Seismic Velocity Measurements at Expanded Seismic Network Sites

Other · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2005

OSTI ID:1233237

Woolery, Edward W ^[1]; Wang, Zhenming ^[2]

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1. KY Geological Survey, Univ of KY; USDOE Portsmouth/Paducah Project Office
2. KY Geological Survey, Univ of KY

Structures at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP), as well as at other locations in the northern Jackson Purchase of western Kentucky may be subjected to large far-field earthquake ground motions from the New Madrid seismic zone, as well as those from small and moderate-sized local events. The resultant ground motion a particular structure is exposed from such event will be a consequence of the earthquake magnitude, the structures' proximity to the event, and the dynamic and geometrical characteristics of the thick soils upon which they are, of necessity, constructed. This investigation evaluated the latter. Downhole and surface (i.e., refraction and reflection) seismic velocity data were collected at the Kentucky Seismic and Strong-Motion Network expansion sites in the vicinity of the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) to define the dynamic properties of the deep sediment overburden that can produce modifying effects on earthquake waves. These effects are manifested as modifications of the earthquake waves' amplitude, frequency, and duration. Each of these three ground motion manifestations is also fundamental to the assessment of secondary earthquake engineering hazards such as liquefaction.

• Research Organization: Kentucky Research Consortium for Energy and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Environmental Management (EM)
• DOE Contract Number: FG05-03OR23032
• OSTI ID: 1233237
• Report Number(s): UK/KRCEE Doc #: 8.3 2005; UK/KRCEE doc#: 8.3 2005
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
Jackson purchase seismology Paducah New Madrid kentucky