Abstract
The existence of cracks in a rock mass causes the reduction of seismic wave velocity and the anisotropy of seismic wave velocity, which is characteristic for rocks with preferred orientation of cracks. The present study concerns sedimentary rocks (sandstone, limestone) and igneous rocks (basalt, granite). Studying the relationship between seismic anisotropy and cracks anisotropy in rocks I was only interested in fractures perpendicular to the layering. This allowed me to calculate two-dimensional crack tensors and velocity tensors in planes parallel to the layer surface. An application of tensor calculus enables to take into account both geometry and orientation of cracks. The obtained results confirm that the directions of major axes of second-rank velocity tensor prove the relationship consistent with predictions of theoretical models. Owing to these dependences, seismic methods can be used to study the cracks anisotropy in rocks inaccessible for direct observations.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anderson, D.L. (1989), Anisotropy. In: D.L. Anderson (ed.), Theory of the Earth, Blackwell Scientific Publications, Boston, 303–335.
Bamford, D., and K.R. Nunn (1979), In situ seismic measurement of crack anisotropy sin the carboniferous limestone of North-West England, Geophys. Prosp. 27, 2, 322–338, DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2478.1979.tb00973.x.
Dadlez, R., S. Marek, and J. Pokorski (2000), Geological Map of Poland without Cenozoic Formations, PIG, Warszawa.
Guéguen, Y., and A. Schubnel (2003), Elastic wave velocities and permability of cracked rocks, Tectonophysics 370, 163–176, DOI: 10.1016/S0040-1951(03)00184-7.
Idziak, A.F. (1992), Seismic Wave Velocity Anisotropy and its Relation to Crack Orientation of Rock Masses, Silesian Univ. Publishing, Katowice (in Polish with English abstract).
Idziak, A., and I. Stan-Kłeczek (2006), Geomechanical properties of fractured carbonate rock mass detemined by geophysical methods. In: A. Van Cotthem (ed.), Multiphysics Coupling and Long Term Behaviour in Rock Mechanics, Taylor&Francis Group, London, 551–556.
Kuster, G.T., and M.N. Toksöz (1974), Velocity and attenuation of seismic waves in two-phase media, Part I. Theoretical formulation, Geophysics 39, 587–606, DOI: 10.1190/1.1440450.
Oda, M. (1982), Fabric tensor for discontinuous geological materials, Soils Found. 22, 4, 96–108.
Oda, M. (1984), Similarity rule of crack geometry in statistically homogeneous rock masses, Mech. Mater. 3, 119–129, DOI: 10.1016/0167-6636(84)90003-6.
Oda, M., K. Suzuki, and T. Maeshibu (1984), Elastic compliance for rock-like materials, Soils Found. 24, 3, 27–40.
Stan, I., and A. Idziak (2005), Anisotropy of seismic waves velocity due to the fracturing in chosen rock mass. In: P. Koneěny (ed.), Impact of Human Activity on the Geological Environment, A.A. Balkema Publ., Londyn, 579–586.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Stan-Kłeczek, I. The role of seismic methods in investigation of rock mass. Acta Geophys. 56, 1065–1073 (2008). https://doi.org/10.2478/s11600-008-0052-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s11600-008-0052-8