Near surface shear velocity values in Almeria city from seismic refraction surveys

It is a well-known phenomenon that earthquake ground motion can be amplified by local site conditions. In this paper we present the results of distribution of shallow shear-wave velocity in depth in Almeria city. In our study, several S-wave refraction surveys were performed. The SR-waves have been generated using hitting a side of a plank which was firmly contacted with ground by placing a big weight. The observational system used has 4 seismometers. Four shots were made for each seismometer array pattem and then, seismometers were removed for a new recording test. Totallenght ofthe surveying lines was 45 or 50 meters. The shear velocity values ofthe ground vary from 1689 mis in hard rock to 298 mis in soft soil. These results are useful for understanding the uppermost soil characteristics and are used for soil classification.