GEOPHYSICAL AND GEOTECHNICAL INVESTIGATIONS FOR GROUND RESPONSE ANALYSES

Seismic response analyses require thorough geophysical and geotechnical investigations in order to assess the mechanical and geometrical parameters of the system. Planning and selecting appropriate geophysical and geotechnical investigations are delicate tasks that require a deep knowledge of available techniques. This chapter discusses in situ and laboratory tests with particular focus on the following aspects: - comparison of different laboratory tests (monotonic and cyclic triaxial tests, resonant column tests, cyclic torsional shear tests); - comparison of different geophysical testing methods (invasive and non-invasive tests); - interplay between geological, geophysical and geotechnical investigations. Main objectives of the paper are i) to point out the multi-disciplinary character of seismic response studies and ii) to highlight capabilities and limitations of different in situ and laboratory testing methods. The chapter ends with a brief description of the lesson learnt from a case history.