ground profile characteristics, as is common in urban


areas. The inversion of the ellipticity curve of a large set of shear wave velocity profiles (Vs-profiles)


was simulated numerically to characterize the uncertainty. Three normally dispersive case studies


in Lisbon County were used to evaluate the technique. RayDec was used to obtain experimental


ellipticity curves inverting the right flank and the complete curve. It is shown that the Rayleigh


wave ellipticity curve inversion can be a valuable and cost-effective preliminary site investigation


technique, adopting a constrained inversion (based on some prior knowledge), to support the


preliminary design stage of geotechnical works).

Article Details

Issue

Vol. 68 No. 3 (2025): SPECIAL ISSUE: Geophysical site characterization for geotechnical studies: current practices and future developments

Section

SPECIAL ISSUE: Geophysical Site Characterization for geotechnical studies: current practices and future developments
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How to Cite

(1)
Antunes, A. C. .; Teves-Costa, P.; Gomes, R. C. The Use of the Inversion of Single-Station Rayleigh Wave Ellipticity Curve in Routine Site Investigation: Numerical Inversion and Case-Studies. Ann. Geophys. 2025, 68 (3), NS330. https://doi.org/10.4401/ag-9150.