Ultrasonic Velocities, Acoustic Emission Characteristics and Crack Damage of Basalt and Granite

Acoustic emissions (AE), compressional (P), shear (S) wave velocities, and volumetric strain of Etna basalt and Aue granite were measured simultaneously during triaxial compression tests. Deformation-induced AE activity and velocity changes were monitored using twelve P-wave sensors and eight orthogonally polarized S-wave piezoelectric sensors; volumetric strain was measured using two pairs of orthogonal strain gages glued directly to the rock surface. P-wave velocity in basalt is about 3 km/s at atmospheric pressure, but increases by > 50% when the hydrostatic pressure is increased to 120 MPa. In granite samples initial P-wave velocity is 5 km/s and increases with pressure by < 20%. The pressure-induced changes of elastic wave speed indicate dominantly compliant low-aspect ratio pores in both materials, in addition Etna basalt also contains high-aspect ratio voids. In triaxial loading, stress-induced anisotropy of P-wave velocities was significantly higher for basalt than for granite, with vertical velocity components being faster than horizontal velocities. However, with increasing axial load, horizontal velocities show a small increase for basalt but a significant decrease for granite. Using first motion polarity we determined AE source types generated during triaxial loading of the samples. With increasing differential stress AE activity in granite and basalt increased with a significant contribution of tensile events. Close to failure the relative contribution of tensile events and horizontal wave velocities decreased significantly. A concomitant increase of double-couple events indicating shear, suggests shear cracks linking previously formed tensile cracks.     

油气田典型岩石三轴压缩变形破坏与声发射活动特征——四川盆地震旦系白云岩及页岩的破坏过程

随着二氧化碳地质封存、深部地热开采、地下储气库建设、页岩气开发、二次驱油/驱气等工业应用的快速发展,与地下流体注入有关的诱发地震活动呈现一定的增加趋势.利用声发射实验观测油气田典型岩石在三轴压缩条件下变形破坏过程与声发射活动特征,对研究注水诱发地震过程有着重要意义.本文利用四川盆地现场采集的震旦系白云岩及页岩,采用实验室声发射技术观测研究岩石三轴压缩变形破坏过程中地震波速度等物性参数及声发射事件时空分布特征.实验结果表明:震旦系白云岩及页岩在变形破坏过程中均有一定的声发射活动.根据声发射定位结果,声发射主要集中在破坏前后的较短时间内,页岩的层理面为结构弱面,控制最终破坏面的形态及声发射特征.根据应力-应变结果,白云岩在压缩的后期阶段有一定的扩容现象,但页岩在整个压缩阶段均没有明显扩容现象.研究结果表明四川盆地较古老的白云岩及页岩具有脆性破坏特征,地下流体注入容易诱发微震活动,形成裂缝,有利于页岩气压裂开采.微震活动有利于监测裂缝的发生发展,但同时在页岩气开发及二氧化碳地质封存时应采取相应的预防控制措施进行安全合理的储盖层管理,避免灾害性诱发地震的发生.     

雁列式断层组合变形过程中的声发射活动特征

着重研究拉张或挤压型雁列式断层标本变形过程中声发射(简称AE，下同)的时空演化特征. 结果表明，预置构造对AE空间分布格局具有较强的控制作用，随着差应力的增加，AE首先在两个端点附近丛集，之后向两端点连线附近集中，出现明显的破裂局部化现象，较大事件还通常集中于某一端点附近反复发生. 前期微破裂丛集图象指示后期宏观破裂的扩展方向及扩展范围. 拉张和挤压型雁列区宏观破裂方向分别与轴向应力方向垂直和平行. 雁列式断层标本变形过程中，破裂前的弱化阶段相对较长、弱化过程明显. 微破裂事件累积频次指数增长可能是系统失稳前的典型征兆之一，而雁列区宏观破裂之后，AE数量逐渐减少、应变释放相对减弱. 摩擦滑动过程中，大的粘滑失稳前未见有AE活动前兆性的增强过程.雁列区的b值变化在失稳前显示趋势性降低——快速回升这一典型的变化过程，b值降低一般发生在差应力增强过程之中，并有可能延续至弱化阶段，而快速回升则一般发生在破裂失稳前的短时期内. 对比研究表明，构造差异所导致的b值差异远大于b值随差应力的增加而产生的变化量，而对同一构造标本，力学状态的改变会导致AE序列时序特征的急剧变化，较高的加载速率对应较高的应变能释放及明显的低b值. 先期破碎带由于较低的破坏强度，其对差应力的微小变化具有特殊敏感性，从而成为源、兆分离、窗口或敏感点效应等地震活动性前兆现象的一种可能的原因.      

