MASW

The technique is based on the recording of seismic waves that roll much like a seawave along the surface and extend down to depth beneath the survey line. At each new location it is essential to carry out initial tests to determine optimum acquisition parameters including geophone spacing and shot offset distances. Usually an hammer and plate or buffalo gun is used as the seismic source with the latter offering more power for difficult sites. Surface waves travel more slowly than other seismic signals and are recorded by comparison over long time intervals. The recorded data are first processed to produce dispersion curves for each shot. These curves are then modelled individually to produce 1D depth profiles of shear wave velocity and then combined to produce a depth cross-section revealing the shear wave velocity structure of the ground.