UCLA

We investigate the ability of 1-D ground response simulations to match observed levels of site amplification from California vertical arrays. Using 10 vertical arrays, we find simulations to best match data using a VS-based damping model from the literature. We find a higher percentage of California sites, as compared to KiK-net sites from Japan, to have a reasonable match of empirical and theoretical transfer function shapes. The empirical transfer functions also have a greater degree of event-to-event consistency than has been found previously in Japan. Cases with poor matches highlight that 1-D simulations can fail to accurately model site response.