Spatio-temporal characteristics of acoustic emission during the deformation of rock samples with compressional and extensional en-echelon faults

Introduction By the experimental techniques of acoustic emission (AE) and surface strain observation, a lot of achievements on the study of deformation and fracture process of samples with en-echelon faults has been obtained (Bomblakis, 1973; LIU, et al, 1986; DU, et al, 1989; LI, et al, 1989; ZHANG, FANG, 1989; ZHANG, LI, 1989; MA, et al, 1995a, b; LI, et al, 2000). However, there still exist many problems. For example, most of discussion on the spatio-temporal evolution of microf…     

Initiation and Propagation of Compaction Bands in Dry and Wet Bentheim Sandstone

We investigated initiation and propagation of compaction bands (CB) in six wet and four dry Bentheim sandstone samples deformed in axial compression tests with strain rates ranging from 3.2 × 10^?8 s^?1 to 3.2 × 10^?4 s^?1. Circumferential notches with 0.8-mm width and 5-mm depth served to initiate CB at mid-sample length. Wet samples were saturated with distilled water and deformed at 195 MPa confining pressure and 10 MPa pore pressure. Dry samples were deformed at 185 MPa confining pressure. Twelve P-wave sensors, eight S-wave sensors and two pairs of orthogonally oriented strain-gages were glued to the sample surface to monitor acoustic emission (AE), velocities and local strain during the loading process. Nucleation of compaction bands is indicated by AE clusters close to the notch tips. With progressive loading, AE activity increased and AE hypocenters indicated propagation of a single CB normal to the sample axis. CB propagation from the sample periphery towards the centre was monitored. Microstructural analysis of deformed samples shows excellent agreement between location of AE clusters and CBs. In both dry and wet samples the lateral propagation of CBs was about 100 times faster than axial shortening rates. At the slowest displacement rate, AE activity during band propagation was reduced and CB nucleation in wet samples occurred at 20% lower stresses. This may indicate an increasing contribution of stress corrosion processes to the formation of the compaction bands. In dry and wet samples inelastic compaction energy per area ranged between 16 and 80 kJ m^?2. This is in good agreement with previous estimates from laboratory and field studies.     

岩石蠕变过程中声发射活动的实验研究

在常温下、单轴加压下对两种岩石完整样品进行蠕变破坏过程中声发射活动实验.根据实验获得的数据讨论了蠕变三个阶段中声发射活动特征.在瞬态蠕变阶段,随着加载,声发射活动逐渐增强;在稳态蠕变阶段,在较低的声发射活动背景上,可能出现较强的信号,声发射幅值-频度关系的 m 值可能稳定于某一低值,也可能下降;进入加速蠕变阶段,声发射活动水平增强,m 值下降加快,也可能表现为明显回升后再下降,并与岩石样品的性质有关.将蠕变破坏三个阶段中声发射活动与地震孕育过程中某些地震活动图象变化(如 b 值、前震活动)进行了联系,提出地壳岩石蠕变破坏机制形成前震——主震——(余震)型地震序列类型的可能性.      

