Sonic logging of compressional‐wave velocities in a very slow formation

Geophysics ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 60 (6) ◽  
pp. 1627-1633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bart W. Tichelaar ◽  
Klaas W. van Luik

Borehole sonic waveforms are commonly acquired to produce logs of subsurface compressional and shear wave velocities. To this purpose, modern borehole sonic tools are usually equipped with various types of acoustic sources, i.e., monopole and dipole sources. While the dipole source has been specifically developed for measuring shear wave velocities, we found that the dipole source has an advantage over the monopole source when determining compressional wave velocities in a very slow formation consisting of unconsolidated sands with a porosity of about 35% and a shear wave velocity of about 465 m/s. In this formation, the recorded compressional refracted waves suffer from interference with another wavefield component identified as a leaky P‐wave, which hampers the determination of compressional wave velocities in the sands. For the dipole source, separation of the compressional refracted wave from the recorded waveforms is accomplished through bandpass filtering since the wavefield components appear as two distinctly separate contributions to the frequency spectrum: a compressional refracted wave centered at a frequency of 6.5 kHz and a leaky P‐wave centered at 1.3 kHz. For the monopole source, the frequency spectra of the various waveform components have considerable overlap. It is therefore not obvious what passband to choose to separate the compressional refracted wave from the monopole waveforms. The compressional wave velocity obtained for the sands from the dipole compressional refracted wave is about 2150 m/s. Phase velocities obtained for the dispersive leaky P‐wave excited by the dipole source range from 1800 m/s at 1.0 kHz to 1630 m/s at 1.6 kHz. It appears that the dipole source has an advantage over the monopole source for the data recorded in this very slow formation when separating the compressional refracted wave from the recorded waveforms to determine formation compressional wave velocities.

Geophysics ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. E1-E13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael A. Zimmer ◽  
Manika Prasad ◽  
Gary Mavko ◽  
Amos Nur

Knowledge of the pressure dependences of seismic velocities in unconsolidated sands is necessary for the remote prediction of effective pressures and for the projection of velocities to unsampled locations within shallow sand layers. We have measured the compressional- and shear-wave velocities and bulk, shear, and P-wave moduli at pressures from [Formula: see text] in a series of unconsolidated granular samples including dry and water-saturated natural sands and dry synthetic sand and glass-bead samples. The shear-wave velocities in these samples demonstrate an average pressure dependence approximately proportional to the fourth root of the effective pressure [Formula: see text], as commonly observed at lower pressures. For the compressional-wave velocities, theexponent in the pressure dependence of individual dry samples is consistently less than the exponent for the shear-wave velocity of the same sample, averaging 0.23 for the dry sands and 0.20 for the glass-bead samples. These pressure dependences are generally consistent over the entire pressure range measured. A comparison of the empirical results to theoretical predictions based on Hertz-Mindlin effective-medium models demonstrates that the theoretical models vastly overpredict the shear moduli of the dry granular frame unless the contacts are assumed to have no tangential stiffness. The models also predict a lower pressure exponent for the moduli and velocities [Formula: see text] than is generally observed in the data. We attribute this discrepancy in part to the inability of the models to account for decreases in the amount of slip or grain rotation occurring at grain-to-grain contacts with increasing pressure.


Geophysics ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 56 (12) ◽  
pp. 2129-2138 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Payne

In an effort to understand better the amplitude variation with offset for reflections from an oil sand and the sensitivity of the AVO response to shear‐wave velocity variations, I studied synthetic and field gathers collected from an onshore field in the Gulf of Mexico basin. A wave‐equation‐based modeling program generated the synthetic seismic gathers using both measured and estimated shear‐wave velocities. The measured shear‐wave velocities came from a quadrupole sonic tool. The estimated shear‐wave velocities were obtained by applying published empirical and theoretical equations which relate shear‐wave velocities to measured compressional‐wave velocities. I carefully processed the recorded seismic data with a controlled‐amplitude processing stream. Comparison of the synthetic gathers with the processed field data leads to the conclusion that the model containing the measured shear‐wave velocities matches the field data much better than the model containing the estimated shear‐wave velocities. Therefore, existing equations which relate shear‐wave velocities to compressional‐wave velocities yield estimates which are not sufficiently accurate for making quantitative comparisons of synthetic and field gathers. Even small errors in the shear‐wave velocities can have a large impact on the output. Such errors can lead to an incomplete and perhaps inaccurate understanding of the amplitude‐versus‐offset response. This situation can be remedied by collecting shear‐wave data for use in amplitude‐versus‐offset modeling, and for building databases to generate better shear‐wave velocity estimator equations.


