Analysis of the shear wave velocity structure of a soft-hard interlayered rock slope based on surface wave and microtremor survey

Abstract

Abstract The information regarding the layered structure is pivotal to the stability analysis of soft-hard interlayered rock slopes. The variation in the shear wave velocity offers insights into the characteristics of the strata structure within a rock slope. In this study, a joint analysis method that combines the multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) and the microtremor surface method (MSM) was used to identify the layered structure of a soft-hard interlayered rock slope located in the Shandong Province, China. The survey lines were positioned on slope crests. For the MASW, the receivers were placed in line with an active seismic source. The MSM method uses a concentric circular array comprising seven receivers. Fundamental-mode dispersion data were extracted from the active and passive microtremor sources. The 1D velocity models were then inverted from the combined dispersion curves using a surrogate optimization algorithm. A 2D velocity profile of the investigated slope was constructed through linear interpolation, and it exhibited distinct characteristics of high- and low-velocity interlayers, consistent with the borehole data. Our results demonstrate that the joint analysis method provides a complementary approach to image velocity profiling of slopes, thus contributing to enhanced investigation depth and resolution in shallow layers owing to the wider frequency range of the dispersion curves.