A physical model study of scattering of waves by aligned cracks: Comparison between experiment and theory

Journal Article · Thu Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1993 · Geophysical Prospecting; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2478.1993.tb00573.x· OSTI ID:6077622

Ass'ad, J M; McDonald, J A; Kusky, T M; Jech, J ^[1]; Tatham, R H ^[2]

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1. Univ. of Houston, TX (United States)
2. Texaco Inc., Houston, TX (United States)

An approximation to plane-wave propagation through a composite material is examined using a physical model with oriented but randomly distributed penny-shaped rubber inclusions within an isotropic epoxy resin matrix. A pulse transmission method is used to determine velocities of shear and compressional waves as a function of angle of incidence and crack density. The experimental and theoretical results of Hudson were compared and limitations within the crack parameters used in this study have been determined. Results from both polarized shear waves (S1, S2) compare favorably with the theory for a composite with up to 7% crack density, but theory and experiment diverge at higher crack densities. On the other hand, compressional-wave velocities at low crack densities (1% and 3%) compare favorably with the theory. It is also shown that the velocity ratio V[sub p]/V[sub s] for two extreme cases, i.e. propagation normal and parallel to the cracks, as a function of crack density and porosity, has a strong directional dependence.

• OSTI ID: 6077622
• Journal Information: Geophysical Prospecting; (United States), Vol. 41:3; ISSN 0016-8025
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
SEISMIC EFFECTS
SEISMIC WAVES
SCATTERING
WAVE PROPAGATION
BENCH-SCALE EXPERIMENTS
GEOLOGIC STRATA
ISOTROPY
RESINS
SEISMIC SURVEYS
VELOCITY
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
POLYMERS
SURVEYS
580000* - Geosciences