Geophysics ◽  
1985 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 571-581 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. P. Castagna ◽  
M. L. Batzle ◽  
R. L. Eastwood

New velocity data in addition to literature data derived from sonic log, seismic, and laboratory measurements are analyzed for clastic silicate rocks. These data demonstrate simple systematic relationships between compressional and shear wave velocities. For water‐saturated clastic silicate rocks, shear wave velocity is approximately linearly related to compressional wave velocity and the compressional‐to‐shear velocity ratio decreases with increasing compressional velocity. Laboratory data for dry sandstones indicate a nearly constant compressional‐to‐shear velocity ratio with rigidity approximately equal to bulk modulus. Ideal models for regular packings of spheres and cracked solids exhibit behavior similar to the observed water‐saturated and dry trends. For dry rigidity equal to dry bulk modulus, Gassmann’s equations predict velocities in close agreement with data from the water‐saturated rock.


Geophysics ◽  
1976 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 895-921 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. R. Gregory

The influence of saturation by water, oil, gas, and mixtures of these fluids on the densities, velocities, reflection coefficients, and elastic moduli of consolidated sedimentary rocks was determined in the laboratory by ultrasonic wave propagation methods. Twenty rock samples varying in age from Pliocene to early Devonian and in porosity from 4 to 41 percent were tested under uniform pressures equivalent to subsurface depths of 0 to 18,690 ft. Fluid saturation effects on compressional‐wave velocity are much larger in low‐porosity than in high‐porosity rocks; this correlation is strengthened by elevated pressures but is absent at atmospheric pressure. At a frequency of 1 MHz, the shear‐wave velocities do not always decrease when liquid pore saturants are added to rocks as theorized by Biot; agreement with theory is dependent upon pressure, porosity, fluid‐mineral chemical interactions, and the presence of microcracks in the cementing material. Experimental results support the belief that lower compressional‐wave velocities and higher reflection coefficients are obtained in sedimentary rocks that contain gas. Replacing pore liquids with gas markedly reduces the elastic moduli of rocks, and the effect is enhanced by decreasing pressure. As a rule, the moduli decrease as the porosity increases; Poisson’s ratio is an exception to the rule. Liquid and gas saturation in consolidated rocks can also be distinguished by the ratio of compressional and shear wave velocities [Formula: see text]. The potential diagnostic value of elastic moduli in seismic exploration may stimulate interest in the use of shear‐wave reflection methods in the field.


Geophysics ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 405-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manika Prasad

Shallow water flows and over‐pressured zones are a major hazard in deepwater drilling projects. Their detection prior to drilling would save millions of dollars in lost drilling costs. I have investigated the sensitivity of seismic methods for this purpose. Using P‐wave information alone can be ambiguous, because a drop in P‐wave velocity (Vp) can be caused both by overpressure and by presence of gas. The ratio of P‐wave velocity to S‐wave velocity (Vp/Vs), which increases with overpressure and decreases with gas saturation, can help differentiate between the two cases. Since P‐wave velocity in a suspension is slightly below that of the suspending fluid and Vs=0, Vp/Vs and Poisson's ratio must increase exponentially as a load‐bearing sediment approaches a state of suspension. On the other hand, presence of gas will also decrease Vp but Vs will remain unaffected and Vp/Vs will decrease. Analyses of ultrasonic P‐ and S‐wave velocities in sands show that the Vp/Vs ratio, especially at low effective pressures, decreases rapidly with pressure. At very low pressures, Vp/Vs values can be as large as 100 and higher. Above pressures greater than 2 MPa, it plateaus and does not change much with pressure. There is significant change in signal amplitudes and frequency of shear waves below 1 MPa. The current ultrasonic data shows that Vp/Vs values can be invaluable indicators of low differential pressures.


