Information on subsoil geological structure in the city of Catania (Eastern Sicily) from microtremor measurements

Abstract

Nakamura’s technique, or the H/V spectral ratio method, has been applied to microtremor measurements carried out in the urban area of Catania (Eastern Sicily) to obtain information on the geological structure of some sites,and to make a hypothesis on their seismic response. In general, sites located on soft soils or anthropic debris fillings have shown greater amplification at high frequencies (above 1 Hz). However, a strong lateral variation was observed in the frequency band, thus a denser grid of measurement points is necessary for a precise mapping of the resonant frequencies. In the low frequency range, between 0.1 and 1 Hz, a common peak around 0.2 Hz was observed. The fundamental resonant frequency inferred from the main peak in the H/V spectrum has been used to calculate the depth of the interface between the clays and the main reflector on the basis of the shear-wave velocity: it has been estimated as about 700 m.