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Finite element reverse time migration imaging in tunnels using an unstructured mesh

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Abstract

Wave field extrapolation is critical in reverse time migration (RTM). At present, wavefield extrapolation in RTM imaging for tunnels is mostly carried out via the finite difference method. However, complex tunnel models, such as those for karst and fault fracture zones, are constructed using regular grids with straight curves which can easily cause numerical dispersion and reduce imaging accuracy. In this study, the wavefield extrapolation for tunnel RTM was conducted using the finite element method, where an unstructured mesh is employed as the body-fitted partition in a complex model. The Poynting vector calculation equation suitable for the unstructured mesh finite element method was established to suppress low-frequency noise interference. The tunnel space was considered during the wavefield extrapolation to suppress mirror artefacts by using the flexibility of mesh generation. Finally, the influence of the survey layouts (one-sidewall and two-sidewall) on the tunnel imaging results was explored. The RTM results for a simple tunnel model with an inclined interface show that the method based on unstructured meshes can effectively suppress low-frequency noise and mirror artefacts, thus obtaining clearer imaging results. Also, the two-sidewall tunnel survey layout more accurately obtains the real position of the inclined interface ahead of the tunnel face. Complex tunnel numerical modelling and actual data migration results further illustrate the effectiveness of the finite element unstructured mesh method.

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Acknowledgements

We would thank members of the Hubei Subsurface Multi-scale Imaging Key Laboratory for their assistance in data acquisition.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Civil Engineering, Shijiazhuang Tiedao University, Shijiazhuang, 050043, China

    Jing Wang & Yi-Fan Huang

  2. Key Laboratory of Roads and Railway Engineering Safety Control (Shijiazhuang Tiedao University), Ministry of Education, Shijiazhuang, 050043, China

    Jing Wang & Yi-Fan Huang

  3. Hebei Technology and innovation center on safe and efficient mining of metal mines, Shijiazhuang Tiedao University, Shijiazhuang, 050043, China

    Jing Wang & Yi-Fan Huang

  4. Hubei Subsurface Multi-scale Imaging Key Laboratory, Institute of Geophysics and Geomatics, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China

    Jiang-Ping Liu

  5. College of Marine Science and Technology, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China

    Fei Cheng

  6. Beijing Research Institute of Uranium Geology, Beijing, 100029, China

    Huai-Jie Yang

Authors
  1. Jing Wang
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  2. Jiang-Ping Liu
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  3. Fei Cheng
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  4. Huai-Jie Yang
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  5. Yi-Fan Huang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jiang-Ping Liu.

Additional information

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 41804145, 41704146) and Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province (D2018210168) and Project of Hebei Province Higher Educational Science and Technology Program (QN2019185).

Wang Jing is a lecturer at Shijiazhuang Tiedao University. He received his PhD in 2017 from China University of Geosciences (Wuhan). His research interests are seismic wave numerical simulation and migration imaging.

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Wang, J., Liu, JP., Cheng, F. et al. Finite element reverse time migration imaging in tunnels using an unstructured mesh. Appl. Geophys. (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11770-018-0716-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11770-018-0716-3

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