Comparative review of theoretical models for elastic wave attenuation and dispersion in partially saturated rocks

Saturation of porous rocks with a mixture of two fluids (known as partial saturation) has a substantial effect on the seismic waves propagating through these rocks. In particular, partial saturation causes significant attenuation and dispersion of the propagating waves, due to wave-induced fluid flow. Such flow arises when a passing wave induces different fluid pressures in regions of rock saturated by different fluids. As partial fluid saturation can occur on different length scales, attenuation due to wave-induced fluid flow is ubiquitous. In particular, mesoscopic fluid flow due to heterogeneities occurring on a scale greater than porescale, but less than wavelength scale, is responsible for significant attenuation in the frequency range from 10 to 1000 Hz.Most models of attenuation and dispersion due to mesoscopic heterogeneities imply that fluid heterogeneities are distributed in a periodic/regular way. In 1D this corresponds to periodically alternating layering, in 3D as periodically distributed inclusions of a given shape (usually spheres). All these models yield very similar estimates of attenuation and dispersion.Experimental studies show that mesoscopic heterogeneities have less idealized distributions and that the distribution itself affects attenuation and dispersion. Therefore, theoretical models are required which would simulate the effect of more general and realistic fluid distributions.We have developed two theoretical models which simulate the effect of random distributions of mesoscopic fluid heterogeneities. The first model assumes that one fluid forms a random ensemble of spherical inclusions in a porous medium saturated by the other fluid. The attenuation and dispersion predicted by this model are very similar to those predicted for 3D periodic distribution. Attenuation (inverse quality factor) is proportional to ω at low frequencies for both distributions. This is in contrast to the 1D case, where random and periodically alternating layering shows different attenuation behaviour at low frequencies. The second model, which assumes a 3D continuous distribution of fluid heterogeneities, also predicts the same low-frequency asymptote of attenuation. However, the shapes of the frequency dependencies of attenuation are different. As the 3D continuous random approach assumes that there will be a distribution of different patch sizes, it is expected to be better suited to modelling experimental results. Further research is required in order to uncover how to relate the random functions to experimentally significant parameters.     

Interaction of multiple courses of wave‐induced fluid flow in layered porous media

Different theoretical and laboratory studies on the propagation of elastic waves in layered hydrocarbon reservoir have shown characteristic velocity dispersion and attenuation of seismic waves. The wave‐induced fluid flow between mesoscopic‐scale heterogeneities (larger than the pore size but smaller than the predominant wavelengths) is the most important cause of attenuation for frequencies below 1 kHz. Most studies on mesoscopic wave‐induced fluid flow in the seismic frequency band are based on the representative elementary volume, which does not consider interaction of fluid flow due to the symmetrical structure of representative elementary volume. However, in strongly heterogeneous media with unsymmetrical structures, different courses of wave‐induced fluid flow may lead to the interaction of the fluid flux in the seismic band; this has not yet been explored. This paper analyses the interaction of different courses of wave‐induced fluid flow in layered porous media. We apply a one‐dimensional finite‐element numerical creep test based on Biot's theory of consolidation to obtain the fluid flux in the frequency domain. The characteristic frequency of the fluid flux and the strain rate tensor are introduced to characterise the interaction of different courses of fluid flux. We also compare the behaviours of characteristic frequencies and the strain rate tensor on two scales: the local scale and the global scale. It is shown that, at the local scale, the interaction between different courses of fluid flux is a dynamic process, and the weak fluid flux and corresponding characteristic frequencies contain detailed information about the interaction of the fluid flux. At the global scale, the averaged strain rate tensor can facilitate the identification of the interaction degree of the fluid flux for the porous medium with a random distribution of mesoscopic heterogeneities, and the characteristic frequency of the fluid flux is potentially related to that of the peak attenuation. The results are helpful for the prediction of the distribution of oil–gas patches based on the statistical properties of phase velocities and attenuation in layered porous media with random disorder.     