珠江三角洲构造应力场的光弹模拟

由光弹模拟实验得到的珠江三角洲及邻区的构造应力场反映出：①几乎所有断裂都呈压剪性应力状态，其端点、闭锁点都是应力集中点，应力集中系数为７—９。②部分ＮＷ向断裂的浅部呈张性应变状态，可发生张性破裂并引起４．５级以下的地震。③以１９６２年河源６．１级地震发生时的应力状态为标准考查现今应力场后发现，本区处于无大震的稳定状态，但河源若再发生５．９级以上地震，则意味着外场力增大并超过１９６２年的水平，区内ＮＷ和ＮＥＥ向断裂均有发生６级以上地震的可能。     

A three-scale cracking criterion for drying soils

Cracking is a most unwanted development in soil structures undergoing periodic drying and wetting. Desiccation cracks arise in an apparent absence of external forces. Hence, either an internal, self-equilibrated stress pattern resulting from kinematic incompatibilities, or a stress resulting from reaction forces at the constraints appear as a cracking cause, when reaching tensile strength. At a meso-scale, tubular drying pores are considered in the vicinity of a random imperfection, inducing a stress concentration in the presence of significant pore suction. This approach allows one to use the effective stress analysis, which otherwise, away from the stress concentration, usually yields compressive effective stress and hence a physically incompatible criterion for a tensile crack. Recent experiments on idealized configurations of clusters of grains provide geometrical data suggesting that an imperfection as a result of air entry deep into the granular medium penetrates over 4 to 8 internal radii of a typical pore could yield a tensile effective stress sufficient for crack propagation.     

Thermally induced brittle deformation in oceanic lithosphere and the spacing of fracture zones

Brittle deformation of oceanic lithosphere due to thermal stress is explored with a numerical model, with an emphasis on the spacing of fracture zones. Brittle deformation is represented by localized plastic strain within a material having an elasto-visco-plastic rheology with strain softening. We show that crustal thickness, creep strength, and the rule governing plastic flow control the formation of cracks. The spacing of primary crack decreases with crustal thickness as long as it is smaller than a threshold value. Creep strength shifts the threshold such that crust with strong creep strength develops primary cracks regardless of crustal thicknesses, while only a thin crust can have primary cracks if its creep strength is low. For a thin crust, the spacing of primary cracks is inversely proportional to the creep strength, suggesting that creep strength might independently contribute to the degree of brittle deformation. Through finite versus zero dilatation in plastic strain, associated and non-associated flow rule results in nearly vertical and V-shaped cracks, respectively. Changes in the tectonic environment of a ridge system can be reflected in variation in crustal thickness, and thus related to brittle deformation. The fracture zone-free Reykjanes ridge is known to have a uniformly thick crust. The Australian-Antarctic Discordance has multiple fracture zones and thin crust. These syntheses are consistent with enhanced brittle deformation of oceanic lithosphere when the crust is thin and vice versa.     

Seismic velocity changes during fracture and frictional sliding

Fracture and frictional sliding are considered as phenomena involving brittle failure. Brittle failure is preceded by the formation of small (subcritical) cracks. In non-water-saturated rock, the distribution, shape and size of these suberitical cracks determine the change in the physical properties prior to failure. A model is proposed which suggests that the spatial and temporal distribution, shape and size of subcritical cracks within a stressed rock depend upon the rate of deformation and the volatile content.As a rock is stressed beyond about 50 percent of its ultimate failure stress, dilatancy is initiated. With increasing stress a broad zone of cracks develops within the dilatant region. The seismic velocities through this zone decrease markedly and the cracks grow more numerous., changing in size and shape. Before brittle failure of the rock occurs, the subcritical cracks interact, leading to a concentration of the zone. During the stage when the zone narrows, the seismic velocities in crease in the surrounding volume due to local rotation of stresses and consequent closure of some cracks. In most laboratory experiments the stage during which the velocity increases and the now intense deformation zone becomes narrow is very short and difficult to observe experimentally. At very low strain rates and with volatiles present, the crack growth and subsequent interaction lead to the narrowing of the intense deformation zone and therefore to an observable increase in velocity.The above is based upon an interpretation of a number of experiments. Using optical holography we have observed the development and subsequent intensification of a deformation zone. Ultrasonic velocity measurements showed a distinct anomaly (decrease followed by an increase) before failure. The anomaly was only detectable at our lowest experimental strain rates (3×10^–8/sec).     

