SDMT Soil Testing for the Local Site Response Analysis

To evaluate the basic data for a seismic response analysis it is possible to use many direct methods to obtain the shear wave velocity profile of the soil: Down Hole, Cross Hole, SASW, MASW, etc. Among these methods, recently the use of Seismic Dilatometer Marchetti Tests (SDMT), to measure the shear wave velocity profile, was developed and used in Italy. The SDMT test shows good repeatability of the measurements and the possibility to know, at the same time, the mechanical soil characteristics in the static field. In this paper some test sites at Catania city, prone to high seismic risk, were studied to know the dynamic soil profile, among them are the "Piana di Catania - STM M6", "Monte Po", "San Giuseppe la Rena", "Villa Comunale - Bellini Garden" and "Catania Harbour" sites. Seismic Dilatometer Marchetti Tests (SDMT) have been carried out with the aim to evaluate the soil profile of shear waves velocity (Vs) in the perspective of site effects evaluation.