2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (5) ◽  
pp. 1142-1149
Author(s):  
Pedro Paulo ROSSIGNOLI ◽  
Marcus Antônio Rossi FELICIANO ◽  
Bruno Watanabe MINTO ◽  
Marjury Cristina MARONEZI ◽  
Ricardo Andres Ramirez USCATEGUI ◽  
...  

The goal of this study was to describe and compare B mode and elastographic characteristics of the pectineus muscle of healthy dogs with dysplastic dogs. Thirty-one dogs (62 limbs) with hip dysplasia and 17 nondysplastic dogs (34 limbs) were evaluated. The hip dysplasia score was defined according to the Fédération Cynologique Internationale. Using B mode, echotexture and echogenicity of different regions of the pectineus muscle were evaluated. By means of ARFI elastography, qualitative (elastogram) and quantitative (shear wave velocity) tissue stiffness was assessed. B mode findings demonstrated a hyperechoic and heterogeneous pattern of the pectineus tissue in dogs with hip dysplasia, with compromised muscular delimitation and loss of its normal sonographic appearance, indicating the disease (P < 0.001). In the elastogram, it was observed that dogs with hip dysplasia showed less deformable pectineus muscle, with red colors (rigid). In quantitative evaluation, the different regions evaluated presented similar shear wave velocities; in dysplastic patients, shear wave velocities were higher compared to nondysplastic animals, with values higher than 2.85 m/s being strong indicators of the disease. Values of shear wave velocity were also influenced by the grade of dysplasia and age of the patients; however, there was no correlation with the depth of the evaluated area or body weight. It was concluded that pectineus muscle in dogs with hip dysplasia presents B mode and elastographic changes when compared to normal animals, demonstrating that these techniques might aid the evaluation of diseased dogs.


Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (21) ◽  
pp. 6291
Author(s):  
Jong-Sub Lee ◽  
Geunwoo Park ◽  
Yong-Hoon Byun ◽  
Changho Lee

A modified oedometer cell for measuring the applied stresses and elastic waves at the top and bottom of the specimen is developed to evaluate the effect of the side friction on the stress dependence of the elastic wave velocities. In the modified cell, two load cells are installed at the top and bottom plates, respectively. To generate and detect the compressional and shear waves, a pair of piezo disk elements and a pair of bender elements are mounted at both the top and bottom plates. Experimental results show that the stresses measured at the bottom are smaller than those measured at the top during the loading and vice versa during unloading, regardless of the densities and heights of the specimens. Under nearly saturated conditions, the compressional wave velocities remain almost constant for the entire stress state. With plotting stresses measured at top, the shear wave velocities during unloading are greater than those during loading, whereas with plotting stresses measured at bottom, the shear wave velocities during unloading are smaller than those during loading owing to the side friction. The vertical effective stress may be simply determined from the average values of the stresses measured at the top and bottom of the specimens.


Author(s):  
Yichuan Zhu ◽  
Zhenming Wang ◽  
N. Seth Carpenter ◽  
Edward W. Woolery ◽  
William C. Haneberg