Research note: Seismic attenuation due to wave‐induced fluid flow at microscopic and mesoscopic scales

Wave‐induced fluid flow at microscopic and mesoscopic scales arguably constitutes the major cause of intrinsic seismic attenuation throughout the exploration seismic and sonic frequency ranges. The quantitative analysis of these phenomena is, however, complicated by the fact that the governing physical processes may be dependent. The reason for this is that the presence of microscopic heterogeneities, such as micro‐cracks or broken grain contacts, causes the stiffness of the so‐called modified dry frame to be complex‐valued and frequency‐dependent, which in turn may affect the viscoelastic behaviour in response to fluid flow at mesoscopic scales. In this work, we propose a simple but effective procedure to estimate the seismic attenuation and velocity dispersion behaviour associated with wave‐induced fluid flow due to both microscopic and mesoscopic heterogeneities and discuss the results obtained for a range of pertinent scenarios.     

The influence of mesoscopic flow on the P-wave attenuation and dispersion in a porous media permeated by aligned fractures

In sedimentary rocks attenuation/dispersion is dominated by fluid-rock interactions. Wave-induced fluid flow in the pores causes energy loss through several mechanisms, and as a result attenuation is strongly frequency dependent. However, the fluid motion process governing the frequency dependent attenuation and velocity remains unclear. We propose a new approach to obtain the analytical expressions of pore pressure, relative fluxes distribution and frame displacement within the double-layer porous media based on quasi-static poroelastic theory. The dispersion equation for a P-wave propagating in a porous medium permeated by aligned fractures is given by considering fractures as thin and highly compliant layers. The influence of mesoscopic fluid flow on phase velocity dispersion and attenuation is discussed under the condition of varying fracture weakness. In this model conversion of the compression wave energy into Biot slow wave diffusion at the facture surface can result in apparent attenuation and dispersion within the usual seismic frequency band. The magnitude of velocity dispersion and attenuation of P-wave increases with increasing fracture weakness, and the relaxation peak and maximum attenuation shift towards lower frequency. Because of its periodic structure, the fractured porous media can be considered as a phononic crystal with several pass and stop bands in the high frequency band. Therefore, the velocity and attenuation of the P-wave show an oscillatory behavior with increasing frequency when resonance occurs. The evolutions of the pore pressure and the relative fluxes as a function of frequency are presented, giving more physical insight into the behavior of P-wave velocity dispersion and the attenuation of fractured porous medium due to the wave-induced mesoscopic flow. We show that the specific behavior of attenuation as function of frequency is mainly controlled by the energy dissipated per wave cycle in the background layer.     

基于数字岩心动态应力应变模拟的非均匀孔隙介质波致流固相对运动刻画

地震波传播激发的不同尺度的流固相对运动(宏观、中观和微观)是许多沉积岩地层中地震波频散和衰减的主要原因,然而野外观测和试验测量都难以对非均匀多孔介质孔隙压力弛豫物理过程进行精细刻画.通过数字岩石物理技术,本文建立了三个典型的数字岩心分别用于表征孔隙结构、岩石骨架和斑状饱和流体引起的非均质性,利用动态应力应变模拟技术计算数字岩心的位移和孔隙流体增量图像.通过分析和比较三个数字岩心的位移和孔隙压力增量图像,细致刻画了发生于非均匀含流体多孔介质内的宏观、中观和微观尺度的流固相对运动:1)宏观尺度的波致孔隙流体流动导致波长尺度上数字岩心不同区域的孔隙压力和位移差异;2)中观尺度的流体流动发生在软层与硬层之间、气层与液层之间;3)微观尺度的流体流动发生在孔隙内部或相邻孔隙之间.数值模拟试验也证明基于数字岩心的动态应力应变模拟技术可以从微观尺度上更好的理解波致孔隙流体流动发生的物理机理,从而为建立岩石骨架、孔隙流体、孔隙结构非均质性和弹性波频散-衰减特征的映射关系奠定基础.     

Effect of fracture fill on frequency‐dependent anisotropy of fractured porous rocks

