Abstract: Based on the 16 borehole histograms and velocity data in Yuxi basin, this paper statistically analyzes the relationship between the depth and shear wave velocity of the soils with different particle characteristics, and shows the empirical relationship between depth and shear wave velocity for soil breccia, gravel, round gravel, gravel sand, fine sand and silty clay within 80 m depth in Yuxi basin. It is considered that the velocity characteristics of the soil have a certain relationship with the sedimentary environment by analyzing the soil shear wave velocity of different particle size and psephicity. With shallow soil in Yuxi basin as an example, a method to estimate the shear wave velocity of boreholes is presented in this paper, which can be used in borehole without velocity data.