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Reverse time migration imaging of tunnels via the finite element method using an unstructured mesh

  • Engineering geophysics
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Abstract

Wavefield extrapolation is critical in reverse time migration (RTM). The finite difference method is primarily used to achieve wavefield extrapolation in case of the RTM imaging of tunnels. However, complex tunnel models, including those for karsts and fault fracture zones, are constructed using regular grids with straight curves, which can cause numerical dispersion and reduce the imaging accuracy. In this study, wavefield extrapolation was conducted for tunnel RTM using the finite element method, wherein an unstructured mesh was considered to be the body-fitted partition in a complex model. Further, a Poynting vector calculation equation suitable for the unstructured mesh considered in the finite element method was established to suppress the interference owing to low-frequency noise. The tunnel space was considered during wavefield extrapolation to suppress the mirror artifacts based on the flexibility of mesh generation. Finally, the influence of the survey layouts (one and two sidewalls) on the tunnel imaging results was investigated. The RTM results obtained for a simple tunnel model with an inclined interface demonstrate that the method based on unstructured meshes can effectively suppress the low-frequency noise and mirror artifacts, obtaining clear imaging results. Furthermore, the two-sidewall tunnel survey layout can be used to accurately obtain the real position of the inclined interface ahead of the tunnel face. The complex tunnel numerical modeling and actual data migration results denote the effectiveness of the finite element method in which an unstructured mesh is used.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 41804145, 41704146) and Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province (No. D2018210168) and Project of Hebei Province Higher Educational Science and Technology Program (No.QN2019185). thank the members of the Hubei Subsurface Multi-scale Imaging Key Laboratory for their assistance in data acquisition.

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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

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  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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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jiang-Ping Liu.

Additional information

Wang Jing is a lecturer at Shijiazhuang Tiedao University. He received his PhD in 2017 from China University of Geosciences (Wuhan). He also got his Bachelor’s degree and Maeter’s degree from China University of Geosciences (Wuhan). His undergraduate and postgraduate majors are geophysics, and his doctoral major is geodetection and information technology. His research interests are seismic wave numerical simulation and migration imaging. Emai: wangjing@stdu.edu.cn.

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Wang, J., Liu, JP., Cheng, F. et al. Reverse time migration imaging of tunnels via the finite element method using an unstructured mesh. Appl. Geophys. 17, 267–276 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11770-020-0814-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11770-020-0814-x

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