In fractured reservoirs, seismic wave velocity and amplitude depend on frequency and incidence angle. Frequency dependence is believed to be principally caused by the wave‐induced flow of pore fluid at the mesoscopic scale. In recent years, two particular phenomena, i.e., patchy saturation and flow between fractures and pores, have been identified as significant mechanisms of wave‐induced flow. However, these two phenomena are studied separately. Recently, a unified model has been proposed for a porous rock with a set of aligned fractures, with pores and fractures filled with two different fluids. Existing models treat waves propagating perpendicular to the fractures. In this paper, we extend the model to all propagation angles by assuming that the flow direction is perpendicular to the layering plane and is independent of the loading direction. We first consider the limiting cases through poroelastic Backus averaging, and then we obtain the five complex and frequency‐dependent stiffness values of the equivalent transversely isotropic medium as a function of the frequency. The numerical results show that, when the bulk modulus of the fracture‐filling fluid is relatively large, the dispersion and attenuation of P‐waves are mainly caused by fractures, and the values decrease as angles increase, almost vanishing when the incidence angle is 90° (propagation parallel to the fracture plane). While the bulk modulus of fluid in fractures is much smaller than that of matrix pores, the attenuation due to the “partial saturation” mechanism makes the fluid flow from pores into fractures, which is almost independent of the incidence angle.     

介观尺度孔隙流体流动作用对纵波传播特征的影响研究——以周期性层状孔隙介质为例

介观尺度孔隙流体流动是地震频段岩石表现出较强速度频散与衰减的主要作用.利用周期性层状孔隙介质模型,基于准静态孔弹性理论给出了模型中孔隙压力、孔隙流体相对运动速度以及固体骨架位移等物理量的数学解析表达式,同时利用Biot理论将其扩展至全频段条件下,克服了传统White模型中介质分界面处流体压力不连续的假设. 在此基础上对准静态与全频段下模型介质中孔隙压力、孔隙流体相对运动速度变化形式及其对弹性波传播特征的影响进行了讨论,为更有效理解介观尺度下流体流动耗散和频散机制提供物理依据.研究结果表明,低频条件下快纵波孔压在介质层内近于定值,慢纵波通过流体扩散改变总孔隙压力, 随频率的增加慢波所形成的流体扩散作用逐渐减弱致使介质中总孔压逐渐接近于快纵波孔压,在较高频率下孔压与应力的二次耦合作用使总孔压超过快纵波孔压.介质中孔隙流体相对运动速度与慢纵波形成的流体相对运动速度变化形式一致;随频率的增加孔隙流体逐渐从排水的弛豫状态过渡到非弛豫状态,其纵波速度-含水饱和度变化形式也从符合孔隙流体均匀分布模式过渡到斑块分布模式,同时介质在不同含水饱和度下的衰减峰值与慢纵波所形成的孔隙流体相对流动速度具有明显的相关性.     

Modulus defect,velocity dispersion and attenuation in partially-saturated reservoirs of Jurassic sandstone,Indus Basin,Pakistan

Partially saturated reservoirs are one of the major sources of seismic wave attenuation, modulus defect and velocity dispersion in real seismic data. The main attenuation and dispersion phenomenon is wave induced fluid flow due to the heterogeneity in pore fluids or porous rock. The identification of pore fluid type, saturation and distribution pattern within the pore space is of great significance as several seismic and petrophysical properties of porous rocks are largely affected by fluid type, saturation and fluid distribution pattern. Based on Gassmann-Wood and Gassmann- Hill rock physics models modulus defect, velocity dispersion and attenuation in Jurassic siliclastic partially-saturated rocks are studied. For this purpose two saturation patterns - uniform and patchy - are considered within the pore spaces in two frequency regimes i.e., lower frequency and higher frequency. The results reveal that at low enough frequency where saturation of liquid and gas is uniform, the seismic velocity and bulk modulus are lower than at higher frequency where saturation of fluid mixture is in the form of patches. The velocity dispersion and attenuation is also modeled at different levels of gas saturation. It is found that the maximum attenuation and velocity dispersion is at low gas saturation. Therefore, the dispersion and attenuation can provide a potential way to predict gas saturation and can be used as a property to differentiate low from high gas saturation.     

Seismic dispersion and attenuation in layered porous rocks with fractures of varying orientations

