Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Theoretical study for induced seismic wave propagation across rock masses during underground exploitation

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Geomechanics and Geophysics for Geo-Energy and Geo-Resources Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

During underground energy and resource exploitation, seismicity is unavoidably triggered and may cause potential hazard in civil engineering. Hence, induced seismic wave propagation across rock masses plays a crucial role in geophysics, mining and geothermal energy exploitation. The upper rock mass commonly consists of multiple layers with different depths and different distributions of joints. Each layered rock mass usually influences wave propagation and results in the time delay and amplitude attenuation when an incident wave impinges on the rock mass. At large scale, the rock mass can be treated as an equivalent continuous medium. The equation for wave propagation across a rock mass is first derived when the rock mass is equivalent as a viscoelastic medium. The seismic quality factor is taken into account. Next, considering that joints dominate the mechanical properties of rock mass, the relation between the seismic quality factor and the joint parameters such as joint distribution density and stiffness is analyzed. Then, the equation of seismic wave propagation across layered rock masses is derived. Finally, the parameter study about the effects of the character of layered rock masses and the frequency of induced seismic wave on the transmission coefficients is discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aki K, Richards PG (1980) Quantitative seismology: theory and methods, vol 1. WH Freeman & Co, San Francisco

    Google Scholar 

  • Barton N (2007) Rock quality, seismic velocity, attenuation and anisotropy. Taylor & Francis Group, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Carcione JM (2007) Wave fields in real media: theory and numerical simulation of wave propagation in anisotropic, an elastic, porous and electromagenetic media. Elserier, Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

  • Carcione JM, Kosloff D, Kosloff R (1988) Wave propagation simulation in a linear viscoelastic medium. Geophys J Int 95(3):597–611

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Červený V, Pšenčík I (2008) Quality factor Q in dissipative anisotropic media. Geophys 73(4):T63–T75

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clouser RH, Langston CA (1991) Q p  − Q s relation in sedimentary basin using converted phases. Bull Seism Soc Am 81(3):733–750

    Google Scholar 

  • Cook NGW (1992) Natural joint in rock: mechanical, hydraulic and seismic behavior and properties under normal stress. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 29(3):198–223

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cormier VF (1989) Seismic attenuation: observation and measurement. In: James DE (ed) Geophysics. Springer, New York, pp 1005–1018

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Fan LF, Ren F, Ma GW (2012) Experimental study on viscoelastic behavior of sedimentary rock under dynamic loading. Rock Mech Rock Eng 45(3):433–438

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fossum AF (1985) Effective elastic properties for a randomly jointed rock mass. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 22(6):467–470

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hu YX, Liu SC, Dong W (1996) Earthquake engineering (structural engineering: mechanics and design). CRC Press, Boca Raton

    Google Scholar 

  • Kolsky H (1953) Stress waves in solids. Oxford University Press, London

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Li JC (2013) Wave propagation across non-linear rock joints based on time-domain recursive method. Geophys J Int 193(2):970–985

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li JC, Ma GW, Zhao J (2010) An equivalent viscoelastic model for rock mass with parallel joints. J Geophys Res. doi:10.1029/2008JB006241

    Google Scholar 

  • Li JC, Li HB, Zhao J (2015) An improved equivalent viscoelastic model for rock mass with parallel joints. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 73:62–69

    Google Scholar 

  • Ma GW, Fan LF, Li JC (2013) Evaluation of equivalent viscoelastic medium methods for stress wave propagation in jointed rock mass. Int J Numer Anal Methods Geomech 37:701–715

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller RK (1977) An approximate method of analysis of the transmission of elastic waves through a frictional boundary. J Appl Mech 44(4):652–656

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Mohamad ET, Armaghani DJ, Momeni E (2015) Prediction of the unconfined compressive strength of soft rocks: a PSO-based ANN approach. Bull Eng Geol Environ 74(3):745–757

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pyrak-Nolte LJ, Myer LR, Cook NGW (1990a) Transmission of seismic-waves across single natural fractures. J Geophys Res 95(B6):8617–8638

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pyrak-Nolte LJ, Myer LR, Cook NGW (1990b) Anisotropy in seismic velocities and amplitudes from multiple parallel fractures. J Geophys Res 95(B7):11345–11358

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schoenberg M (1980) Elastic wave behavior across linear slip interfaces. J Acoust Soc Am 68(5):1516–1521

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Schoenberg M, Muir F (1989) A calculus for finely layered anisotropic media. Geophysics 54(5):581–589

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sheshenin SV, Kalinin EV, Bujakov MI (1997) Equivalent properties of rock strata: static and dynamic analysis. Int J Numer Anal Methods Geomech 21:569–579

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh B, Ranjith PG, Chandrasekharam D, Viete D, Singh HK, Lashin A, Arifi NA (2015) Thermo-mechanical properties of Bundelkhank granite near Jhansi, India. Geomech Geophys Geo Energy Geo Resour 1:35–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thomsen L (1986) Weak elastic anisotropy. Geophysics 31:265–295

    Google Scholar 

  • Winkler K, Nur A (1982) Seismic attenuation: effects of pore fluids and frictional sliding. Geophysics 47(1):1–15

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xu T, Yang TH, Chen CF, Liu HL, Yu QL (2015) Mining induced strata movement and roof behavior in underground coal mine. Geomech Geophys Geo Energy Geo Resour 1:79–89

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao J, Cai JG (2001) Transmission of elastic P-waves across single fractures with a nonlinear normal deformational behavior. Rock Mech Rock Eng 34(1):3–22

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao J, Zhao XB, Cai JG (2006) A further study of P-wave attenuation across parallel fractures with linear deformational behavior. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 43:776–788

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu JB, Zhao XB, Li JC, Zhao GF, Zhao J (2011) Normally incident wave propagation across a joint set with the virtual wave source method. J Appl Geophys 73:283–288

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu JB, Zhao XB, Wu W, Zhao J (2012) Wave propagation across rock joints filled with viscoelastic medium using modified recursive method. J Appl Geophys 86:82–87

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The study is supported by Chinese National Science Research Fund (41525009, 41272348)

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Civil Engineering, Chang’an University, Xi’an, 710064, China

    S. B. Chai

  2. State Key Laboratory of Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China

    S. B. Chai, J. C. Li, L. F. Rong & N. N. Li

  3. School of Civil Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China

    J. C. Li

Authors
  1. S. B. Chai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. C. Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. L. F. Rong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. N. N. Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J. C. Li.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chai, S.B., Li, J.C., Rong, L.F. et al. Theoretical study for induced seismic wave propagation across rock masses during underground exploitation. Geomech. Geophys. Geo-energ. Geo-resour. 3, 95–105 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40948-016-0043-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40948-016-0043-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation