ABSTRACT
Surface waves are scattered by alluvial valleys in their propagation path. This article presents parametric studies of amplification of Rayleigh waves in a sediment-filled valley. The results of the study show that sediment-filled valleys can significantly amplify Rayleigh waves that have a wave length shorter than twice the width of the valley. As the wavelength of the surface waves increases, the sediment-filled valley starts to ‘ride’ on the wave and the site amplification effects become less significant. For Rayleigh waves with a wavelength of the same order as the length of the valley, significant spatial variation of the motion takes place within the valley.
