Assessment and interpretation of cross- and down-hole seismograms at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant

This paper is an assessment and interpretation of cross-and down-hole seismograms recorded at four sites in the vicinity of the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP). Arrival times of shear (S-) and compressional (P-) waves are recorded on these seismograms in milliseconds. Together with known distances between energy sources and seismometers lowered into boreholes, these arrival times are used to calculate S- and P-wave velocities in unconsolidated soils and sediments that overlie bedrock approximately 320 ft beneath PGDP. The soil columns are modified after an earlier draft by ERC Environmental and Energy Services Company (ERCE), 1990. In addition to S- and P- wave velocity estimates from this paper, the soil columns contain ERCE's lithologic and other geotechnical data for unconsolidated soils and sediments from the surface to bedrock. Soil columns for Sites 1 through 4 and a site location map are in Plates 1 through 5 of Appendix 6. The velocities in the four columns are input parameters for the SHAKE computer program, a nationally recognized computer model that simulates ground response of unconsolidated materials to earthquake generated seismic waves. The results of the SHAKE simulation are combined with predicted ground responses on rock foundations (caused by a given design earthquake) to predict ground responses of facilities with foundations placed on unconsolidated materials. 3 refs