2024 Faculty Courses School of Environment and Society Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Graduate major in Urban Design and Built Environment
Microtremor Survey Techniques using Theory of Stochastic Process
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Urban Design and Built Environment
- Instructor(s)
- Hitoshi Morikawa
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 5-6 Tue
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- UDE.S531
- Number of credits
- 100
- Course offered
- 2024
- Offered quarter
- 2Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 14, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course discusses a technique named spatial auto-correlation (SPAC) method, which estimates phase velocity from microtremor data, on a basis of theory of stochastic process. Array observation of microtremors is useful technique to estimate ground structure through the phase velocity of surface waves. SPAC method is one of most popular techniques for the objective. After introducing the physics and theory of surface waves, the methods are discussed to estimate the phase velocity using vertical component and three components of microtremors. Furthermore, generalization of the SPAC method is shown as advanced techniques.
The grading policy is based on a project and its presentation and resume. For the project, the following topic is requested: (1) numerical simulation for propagation of microtremors, under given power spectrum and dispersion curve, (2) estimation of phase velocity using SPAC method, (3) comparing estimated phase velocities with given dispersion curve, (4) discussion of the reason of the errors.
Course description and aims
Students will have the following skills and knowledge after finishing this course:
(1) Students can understand physical meaning of phase velocity.
(2) Students can understand the theoretical background of SPAC method for Rayleigh wave, and can estimate phase velocities using their own program code.
(3) Students can understand the theoretical background of SPAC method for Love wave.
(4) Students can understand generalization of the SPAC method.
Keywords
phase velocity, dispersion curve, spatial auto-correlation (SPAC) method, surface wave, Rayleigh wave, Love wave
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Important points will be provided by documents. Details will be understood through the project.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Surface wave and phase velocity, on the project, Formulation of spatial auto-correlation (SPAC) method --- for vertical component | what's surface wave, definition of phase velocity, about the project, formulation of SPAC method for vertical component, spectral representation of microtremors |
| Class 2 | Solution of spatial auto-correlation (SPAC) method --- for vertical component | solution of SPAC method for vertical component, SPAC coefficients, First kind of Bessel function with 0th order, estimation of phase velocity |
| Class 3 | Generalization of SPAC method by Cho et al. | generalization of SPAC method by Cho et al. |
| Class 4 | Formulation of spatial auto-correlation (SPAC) method --- for vertical and horizontal components | formulation of SPAC method for three components, Rayleigh and Love waves |
| Class 5 | Solution of spatial auto-correlation (SPAC) method --- for vertical and horizontal components | solution of SPAC method for three components, SPAC coefficients, First kind of Bessel function with 1st order, estimation of phase velocity |
| Class 6 | Generalization of SPAC method by the representation using complex coherence function (CCF) | generalization of SPAC method using CCF |
| Class 7 | Presentation and discussion of the project | Presentation and discussion of the project |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Leon Cohen, "Time Frequency Analysis: Theory and Applications," Prentice Hall, 1994.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
H. Morikawa：morikawa.h.aa@m.titech.ac.jp
Evaluation methods and criteria
A project is proposed at the first lecture of the course. Students should develop their own program codes to solve the given problems and present their results at the final class of this course. Students' knowledge of the topics on this course will be assessed through presentation and resume of the project.
Related courses
- UDE.S431 ： Basics of Stochastic Process for Earthquake Engineering
Prerequisites
Basics of Stochastic Process for Earthquake Engineering (UDE.S431) is strongly required. Programming skills and environment for numerical calculation are required.
Other
The contents and schedule will be changed to adjust students' understanding.