Wave‐induced fluid flow plays an important role in affecting the seismic dispersion and attenuation of fractured porous rocks. While numerous theoretical models have been proposed for the seismic dispersion and attenuation in fractured porous rocks, most of them neglect the wave‐induced fluid flow resulting from the background anisotropy (e.g. the interlayer fluid flow between different layers) that can be normal in real reservoirs. Here, according to the theories of poroelasticity, we present an approach to study the frequency‐dependent seismic properties of more realistic and complicated rocks, i.e. horizontally and periodically layered porous rock with horizontal and randomly orienting fractures, respectively, distributed in one of the two periodical layers. The approach accounts for the dual effects of the wave‐induced fluid flow between the fractures and the background pores and between different layers (the interlayer fluid flow). Because C₃₃ (i.e., the modulus of the normally incident P‐wave) is directly related to the P‐wave velocity widely measured in the seismic exploration, and its comprehensive dispersion and attenuation are found to be most significant, we study mainly the effects of fracture properties and the stiffness contrast between the different layers on the seismic dispersion and attenuation of C₃₃. The results show that the increasing stiffness contrast enhances the interlayer fluid flow of the layered porous rocks with both horizontal and randomly orienting fractures and weakens the wave‐induced fluid flow between the fractures and the background pores, especially for the layered porous rock with horizontal fractures. The modelling results also demonstrate that for the considered rock construction, the increasing fracture density reduces the interlayer fluid flow while improves the dispersion and attenuation in the fracture‐relevant frequency band. Increasing fracture aspect ratio is found to reduce the dispersion and attenuation in the fracture‐relevant frequency band only, especially for the layered porous rock with horizontal fractures.     

含流体孔隙介质中面波的传播特性及应用

基于单相介质中地震波理论的高频面波法已广泛应用于求取浅地表S波的速度.然而水文地质条件表明,普遍的浅地表地球介质富含孔隙.孔隙中充填的流体会显著地影响面波在浅地表的传播,进而造成频散和衰减的变化.本文研究了地震勘探频段内针对含流体孔隙介质边界条件的面波的传播特性.孔隙流体在自由表面存在完全疏通、完全闭合以及部分疏通的情况.孔隙单一流体饱和时,任何流体边界条件下存在R1模式波,与弹性介质中的Rayleigh波类似,相速度稍小于S波并在地震记录中显示强振幅.由于介质的内在衰减,R1在均匀半空间中也存在频散,相速度和衰减在不同流体边界下存在差异.Biot固流耦合系数(孔隙流体黏滞度与骨架渗透率之比)控制频散的特征频率,高耦合系数会在地震勘探频带内明显消除这种差异.介质的迂曲度等其他物性参数对不同流体边界下的R1波的影响也有不同的敏感度.完全闭合和部分疏通流体边界下存在R2模式波,相速度略低于慢P波.在多数条件下,如慢P波在时频响应中难以观察到.但是在耦合系数较低时会显现,一定条件下甚至会以非物理波形式接收R1波的辐射,显示强振幅.浅表风化层低速带存在,震源激发时的运动会显著影响面波的传播.对于接收点径向运动会造成面波的Doppler频移,横向运动会造成面波的时频畸变.孔隙存在多相流体时,中观尺度下不均匀斑块饱和能很好地解释体波在地震频带内的衰减.快P波受到斑块饱和显著影响,R1波与快P波有更明显关联,与完全饱和模型中不同,也更易于等效模型建立.频散特征频率受孔隙空间不同流体成分比例变化的控制,为面波方法探测浅地表流体分布与迁移提供可能性.通常情况孔隙介质频散特征频率较高,标准线性黏弹性固体可以在相对低频的地震勘探频带内等效表征孔隙介质中R1波的传播特征,特别在时域,可在面波成像反演建模中应用.     

周期性层状含孔隙、裂隙介质模型纵波衰减特征

地震波在含孔隙、裂隙斑块饱和介质传播过程中会诱发多个尺度孔隙流体流动而产生衰减和速度频散.在含有宏观尺度“Biot流”和介观尺度“局域流”衰减诱导机制的周期性层状孔隙介质模型基础上,引入了微观尺度硬币型和尖灭型裂隙“喷射流”的影响,构建了周期性层状含孔隙、裂隙介质模型.利用双解耦弹性波动方程的方法数值计算了该模型地震频带的纵波衰减和速度频散并与周期性层状孔隙介质模型做了对比研究.分析了该模型在不同裂隙参数（裂隙密度、裂隙纵横比）及裂隙体积含量下的纵波衰减和频散特征,裂隙密度越高对于纵波衰减和频散的影响越大,裂隙纵横比越小,由裂隙引起的纵波衰减部分向高频段移动,裂隙体积含量越少,纵波衰减先降低后小幅增加再降低,频散速度增加,并逐渐接近于周期性层状孔隙介质模型的纵波衰减和频散速度曲线.最后研究了周期性层状含孔隙、裂隙介质模型有效平面波模量的高低频极限以及流固相对位移在该模型中的分布特征.     

