Case studies

The basic principles of geophysical prospection and data analysis can be applied also to structures different from the geological ones. We invite you to explore some of these applications in the on-line courses (in English) that we are planning for 2021 and we wish you a new year full of new experiments and findings.

During the last AEGC 2019, our exclusive Australian representative, Resource Potentials, was awarded for the best ‘Minerals’ and best ‘Environment/Engineering’ paper.

Some of these papers can be downloaded below.

Measuring the dynamic behavior of a structure is a mandatory step in the tuning and validation phase of any numerical model. However, the ways in which this experimental assessment is undertaken are many and not all fruitful. In this paper the authors briefly review the basic principles of the dynamic characterization of bridges and the most common acquisition practices that can lead to wrong conclusions, through a set of examples.

Matera, European capital of Culture 2019. Tromino^® contributed to the pride of the town: It was employed for the dynamic characterization of some bridges, built for the occasion.

Tromino^® has been using for several years in the experimental modal analysis of hundreds of structures in the whole world. Ask us for some examples…

The MoHo training course activity on surface-wave seismic techniques continues also abroad. Here is the calendar.

Fortescue Metals has recently studied the applicability of the HVSR method to the assessment of mining embankment integrity.

Embankments are common features in mine sites, necessary for tailings storage, surface water management or general infrastructure such as dewatering ponds. Even though their construction methodology can largely vary, the degree of compaction is a fundamental property to be assessed during the construction and to be monitored over time.

The geometry of embankments is usually very well known, thanks to high precision topographic surveys: this allows to use the HVSR method to estimate the average shear wave velocities of different embankment parts, as shown in this report. The shear wave velocities can in turn be linked to the levees’ degree of compaction and to discriminate stable embankments from altering ones over time.

An intriguing presentation given by dr. Jayson Meyers (Resource Potential, Perth, Australia) that illustrates how passive seismic and other geophysical methods identify a young meteorite crater in Archaean greenstone of the Coolgardie Goldfield (Western Australia).

Good quarry design depends upon a ground model that reliably defines the quality, volume and spatial distribution of resource and waste. Most ground models are based on boreholes, sometimes with additional 2D or 3D control provided by ‘traditional’ geophysical surveys such as microgravity, resistivity and active seismic. However, for logistical and economic reasons, these may not always be practical options for site investigations.
A new article published by some authors from the British Geological Survey showcases ‘passive’ seismic survey as a rapid alternative means of imaging the subsurface.

A study of the site amplification in the Kathmandu valley  during the 2015 M7.6 Gorkha, Nepal earthquake, has recently been published in the Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering (2016, vol. 14, p. 3301-3315) by Sarah Tallett-Williams  et al. The study was performed by using as a main tool a Tromino^®  donated to the mission by MoHo srl.  

A new paper has been published on the complementarity of the H/V and dispersion curves, with practical insights (Geophysics,  Nov. 2016). Write us (support@moho.world) for further information.