Regional-scale shear-wave velocity profiles for ground response analyses and uncertainty evaluations - the Piedmont region (northwest Italy) database

Abstract

Ground response analyses using a statistically representative sample of soil and rock profiles are typically used to estimate earthquake ground motions and, in turn, the seismic hazard of a particular area of study. With this aim shear-wave velocity (Vs) properties of the profiles are of paramount importance given that uncertainty in this parameter plays a major role in ground motion prediction and in its variability. Usually, stochastic procedures are adopted to model this uncertainty, and several stochastic approaches have been developed. These approaches should, however, be calibrated on detailed geological-geomorphological information and specific Vs profile databases. Within this context, the present paper aims to provide a new extensive database of Vs profiles over the Piedmont region (northwest Italy). These data are obtained through a specific workflow developed for their evaluation at the regional scale, merging the information of specific geological-geomorphological modelling and a devoted geophysical data collection. The obtained database (10.5281/zenodo.13685087, Comina et al., 2024) could be used as the basis of Vs randomization approaches in different geological contexts as well, and results from the specific data analyses performed could be adopted as a reference for similar materials in analogous geological contexts.