Kb. Olsen et Gt. Schuster, CAUSES OF LOW-FREQUENCY GROUND MOTION AMPLIFICATION IN THE SALT LAKE BASIN - THE CASE OF THE VERTICALLY INCIDENT P-WAVE, Geophysical journal international, 122(3), 1995, pp. 1045-1061
We use simulations of 1-D, 2-D and 3-D wave propagation to identify th
e major causes of low-frequency (0.2-1.2 Hz) seismic amplification in
the Salt Lake Basin. For a simple two-layer basin model and a vertical
ly incident P wave, we examine how amplification is influenced by mode
conversion, surface-wave generation, impedance effects at the sedimen
t-bedrock boundary, resonance, and 2-D and 3-D focusing and scattering
. Results show the following. (1) Approximately 30 per cent of the tot
al cumulative kinetic energy at the Salt Lake Valley floor consists of
shear-wave energy generated by P-to-S converted waves and surface wav
es. The surface waves appear to be generated primarily along the edges
of the basin, and the instantaneous S/P energy ratio in the sedimenta
ry layer is as large as 3. (2) The largest peak particle velocity at t
he free surface is due to the direct P wave. The value is roughly pred
icted by the transmission coefficient of 1.46 at the sediment-bedrock
interface, i.e. a normally incident P wave in the stiff bedrock will b
e magnified in amplitude by 1.46 times as it enters the softer sedimen
ts. (3) The low-frequency elastic response of the two-layer Salt Lake
Basin model is characterized by surface-wave propagation and resonance
from vertically interfering waves. (4) The peak particle velocities,
cumulative kinetic energies, and mean spectral magnitudes computed fro
m the 2-D (1-D) synthetics underestimate the values computed from the
3-D synthetics by up to 40 per cent (48 per cent) along a profile abov
e the deepest part of the basin model. The 2-D and 1-D signal duration
times underestimate the 3-D values by up to 59 and 94 per cent, respe
ctively. Our results suggest that 2-D basin modelling may yield good a
pproximations to the 3-D ground motion amplification above the deepest
part of the Salt Lake Basin. Our results show that several mechanisms
contribute significantly to low-frequency seismic amplification in th
e semi-consolidated sediments of the Salt Lake Basin-P-to-S wave conve
rsion, surface-wave generation, impedance effects at the sediment-bedr
ock boundary, and resonance. Future attempts to estimate ground motion
amplification in the Salt Lake Basin should therefore account for the
amplification effects of all these mechanisms.