ABSTRACT V S 30 is currently used as a key proxy to parameterize site response in engineering design and other applications. However, it has been found that VS30 is not an appropriate proxy, because it does not reliably correlate with site response. Therefore, the VS30-based National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program site maps may not capture regional site responses. In earthquake engineering, site resonance, which can be characterized by the fundamental mode with a site period (Tf) and its associated peak amplification (A0), is the primary site-response concern. Mapping Tf and A0 is thus essential for accurate regional seismic hazard assessment. We developed a 3D shear-wave velocity model for the Jackson Purchase Region of western Kentucky, based on shear-wave velocity profiles interpreted from seismic reflections and refractions, mapped geologic units, and digital-elevation-model datasets. We generated shear-wave velocity profiles at grid points with 500 m spacing from the 3D model and performed 1D linear site-response analyses to obtain Tf and A0, which we then used to construct contour maps for the study area. Our results show that Tf and A0 maps correlate with the characteristics of regional geology in terms of sediment thicknesses and their average shear-wave velocities. We also observed a strong dependency of A0 on bedrock shear-wave velocities. The mapped Tf and A0 are consistent with those estimated from borehole transfer functions and horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio analyses at broadband and strong-motion stations in the study area. Our analyses also demonstrate that the depth to bedrock (Zb) is correlated to Tf, and the average sediment shear-wave velocity (VS-avg) is correlated to A0. This implies that Zb and VS-avg may be considered as paired proxies to parameterize site resonance in the linear-elastic regime.


1990 ◽  
Vol 80 (4) ◽  
pp. 807-831 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jon B. Fletcher ◽  
Tom Fumal ◽  
Hsi-Ping Liu ◽  
Linda C. Carroll

Abstract To investigate near-surface site effects in granite rock, we drilled 300-m-deep boreholes at two sites which are collocated with stations from the digital array at Anza, California. The first borehole was sited at station KNW (Keenwild fire station), which is located along a ridge line about 8.7 km east of the San Jacinto Fault zone. Station PFO (Piñon Flat Observatory), chosen for the second site, is another 6 km further to the east of station KNW and is located on a gently sloping hillside. We logged each borehole for P- and S-wave velocities, as well as for crack density and orientation. P waves were generated by striking a plate with a hammer at the surface. A tool consisting of weighted anvils driven by compressed air against end plates along a 3.5-m beam was used to generate shear waves. Signals were recorded downhole with a three-component sensor package at 2.5-m intervals from the surface to 50 m depth, and at 5-m intervals from 50 m depth to the bottom of the hole. Velocities were determined by differencing the measured arrival times of first arrivals or peaks over each interval in depth. Travel times were computed for the first breaks at shallow depths, however, below about 100 m depth, times were computed for the first peaks rather than for first breaks since the first arrival was no longer clearly distinguishable. The KNW site yielded a shear velocity of 1.9 km/sec by only 30 m in depth and reached close to 2.6 km/sec at the bottom of the hole. P-wave velocities at KNW were also high at 5.4 km/sec starting at 120 m depth. The PFO site had similar but slightly higher shear-wave velocities. The bottom-hole shear-wave velocity reached 3.0 km/sec, and the P-wave velocity was 5.4 km/sec. Shear-wave attenuation was computed using both the pulse rise time and spectral ratio methods. At station KNW, attenuation was significant only in an interval between 17.5 and approximately 40 m in depth. Over the top 50 m, attenuation corresponding to a Q of about 8 was obtained. A total T* of 0.004 sec was measured for this interval. Pulse rise times also increased rapidly in this zone. The spectral ratio data for station PFO yields two peaks in attenuation above 50 m. Similar to the attenuation found for station KNW, the peak in attenuation corresponds to a Q of about 11, averaged over the top 50 m. Spectra of the seismic pulses produced by the hammer give good signal between 20 to 80 Hz. Significant motion perpendicular to the polarizations of the first shear-wave arrival was recorded within a few meters of the surface. Apparently, the rock structure is sufficiently complicated that body waves are being converted (SH to SV at oblique incidence) very close to the surface. The presence of these elliptical particle motions within a mere few m of the pure shear-wave source suggests that the detection of polarizations perpendicular to the main shear arrival at a single location at the surface is not, by itself, a good method for detecting shearwave splitting within the upper few tens of kilometers of the earth's crust. Crack densities and orientations were determined from televiewer records. These records showed cracks with a preferred direction at station KNW and of a greater density than at station PFO. At station PFO, crack densities were smaller and more diffuse in orientation.


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