Seismic behaviour estimation of thin alluvium layers using microtremor recordings

The microtremor spectral ratio proposed by Nakamura (A method for dynamic characteristics estimation of subsurface using microtremor on ground surface. QR of RTRI, 1989, 30(1), 25–33.) developed a new interest on the use of microtremor measurements for the estimation of site effects. The Lisbon region is an earthquake-prone area and several descriptions of destructive earthquakes are reported in the historical data, which suggest the existence of site effects in the town of Lisbon. Several seismic hazard studies were already performed, as well as some microzonation studies based on records from blasts. In order to characterize the seismic behaviour of alluvium layers existing in the town, two sets of microtremor measurements were performed. The data were processed according to the Nakamura technique and the results are presented here. These results were correlated with the thickness of the alluvium deposits and compared with the spectral ratios obtained using records from blasts, as well as with 1D theoretical models and with 2D theoretical simulations obtained by the use of the Aki-Larner technique. These comparisons seem to prove that the use of microtremor measurements could give a good contribution for the microzonation techniques, specially in urban zones, due to the simplicity and rapidity of their acquisition.