( • ... 4 • •

} - : I . \ .. : ; ..

commonwealth or l.Ulsaachusetts Department of Public Works

li • F • callahan, Commissioner

u. s. Department of the Interior Geological Survey

w. E. Wrather, Director

. /1 '- ( •.• ,J- 1~ - '\.\.~~ .... c~ ·q'.:~ v :

Cooperative Geologic Projeot

SUPPLEm:NTARr REPORt'

Geologic Interpretation of Seismic Data

Relocation of Route 2, Shelburne Falla

in Shelburne, lfass.

by "

James E. Uaynard, Geologist, u. s. Geological Survey

and

Rev. Daniel Linehan, s. J., Seismologist, Weston College

4 pages ot ter 2 plates

Boston, Mass.

Seismic Series i ----

SUPPLEL:E!ITl..RY REPORT

Geologic Interpretation of Seismic Dat~

Relocation of Route 2, Shelburne Falls

in Shelburne, Mass.

by

James E. Maynard, Geologist, u. s. Geological Surve,y

and

Rev. Daniel Linehan, s. J., Seismologist, ·aston College

General statement

In June 1945 a seismic st udy was made for the projected Halligan Avenue

out. stations 364-374, Route 2 relocation i n Shelburne, Mass . Nine profiles

were run at th~ time and a report on th~ work was submitted by Jarees E.

·'aynard and Rev . Danie l Linehan (file report of July 1945) . As e. result of

/ a consul t ation with the State Bngineers in August 1948, the proposed center~

line of the road wa s relccated so as to be in a more favorable position . This

new location is shaNn as alternate center-line number 2 on the plan of the

seismic t r averses . A cut approximately 1600 feet long is planned between

stations 364 and 380. The approximate maximum depths of the out are:

17 feet at station 365 24 " " " 368+50 23 " " " 371+50 12 II " II 372+50

8 II II " 375+00

Between stations 375+80 nnd 379+50 the depth of the cut gradually decreases

from 8 feet to 0 feet. In order to obtain additional infor~tion on subsurface

conditions at this site, especially along tne segment of the relocated cente~

line where outs are to be the deepest, a supplementar:r program of seismic studi es

was undertaken.

- 1 -

The wo r k was done in October 1946 as a part of o. cooper at i ve pro r am

of the Ua ssachusetts Depurtment of Public orks and the United tates

Geological Survey.

Seismic Traverses

The locations of the traverses, together with those made during the

earlier study, are shown on the plan, sheet 1. The shot points of the

traverses made in June 1945 are indicated by asterisks.

I n 1948 seven additional traverses were made as follows: four consecu-

tive traverses~Y-V, 220 feet long ; V- S, 200 feet lang; S-T, 220 feet long;

ana T-U, 1 65 feet long -.Yiere made as close to the centertline as possible.

Shot point Y was located 59 fe et to the right (east) of station 372+85; -: /U ·• ·1 '

'I 12 feet to the rig;ht ( east ) of ste.tion 3"'Jrt70; S 8 f eet to the right (east)

of station 368+90; T 34 foet to the left (west ) of station 366+55; and

U 40 feet to the left (west) of s t ation 364+90.

Two consecutive travers es Z- AA and AA- BB , ea ch 110 feet long; , were run

to the right (east) of the new center-tline in the vicinity of one of the

deeper s ee;ments of the pr op osed cut. Sh ot point Z was located 93 feet to

the right (east) of station 370+22; AA 84 feet to the rieht (east) of

stat· on 369+22; and shot point BB 38 feet to the right (east) of stt:t ion

368+21.

Cross t r aver se '-X, 155 feet long, was loce.ted with shot point W

112 feet to the right (east) of station 366+32 and shot point X 43 feet to

the left (west) of station 366+04 .

- 2 -

.Depths to BedrocJ.:

Because of anoJMloua and inadequate velocity data , it was n ot thoue;ht

dvisable to attet:1pt to calculate depths to bedrock at the shot points . The

following figures represent only ~he minimum thiQkness9s of the surficial

JUlteriala at these points:

s, 22 f eet T, 33 II

u, 30 n

v, 33 II

Y, 40 " x, 46 " l , 46 II

z, 35 .. AA, 26 n

BB, 26 II

Geolo gic Interpretation of Seismic Data

The interpretat ive geolo gic sections as constructed from the surface

geology and the new se ' smio data are s hown on sheet 2. For the most part,

the higm1ay locat~on appears to be within an area of gravel and sand that

oo~ oses a terrace deposit on an irregular bedrock surface. As indicated in

the sections, how ever, the higher and steep 3r parts of t he location may be

underlain by bouldery till . Generalized minim m thicknesses of the surficial

materials are suggested by dotted lines in a ll the sections. The velocity

data were insufficient or too erratic to pennit an interpretation of the

position and shape of the bedrock surfac e between the shot point s. but it is

probe.ble that the surface is quite irregular. For many of the traverses

several of the detectors toward the end of the profile away from the shot

point either failed to register or p roduc~d velocity points that were

anoma.lo'..l s and impossible to interpret with accuracy. This conditi •,· was \A......... ,

brought about by a combinat ion of poor en~egi trans~ission and the necessity

for lower ing the sensitivity of the seismograph because of a nearuy high-

- 3 -

voltage pmver lin~ .

The subsurfa.ce information yielded by thi s study, howeve r.., integr ated

with that obtained from the previous investigation strongly suggests that

no bedrock will be found withi!l the limits of most of the proposed cut;

some knobs , ridges1 or pinnacles may ocour in the bottom of the out between

stations 368+00 and 9+50.

