Near‐surface evaluation of Ball Mountain Dam, Vermont, using multi‐channel analysis of surface waves (MASW) and refraction tomography seismic methods on land‐streamer data

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Abstract

A limited seismic investigation of Ball Mountain Dam, an earthen dam near Jamaica, Vermont, was conducted using multiple seismic methods including multi‐channel analysis of surface waves (MASW), refraction tomography, and vertical seismic profiling (VSP). The refraction and MASW data were efficiently collected in one survey using a towed land streamer containing vertical‐displacement geophones and two seismic sources, a 9‐kg hammer at the beginning of the spread and a 40‐kg accelerated weight drop one spread length from the geophones, to obtain near‐ and far‐offset data sets. The quality of the seismic data for the purposes of both refraction and MASW analyses was good for near offsets, decreasing in quality at farther offsets, thus limiting the depth of investigation to about 12 m. Refraction tomography and MASW analyses provided 2D compressional (Vp) and shear‐wave (Vs) velocity sections along the dam crest and access road, which are consistent with the corresponding VSP seismic velocity estimates from nearby wells. The velocity sections helped identify zonal variations in both Vp and Vs (rigidity) properties, indicative of material heterogeneity or dynamic processes (e.g. differential settlement) at specific areas of the dam. The results indicate that refraction tomography and MASW methods are tools with significant potential for economical, non‐invasive characterization of construction materials at earthen dam sites.

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Publication type Conference Paper
Publication Subtype Conference Paper
Title Near‐surface evaluation of Ball Mountain Dam, Vermont, using multi‐channel analysis of surface waves (MASW) and refraction tomography seismic methods on land‐streamer data
DOI 10.1190/1.3255123
Year Published 2009
Language English
Publisher Society of Exploration Geophysicists
Contributing office(s) OGW Branch of Geophysics, Office of Ground Water, Toxic Substances Hydrology Program
Description 5 p.
Larger Work Type Book
Larger Work Subtype Conference publication
Larger Work Title SEG Technical Program Expanded Abstracts 2009
First page 1454
Last page 1458
Country United States
State Vermont
City Jamaica
Other Geospatial Ball Mountain Dam
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