Transferring technology for surface-wave testing and seismic site-response analysis in Haiti

Haiti is one of the most impoverished nations in the world and is highly susceptible to earthquakes. An important part of seismic design is the measurement of the dynamic properties of soil and calculation of site-specific seismic site response. However, there is a capability gap in that geoscientists in Haiti might not be trained to carry out a proper analysis. A humanitarian project sponsored by the Society of Exploration Geophysicists Foundation program Geoscientists Without Borders was conducted to address that deficiency. The scope of the project included field geophysical seismic surface-wave testing at selected sites in Haiti, calculation of shear-wave velocity profiles, and calculation of seismic site response. A user's manual was written and given to a humanitarian engineering group active in Haiti along with the equipment used to perform field testing at the conclusion of the project. Efforts such as this enhance the self-sufficiency of Haiti with respect to seismic design, which ultimately will result in reduced loss of life during future earthquakes.