频率域有限差分数值模拟地震波衰减和震电效应特征

地震波在地下含流体孔隙介质中传播时,会引起中观尺度的"局域流",进而产生地震波震电效应.基于Biot(1941)固结理论的准静态方程,在频率域中采用空间有限差分方法,正演模拟虚岩石物理岩样的地震波衰减和震电效应.与时间域虚岩石物理方法相比,该方法既可以直接求取任一频率下的地震波衰减和电势,便于应用于实际岩样的预测分析,也避免了讨论岩样外表面施加的力源函数表达式及时间剖分稳定性条件等问题.首先利用周期性层状介质模型验证了本文所描述方法的有效性,并进一步求取分析了周期性层状介质两种不同特征单元的渗流电流密度及电势,数值模拟结果表明由中观尺度"局域流"引起的震电效应电势振幅数量级在实验室测量范围之内,随后,分析研究了四种不同高渗介质占比值的地震衰减及震电效应特征.最后,将本文提出的震电效应数值计算方法推广至二维,并求取了二维斑块饱和模型的地震波衰减、速度频散、电势的振幅和相位角数值结果.     

Effects of petrophysical parameters on attenuation and dispersion of seismic waves in the simplified poroelastic theory: Comparison between the Biot's theory and viscosity‐extended theory

The simplified macro‐equations of porous elastic media are presented based on Hickey's theory upon ignoring effects of thermomechanical coupling and fluctuations of porosity and density induced by passing waves. The macro‐equations with definite physical parameters predict two types of compressional waves (P wave) and two types of shear waves (S wave). The first types of P and S waves, similar to the fast P wave and S wave in Biot's theory, propagate with fast velocity and have relatively weak dispersion and attenuation, while the second types of waves behave as diffusive modes due to their distinct dispersion and strong attenuation. The second S wave resulting from the bulk and shear viscous loss within pore fluid is slower than the second P wave but with strong attenuation at lower frequencies. Based on the simplified porous elastic equations, the effects of petrophysical parameters (permeability, porosity, coupling density and fluid viscosity) on the velocity dispersion and attenuation of P and S waves are studied in brine‐saturated sandstone compared with the results of Biot's theory. The results show that the dispersion and attenuation of P waves in simplified theory are stronger than those of Biot's theory and appear at slightly lower frequencies because of the existence of bulk and shear viscous loss within pore fluid. The properties of the first S wave are almost consistent with the S wave in Biot's theory, while the second S wave not included in Biot's theory even dies off around its source due to its extremely strong attenuation. The permeability and porosity have an obvious impact on the velocity dispersion and attenuation of both P and S waves. Higher permeabilities make the peaks of attenuation shift towards lower frequencies. Higher porosities correspond to higher dispersion and attenuation. Moreover, the inertial coupling between fluid and solid induces weak velocity dispersion and attenuation of both P and S waves at higher frequencies, whereas the fluid viscosity dominates the dispersion and attenuation in a macroscopic porous medium. Besides, the heavy oil sand is used to investigate the influence of high viscous fluid on the dispersion and attenuation of both P and S waves. The dispersion and attenuation in heavy oil sand are stronger than those in brine‐saturated sandstone due to the considerable shear viscosity of heavy oil. Seismic properties are strongly influenced by the fluid viscosity; thus, viscosity should be included in fluid properties to explain solid–fluid combination behaviour properly.     

Angular and Frequency-Dependent Wave Velocity and Attenuation in Fractured Porous Media

