Reevaluating soil amplification using multi-spectral HVSR technique in La Chana Neighborhood, Granada, Spain

Abstract

This work presents a thorough reevaluation of soil amplification in the La Chana neighborhood of Granada through a pioneering application of the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio technique on seismic noise data using various spectral approaches. The research recycles old seismic noise data recorded at 34 stations with 2 Hz instruments in the year 2010, supplemented with additional measurements recorded with broadband seismometers at nearby locations in the years 2013 and 2017. Initial traditional processing identifies a narrowband dominant frequency around 1.5 Hz, attributed to artificial or anthropogenic sources. To address this, the Maximum Entropy Algorithm was implemented to smooth the spectral response below 1 Hz, and filter out frequency peaks with very narrow spectral bands, while preserving the narrowband frequency around 1.5 Hz in some records. The Thomson Multitaper method further refined the spectral ratio, emphasizing the detection and suppression of narrow frequency bands that may be related to industrial activity. The results demonstrated the reappearance of the 1.5 Hz frequency, but this time without narrow bandwidths, indicating its possible correlation with the natural ground movement. Fundamental periods, ranging from 0.45 s to 0.88 s, suggest a diverse lithological composition, indicating the presence of layers of sands, clays, conglomerates, and carbonates over a basement that represents the main impedance contrast in the area. The multispectral approach surpasses conventional methods in precision and reliability, providing valuable insights for earthquake risk assessment, urban planning, and engineering decisions in seismically active regions.