微粒对多晶冰及冰川流变行为的影响——(Ⅰ) 基于位错的弛豫模型

为量化冰及冰川在流变过程中位错密度随流变应力的变化,发展了一个基于位错的非线性弛豫模型.模型的计算表明：在冰的指数蠕变阶段，滞弹性试验所形成的应力/应变滞后环的宽度与面积随流变应力的增加呈线性增加，位错密度随流变应力的增加呈平方增加；在冰的线性蠕变阶段，滞弹性试验所形成的应力/应变滞后环的宽度、面积和位错密度保持不变.     

The experimental study of acoustic emission during creep of rocks

Under normal temperature, the creep experiments with complete samples of Gabbro and Marble rocks are made under uniaxial compression. It is found that at the instantaneous creeping stage, AE activities increase with loading; at the steady creeping stage, large AE signals may appear at lower background of AE action, andm—value which shows the relationship between AE amplitude and frequency keeps stable on the low value or decreases; at the accelerate creeping stage, AE activities increase andm—value decreases quickly or decreases again after recovery. These experimental results are related to the quality of the samples. In this paper, AE activities during three stages of creeping process are connected with the seismic patterns (for exampleb—value, foreshocks). Finally, it is pointed out the possibility that the foreshock—mainshock—aftershock earthquake sequence has been formed by the mechanism of creep fracture of crustal rocks. The Chinese version of this paper appeared in the Chinese edition ofActa Seismologica Sinica,13, 104–112, 1991. This subject is sponsored by the Chinese Joint Seismological Science Foundation.     

雁列式断层变形与失稳过程的实验研究

利用AE(Acoustic Emission, 声发射)定位、能量-时间序列扫描, 以及动态应力、位移测量技术, 系统观测了不同雁列式断层变形失稳的时间-空间动态过程, 以期对这类地震的发生发展与相伴随的各种前兆现象有所认识.      

岩石蠕变破坏实验研究及其对地震预报的意义

通过对不同温度和围压条件下济南辉长岩的蠕变破坏实验结果和声发射特征分析,本文提出以岩石蠕变破坏应变做为岩石蠕变破坏判据。建立了岩石蠕变破坏应变的经验关系式。依据实验结果得到相应的济南辉长岩蠕变破坏应变参数,进一步探讨了预报岩石蠕变破坏和地震的方法     

A theoretical derivation of the dilatancy equation for brittle rocks based on Maxwell model

In this paper, the micro-cracks in the brittle rocks are assumed to be penny shaped and evenly distributed; the damage and dilatancy of the brittle rocks is attributed to the growth and expansion of numerous micro-cracks under the local tensile stress. A single crack’s behaviour under the local tensile stress is generalized to all cracks based on the distributed damage mechanics. The relationship between the local tensile stress and the external loading is derived based on the Maxwell model. The damage factor corresponding to the external loading is represented using the p–alpha (p–α) model. A dilatancy equation that can build up a link between the external loading and the rock dilatancy is established. A test of dilatancy of a brittle rock under triaxial compression is conducted; the comparison between experimental results and our theoretical results shows good consistency.     

In‐situ stress at a site close proximity to the Gofukuji Fault,central Japan,measured using drilling cores

The stress state near the Gofukuji Fault, central Japan, was estimated by simultaneously applying deformation rate analysis (DRA), the acoustic emission (AE) method, and AE rate analysis (AERA) to drilling core samples recovered from depths of 327 and 333 m at a site close to the fault. The obtained stress state was for a strike‐slip fault. It is predicted from the estimated stresses that a tensile stress of 6.4 ± 1.1 MPa acted on the borehole wall at 333 m depth during drilling. This is comparable to the typical tensile strength of granodiorite. The tensile stress estimated at 327 m depth is less than the tensile strength. This is consistent with observations of drilling‐induced tensile fracture (DITF) at depths between 329 and 334 m. Ratios of the shear stress to normal stress (normalized shear stress) acting on the fault are calculated to be 0.4–1.0, which are comparable to friction coefficients of rocks measured in laboratories. The large normalized shear stress may represent strength recovery of the Gofukuji Fault. The impendency of earthquake occurrence on this fault is evaluated to be high from the recurrence interval of earthquakes on the fault.     