Wave-induced fluid flow generates a dominant attenuation mechanism in porous media. It consists of energy loss due to P-wave conversion to Biot (diffusive) modes at mesoscopic-scale inhomogeneities. Fractured poroelastic media show significant attenuation and velocity dispersion due to this mechanism. The theory has first been developed for the symmetry axis of the equivalent transversely isotropic (TI) medium corresponding to a poroelastic medium containing planar fractures. In this work, we consider the theory for all propagation angles by obtaining the five complex and frequency-dependent stiffnesses of the equivalent TI medium as a function of frequency. We assume that the flow direction is perpendicular to the layering plane and is independent of the loading direction. As a consequence, the behaviour of the medium can be described by a single relaxation function. We first consider the limiting case of an open (highly permeable) fracture of negligible thickness. We then compute the associated wave velocities and quality factors as a function of the propagation direction (phase and ray angles) and frequency. The location of the relaxation peak depends on the distance between fractures (the mesoscopic distance), viscosity, permeability and fractures compliances. The flow induced by wave propagation affects the quasi-shear (qS) wave with levels of attenuation similar to those of the quasi-compressional (qP) wave. On the other hand, a general fracture can be modeled as a sequence of poroelastic layers, where one of the layers is very thin. Modeling fractures of different thickness filled with CO₂ embedded in a background medium saturated with a stiffer fluid also shows considerable attenuation and velocity dispersion. If the fracture and background frames are the same, the equivalent medium is isotropic, but strong wave anisotropy occurs in the case of a frameless and highly permeable fracture material, for instance a suspension of solid particles in the fluid.     

Propagation of seismic waves in patchy-saturated porous media: double-porosity representation

Propagation of harmonic plane waves is studied in a patchy-saturated porous medium. Patchy distribution of the two immiscible fluids is considered in a porous frame with uniform skeletal properties. A composition of two types of patches, connected through continuous paths, constitutes a double-porosity medium. Different compressibilities of pore-fluids in two porous phases facilitate the wave-induced fluid-flow in this composite material. Constitutive relations are considered with frequency-dependent complex elastic coefficients, which define the dissipative behaviour of porous aggregate due to the flow of viscous fluid in connected patches. Relevant equations of motion are solved to explain the propagation of three compressional waves and one shear wave in patchy-saturated porous solids. A numerical example is solved to illustrate dispersion in phase velocity and quality factor of attenuated waves in patchy-saturated porous materials. Role of fluid–solid inertial coupling in Darcy's law is emphasized to keep a check on the dispersion of wave velocities in the porous composite. Effects of patchy saturation on phase velocities and quality factors of attenuation are analysed using the double-porosity formulation as well as the reduced single-porosity equivalents.     

Laboratory measurements of seismic attenuation and Young's modulus dispersion in a partially and fully water‐saturated porous sample made of sintered borosilicate glass

We measured the extensional‐mode attenuation and Young's modulus in a porous sample made of sintered borosilicate glass at microseismic to seismic frequencies (0.05–50 Hz) using the forced oscillation method. Partial saturation was achieved by water imbibition, varying the water saturation from an initial dry state up to ～99%, and by gas exsolution from an initially fully water‐saturated state down to ～99%. During forced oscillations of the sample effective stresses up to 10 MPa were applied. We observe frequency‐dependent attenuation, with a peak at 1–5 Hz, for ～99% water saturation achieved both by imbibition and by gas exsolution. The magnitude of this attenuation peak is consistently reduced with increasing fluid pressure and is largely insensitive to changes in effective stress. Similar observations have recently been attributed to wave‐induced gas exsolution–dissolution. At full water saturation, the left‐hand side of an attenuation curve, with a peak beyond the highest measured frequency, is observed at 3 MPa effective stress, while at 10 MPa effective stress the measured attenuation is negligible. This observation is consistent with wave‐induced fluid flow associated with mesoscopic compressibility contrasts in the sample's frame. These variations in compressibility could be due to fractures and/or compaction bands that formed between separate sets of forced‐oscillation experiments in response to the applied stresses. The agreement of the measured frequency‐dependent attenuation and Young's modulus with the Kramers–Kronig relations and additional data analyses indicate the good quality of the measurements. Our observations point to the complex interplay between structural and fluid heterogeneities on the measured seismic attenuation and they illustrate how these heterogeneities can facilitate the dominance of one attenuation mechanism over another.     