Many large angular blooks and boulders of rock will probably be found

in the cut, especially between stations 364+50 and 367+00.

Further seismic work is not recommended for this with the present

Equipment until some means can be found to eliminate the adverse effects of

the high voltage transmission line.

- 4 -

N~

316--~Appro.rimolt loco lion of ol!,nolt c~nltr lint No. 2 375 ---..

374-- y

PLAN OF TRAVERSES

SCALE ' I I tlC H • 100 FEET

Le:tt• · , re' rr 1 ~nt' ' , o 1'1!$ ol tn cH; o · ::"lve r,es Numbers refer to 0. P. W. stotions on c:enterllnts ond bose l ines.

• Ttoverus modt Junt, 1945

o•

COMMO NWEA LTH OF MASSACHUSETT S DEPARTMENT Of PUBLIC WORK S

US DEPARTMENT '1f THE INTERIOR GE~LOGICAL SURVE'I'

COOPERATIVE GEOLOG IC PROJECi

INTERPRETATIVE GEOLOGIC SECTI ONS ALONG SEISM IC TRAVE RSES

v.

SHELBURNE ROUTE NO. 2

SHELBURNE FALLS BY-PASS - STAS. 364 - 374

SC.A L E I INCH ~ FEET

s r-o1 ooc nt

App o renl \of oSm i C: Yfi(ICt ly (i ts) in lut per ucond

GEOL'JGY av · JAMES E MAYNARD

SEISM IC DATA BY DANIEL LINEHAN, 5 J

ENGINEERING BY THOMAS COLEMAN

DATE' OCT. 1948 SHEE T I n r 2

'· .i COMU ON'N EA LTH OF MASSACHUSFTfS

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WQQt<.S

US OEDARTM ENT " " HE Nl EHI')R .. ,E Jl~)(i i CAL ::;1,.,PVE Y

COOF( RJ.TI\E GEOL 'JG IC Pf.IOJ[ C'

600 y~---------~L~--.!.__r I~" _ .. ~----.. ~ .. - .. "" ""~,,~ ,.., --·-· ~· -· "' ' _ ,,= "·-·· --~=~~==-=-=-:=-:-:--==~:-:-07=--

T

.,

60

550

l I Minimum .'/Jidn'n 01 swlici~l malu/als_-:-. . . .... .•. , . . , . .•.•.... . ... t;oorn sand ond growl, or ~''Y Joost bouldtry I ill, or both

Wt/1• ~~~~~~~~~~~.::·~~":~~ :~:~~~-~~~ -~~ ~~~~~~~~!."!!'.~~~~D_~S.~ 0 •• ' ' ' 00000 ' ·••••'' ''' hOo • -••• • ,, ,, , , • • • • •' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' '

0 0

'

0

' •• • • •

0 0 0 0 0 0

•'' • o

0

,, 0 0 0 0 • V, 2000-2200 fi./UC,

ln/trstc/lon W·X

I • ln l l'rst'Ci iOn

0 -£

I

t 0

·· ·· ··· Minimum tlli'dntss of surficial molt;i~i$ :.; ······· ·

Sand and gro~ll or l'tr]' Joou bouldtq 1111, or boM V, 2000 -2200 11./UCS.

... . /!f.l.n.l r.rt.IJ.f1). !~~C.~~~~s of svr!Jc/ol mol~no/s .. .. soc

B~covs~ of mod~quol~ and onomolous s~ismic dolo, r:olcvlol~d d~plhs 10 brdrock o,. nol shown on lh#s' s~cfions; incomplrlr rvid~nc~ 6uggul~ lhol i l may bl os much os 50 lr~l /"/ott fM svrlou along m?sl of 1111s s~r:t,on

z

600 600

1/nlr~l/on

Sond ondgrov~l V, 2200 11./srq. I

Sondondgro '"' ~ 2200 11./S«f. 550 550

500 500

B~drock svrfocr probably b1/ow Ill~ r l•11olions shown b)' lh~ dollrd lin~

450,_-------------------- ---r----------------------~·4SO 0 110 220

PLAN OF TRAVERSES

SCALE: I IN CH • FEET

letters refer to $ F\Ot po. nts or eno~ of lroversu

420

NOTE' Tttf seismic doto show• that the surf icial materials ex tend ot11eos t to depths rtprntnled by the dot ted lines .,

1 Lints' A·B, D·E, and O·R not stlown titre wer~ nismic t raverses run i n 1945.

600

550

500

, --640

W . X

} oo

~·~ · · · . . . Sond ond gro11r l ~ ......._

1 . . "• · ·,. V, /500 fl./SUS . ...

r::c~~~':s ":}'1':r~'fc,.o, m~~~;;tit!~... Lsaa

- 45C BOo

81drock svrfocr moy br somrwhol brlow l ht eluoi: - ~· ~ions sllown by tilt! dolfttl line

450,_ ________________________________ ~- 4 50

0 155

INTERPRETATIVE GEOLOGIC SECT IONS ALONG SEISMIC TRAV ERSES

SHELBURNE ROIJTE NO 2 ~-------------------L-------------------

V-

SHELBURNE FALLS BY-PASS - STA'3. 364-374

SCA LE I IN CH • 40 f ( (T

Apo o• en! \ ! • 'im lt Yoe l<;c!l -, (r f$)

.r' fto::f per \tcond

GEO L:> GY BY JAME S E MAYNAR D

SE tSMIC OA1A BY DANIE L LINEHAN, 5 J

ENGIN(ERING 9Y TH OMAS COLE MI1N

DATE: OCT. 1948 I S HE:.. 2 N 2