The Polito Surface Wave flat-file Database (PSWD): statistical properties of test results and some inter-method comparisons

The compilation and maintenance of experimental databases are of crucial importance in all research fields, allowing for researchers to develop and test new methodologies. In this work, we present a flat-file database of experimental dispersion curves and shear wave velocity profiles, mainly from active surface wave testing, but including also data from passive surface wave testing and invasive methods. The Polito Surface Wave flat-file Database (PSWD) is a gathering of experimental measurements collected within the past 25 years at different Italian sites. Discussion on the database content is reported in this paper to evaluate some statistical properties of surface wave test results. Comparisons with other methods for shear wave velocity measurements are also considered. The main novelty of this work is the homogeneity of the PSWD in terms of processing and interpretation methods. A common processing strategy and a new inversion approach were applied to all the data in the PSWD to guarantee consistency. The PSWD can be useful for further correlation studies and is made available as a reference benchmark for the validation and verification of novel interpretation procedures by other researchers.