Reflection and transmission of attenuated waves at the boundary between two dissimilar poroelastic solids saturated with two immiscible viscous fluids

The phenomenon of reflection and transmission of plane harmonic waves at the plane interface between two dissimilar poroelastic solids saturated with two immiscible viscous fluids is investigated. Both porous media are considered dissipative due to the presence of viscosity in pore‐fluids. Four attenuated (three dilatational and one shear) waves propagate in such a dissipative porous medium. A finite non‐dimensional parameter is used to define the effective connections between the surface‐pores of two media at their common interface. Another finite parameter represents the gas‐share in the saturation of pores. An attenuated wave in a dissipative medium is described through the specification of directions of propagation and maximum attenuation. A general representation of an attenuated wave is defined through its inhomogeneous propagation, i.e., different directions for propagation and attenuation. Incidence of an inhomogeneous wave is considered at the interface between two dissipative porous solids. This results in four reflected and four transmitted inhomogeneous waves. Expressions are derived for the partition of incident energy among the reflected and transmitted waves. Numerical examples are studied to determine the effects of saturating pore fluid, frequency, surface‐pore connections and wave inhomogeneity on the strengths of reflected and transmitted waves. Interaction energy due to the interference of different (inhomogeneous) waves is calculated in both the dissipative porous media to verify the conservation of incident energy.     

Viscoelastic representation of surface waves in patchy saturated poroelastic media

Wave-induced flow is observed as the dominated factor for P wave propagation at seismic frequencies. This mechanism has a mesoscopic scale nature. The inhomogeneous unsaturated patches are regarded larger than the pore size, but smaller than the wavelength. Surface wave, e.g., Rayleigh wave, which propagates along the free surface, generated by the interfering of body waves is also affected by the mesoscopic loss mechanisms. Recent studies have reported that the effect of the wave-induced flow in wave propagation shows a relaxation behavior. Viscoelastic equivalent relaxation function associated with the wave mode can describe the kinetic nature of the attenuation. In this paper, the equivalent viscoelastic relaxation functions are extended to take into account the free surface for the Rayleigh surface wave propagation in patchy saturated poroelastic media. Numerical results for the frequency-dependent velocity and attenuation and the time-dependent dynamical responses for the equivalent Rayleigh surface wave propagation along an interface between vacuum and patchy saturated porous media are reported in the low-frequency range (0.1–1,000 Hz). The results show that the dispersion and attenuation and kinetic characteristics of the mesoscopic loss effect for the surface wave can be effectively represented in the equivalent viscoelastic media. The simulation of surface wave propagation within mesoscopic patches requires solving Biot’s differential equations in very small grid spaces, involving the conversion of the fast P wave energy diffusion into the Biot slow wave. This procedure requires a very large amount of computer consumption. An efficient equivalent approach for this patchy saturated poroelastic media shows a more convenient way to solve the single phase viscoelastic differential equations.     

含混合裂隙、孔隙介质的纵波衰减规律研究

地下多孔介质中的孔隙类型复杂多样,既有硬孔又有扁平的软孔.针对复杂孔隙介质,假设多孔介质中同时含有球型硬孔和两种不同产状的裂隙(硬币型、尖灭型裂隙),当孔隙介质承载载荷时,考虑两种不同类型的裂隙对于孔隙流体压力的影响,建立起Biot理论框架下饱和流体情况含混合裂隙、孔隙介质的弹性波动方程,并进一步求取了饱和流体情况下仅由裂隙引起流体流动时的含混合裂隙、孔隙介质的体积模量和剪切模量,随后,在此基础上讨论了含混合裂隙、孔隙介质在封闭条件下地震波衰减和频散的高低频极限表达式.最后计算了给定模型的地震波衰减和频散,发现地震波衰减曲线呈现"多峰"现象,速度曲线为"多频段"频散.针对该模型分析讨论了渗透率参数、裂隙纵横比参数以及流体黏滞性参数对于地震波衰减和频散的影响,表明三个参数均为频率控制参数.     

含泥质低孔渗各向异性黏弹性介质中的波频散和衰减研究

本文定义了各向异性黏弹性参数修正因子,并将其引入到黏弹性模型中以体现泥质含量对黏弹性机制的影响,同时将波传播过程中孔隙介质骨架黏弹性力学机制与两种孔隙流体流动力学机制（Biot流动和喷射流动机制）有机地统一起来处理,从而给出了描述含泥质低孔渗孔隙各向异性介质中波传播规律的黏弹性Biot/squirt (BISQ)模型.数值计算结果表明,入射波的方位角、各向异性渗透率以及泥质含量等对含流体复杂孔隙介质中波频散和衰减的影响具有显著的方位各向异性特征,在低频范围内（地震波勘探频率）黏弹性力学机制对波传播能量的衰减起主导作用.