Identification of rock mass characteristics using microtremor in the boring hole

• Inversion method to identify rock mass characteristics using microtremor is applied.
• Microtremor measurements are conducted in the boring hole.
• A high rock slope site in west of Shanghai city is applied as a case study.

An identification analysis method of the rock mass characteristics is proposed using microtremor measurements in the boring hole. The method is based on the assumption that the epicenter of incident waves of each observation point in the same boring hole almost agrees. And the calculations are deconvoluted by the multiple reflection theory. The procedure applicable to the identification of the average elastic characteristics of in situ rock masses is presented. It is based on the minimization of an error function representing the difference between microtremor measurements performed on the rock mass and the corresponding data obtained by a numerical analysis subjected to known external actions. The method requires the formulation of the elasticity inverse problem and is based on the least square minimization procedure. As an example the approach has been applied to the identification of the dynamic properties and the predominant characteristics of the rock mass underlying a deep excavated quarry in west of Shanghai city. The inverted rock mass characteristics are compared with the PS logs at the sites and show consistency, confirming that the proposed inversion is promising.