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Geological Society, London, Engineering Geology Special Publications
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Geological Society, London, Engineering Geology Special Publications; 1997; v. 12; p. 53-62;
DOI: 10.1144/GSL.ENG.1997.012.01.04
© 1997 Geological Society of London

Section 2: Standards and Practices

Geotechnical applications of the spectral analysis of surface waves

V. Cuéllar

Laboratorio de Geotecnia, Centro de Estudios y Experimentación de Obras Públicas (CEDEX), Alfonso XII, 3, Madrid 28014, Spain

Spectral analysis of surface waves is a simple and efficient method of determining the shear-wave velocity of soils in situ and their variation with depth. The non-destructive character of the method, together with the possibility of generating long wavelengths by letting a weight drop from a certain height, makes it a very suitable technique to obtain shear wave velocity profiles without requiring the drilling of boreholes.

In this paper, examples are given of how the method has been used in Spain to identify the deformability of compacted embankments and waste landfills, to assess the liquefaction potential of alluvial sediments, to characterize the geomechanical behavior of foundations and rock-fill dams, to determine the extent of the alteration zone behind the lining of a tunnel excavated in rock and to judge the degree of improvement achieved in some ground treatments.