Compressional angles of isallo stress theory for a circular-cylindrical,spherical and elliptic-cylindrical elastic inhomogeneity in an elastic medium

Summary The compressional angle of isallo stress theory for the case of a cylindrical (circular and elliptic) and spherical subsurface inhomogeneity, assuming that the conjugate fracture surfaces are inclined at a Mohr angle of 30° toward the largest compression, has been calculated. The solution for a spherical and cylindrical inclusion in an infinite medium subject to a uniform stress field (at infinity) were taken as the basis for the stress analysis. The stress angle was then calculated for the mentioned types of inclusions.     

Preliminary Study on the Horizontal Crustal Deformation in Chinese Continent

In the paper, the current strain field and stress field in Chinese continent have been discussedbased on the processed data from two GPS campaigns of national GPS network carried out inthe years of 1994 and 1996. With a principal compressional strain direction of NNE, thewestern and castern parts of Qinghai-Xizang subplate are dominated by extensional straiu andthe central Part by compressional strain. Along the southwestern segment of southeastern partof Qinghai-Xizang subplate, i. e. Yunnan area, the princiPal compressional strain direction isNW and the compressional strain is equivalent to the extensional strain in magnitude. Theprincipal compressional strain of Xinjiang subplate is mainly NNE and NE with a difference inthe strain magnitude. The principal compressional strain in North China subplate is quite effective in NE and nearly EW directions with differences along some segments. However, thecompressional strain is corresponding to the extensional strain in magnitude in most areas. Theprincipal     

Effect of Sliding Rate on the Activity of Acoustic Emission During Stable Sliding

--The mechanical and statistical characteristics of acoustic emission (AE) events during stable sliding are investigated through a laboratory experiment using a granite specimen with a pre-cut fault. Numerous AE events are found to be generated on the pre-cut fault, indicating that microscopically unstable fracture occurs during macroscopically stable sliding. The composite focal mechanism solution of AE events is determined from the first motion directions of P-waves. The determined mechanism is consistent with the double-couple one expected for the slip on the pre-cut fault. The source radii of large AE events are estimated to be about 10 mm from the widths of the first P-wave pulses. These indicate that the AE events are generated by shear fracture whose faulting area is a part of the pre-cut fault plane. The occurrence of AE events as a stochastic process approximately obeys the Poisson process, if the effect of mutually dependent events consti tuting clusters is corrected. The observed amplitude-frequency relation of AE events approximately follows a power law for a limited amplitude range. As the macroscopic sliding rate increases, the number of AE events per unit sliding distance decreases. This rate dependence of the AE activity is qualitatively consistent with the observation that the real area of contact between sliding surfaces decreases with an increase in the sliding rate as reported in the literature.     

Shear-enhanced compaction during non-linear viscous creep of porous calcite-quartz aggregates

In this paper, we extend the previous studies of semi-brittle flow of synthetic calcite-quartz aggregates to a range of temperatures and effective pressures where viscous creep occurs. Triaxial deformation experiments were performed on hot-pressed calcite-quartz aggregates containing 10, 20 and 30 wt% quartz at confining pressure of 300 MPa, pore pressures of 50-290 MPa, temperatures of 673-1073 K and strain rates of 3.0×10⁻⁵/s, 8.3×10⁻⁵/s and 3.0×10⁻⁴/s. Starting porosity varied from 5 to 9%. We made axial and volumetric strain measurements during the mechanical tests. Pore volume change was measured by monitoring the volume of pore fluid that flows out of or into the specimen at constant pore pressure. Yield stress increased with decreasing porosity and showed a dependence on effective pressure. Thus, the yield stress versus effective pressure can be described as a yield surface with negative slope that expands with decreasing porosity and increasing strain hardening, gradually approaching the envelope of strength at 10% strain, which has a positive slope. Creep of porous rock can be modeled to first order as an isolated equivalent void in an incompressible nonlinear viscous matrix. An incremental method is used to calculate the stress-strain curve of the porous material under a constant external strain rate. The numerical simulations reproduce general trends of the deformation behavior of the porous rock, such as the yield stress decreasing with increasing effective pressure and significant strain hardening at high effective pressure. The drop of yield stress with increasing porosity is modeled well, and so is the volumetric strain rate, which increases with increasing porosity.