This study is the first case in the
Sultanate of Oman aimed to take advantage of Microtremor Array Exploration for
determining shear-wave velocity structure at a site in the Sultan Qaboos
University (SQU), Muscat city, Sultanate of Oman. The Spatial Autocorrelation
(SPAC) method that uses array observation of Microtremors was performed to
determine dispersion curve of surface-wave phase velocity in the frequency
range from 2.5 Hz to 9.5 Hz. An inversion technique was applied to convert it to
shear wave velocity profile of the examined site. The estimated shear wave
velocity at the maximum survey depth (80 m) is bigger than 900 m/s and the
average shear wave velocity in the upper 30m (AVS30) is 379 m/s. Then National
Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) approach is applied for site
classification. Consequently, the site is classified āCā of NEHRP index (360
m/s < AVS30 < 760 m/s) and the ground consists of mostly stiff soil. In
conclusion, our results support the idea that SPAC method with NEHRP approach
is very useful tool for site classification and then for seismic microzonation
studies of Muscat city.