Numerical simulation and development of data inversion in borehole ultrasonic imaging

The major function of underground nuclear waste disposal is to avoid the migration of radionucleides towards the biosphere during their active period. This function can be deteriorated by the EDZ (excavated damaged zone) around the excavation. The EDZ analysis is therefore crucial in the performance assessment of the storage. The paper deals with the determination of the EDZ around a nuclear waste storage cavity using borehole ultrasonic imaging (azimuthal tomography). Indeed, before processing experimental data obtained with this tool, it is necessary to establish that data can be satisfactorily inverted. This analysis is based on a method that is able to sound and image the rock mass velocity field. The velocity field is numerically simulated (3D geomechanical modeling) based on an assumption on the relationship between stress and velocity fields. In order to evaluate a radial velocity profile starting from inter-sensor distance and their corresponding traveltimes, different ray tracing algorithms are tested using synthetic data. These tests led to a simple and fast approach (implemented in a Mathematica package) to process a large quantity of data.     

The excavation disturbed zone (EDZ) at Kiirunavaara mine,Sweden—by seismic measurements

The presence of an excavation disturbed zone (EDZ) around an excavation boundary can significantly affect the overall performance of the excavation and the general safety of men and equipment. Hence, it has been an important subject of research in various rock excavation projects. The EDZ is generally defined as the rock zone beyond the excavation boundary where the physical, mechanical and hydraulic properties of the rock have been significantly affected due to the excavation and redistribution of stresses. For LKAB's Kiirunavaara underground iron ore mine in Sweden, the understanding of the EDZ is essential for optimal design of rock support. With this main objective an EDZ investigation was conducted at the mine using seismic measurement techniques. Cross-hole seismics and spectral analyses of surfaces waves (SASW) were the main techniques used. Borehole Image Processing Systems (BIPS) complemented the seismic measurements. The results show that an EDZ with a thickness of 0.5–1. 0 m existed behind the boundaries of the mining drifts being investigated. The magnitude of the Young's modulus of this zone was 50% to 90% of that of the undisturbed rock.     

Radionuclide Transport Behavior in a Generic Geological Radioactive Waste Repository

We performed numerical simulations of groundwater flow and radionuclide transport to study the influence of several factors, including the ambient hydraulic gradient, groundwater pressure anomalies, and the properties of the excavation damaged zone (EDZ), on the prevailing transport mechanism (i.e., advection or molecular diffusion) in a generic nuclear waste repository within a clay‐rich geological formation. By comparing simulation results, we show that the EDZ plays a major role as a preferential flowpath for radionuclide transport. When the EDZ is not taken into account, transport is dominated by molecular diffusion in almost the totality of the simulated domain, and transport velocity is about 40% slower. Modeling results also show that a reduction in hydraulic gradient leads to a greater predominance of diffusive transport, slowing down radionuclide transport by about 30% with respect to a scenario assuming a unit gradient. In addition, inward flow caused by negative pressure anomalies in the clay‐rich formation further reduces transport velocity, enhancing the ability of the geological barrier to contain the radioactive waste. On the other hand, local high gradients associated with positive pressure anomalies can speed up radionuclide transport with respect to steady‐state flow systems having the same regional hydraulic gradients. Transport behavior was also found to be sensitive to both geometrical and hydrogeological parameters of the EDZ. Results from this work can provide useful knowledge toward correctly assessing the post‐closure safety of a geological disposal system.     

Crack healing in rocksalt via diffusion in adsorbed aqueous films: Microphysical modelling versus experiments

Microcracks within the excavation damaged or disturbed zone (EDZ) in a salt-based radioactive waste repository (or an energy storage facility) can heal/seal by mechanical closure driven by compaction creep, by surface-energy-driven processes like diffusive mass transfer, and by recrystallization. It follows that permeability evolution in the excavation damaged zone around a backfilled or plugged cavity will in the short term be dominated by mechanical closure of the cracks, while in the longer term diffusive mass transfer effects are expected to become more important. This paper describes a contribution to assessing the integrity of radioactive waste repositories sited in rocksalt formations by developing a microphysical model for single crack healing in rocksalt. More specifically, single crack healing models for cracks containing a thin adsorbed water film are developed. These microphysical models are compared with single crack healing experiments, which conclusively demonstrate diffusion controlled healing. Calibration of unknown model parameters, related to crack surface diffusivity, against the experimental data enable crack healing rates under repository conditions to be estimated. The results show that after the stress re-equilibration that follows repository sealing, crack disconnection can be expected on a timescale of a few years at laboratory humidity levels. However, much longer times are needed under very dry conditions where adsorbed aqueous films are very thin.     

岩石摩擦滑动中声发射的多普勒效应

在双剪摩擦滑动实验中可观测到声发射的多普勒效应。对于单个声发射事件，顺断裂扩展方向上的探头可记录到较短周期的初动波半周期，而在断裂扩展反方向上的探头记录则反之，在扩展过程中，声发射前续波由初始破裂引起的前激波、声源破裂扩展的扩展相和停止相组成，显示出声源破裂有一由静到动的加速过程。而在时间序列上，声发射事件存在着３个阶段：较强声发射事件发生初期，前激波时间超前较长，停止相不明显，声发射源的破裂速度较慢；第二阶段停止相突出，扩展速度加快，前激波到时超前量减小；最后，在原初始半周期处叠加了较大振幅的高频波     

Application of Kalman Filtering Techniques for Microseismic Event Detection

—?Microseismic monitoring systems are generally installed in areas of induced seismicity caused by human activity. Induced seismicity results from changes in the state of stress which may occur as a result of excavation within the rock mass in mining (i.e., rockbursts), and changes in hydrostatic pressures and rock temperatures (e.g., during fluid injection or extraction) in oil exploitation, dam construction or fluid disposal. Microseismic monitoring systems determine event locations and important source parameters such as attenuation, seismic moment, source radius, static stress drop, peak particle velocity and seismic energy. An essential part of the operation of a microseismic monitoring system is the reliable detection of microseismic events. In the absence of reliable, automated picking techniques, operators rely upon manual picking. This is time-consuming, costly and, in the presence of background noise, very prone to error. The techniques described in this paper not only permit the reliable identification of events in cluttered signal environments they have also enabled the authors to develop reliable automated event picking procedures. This opens the way to use microseismic monitoring as a cost-effective production/operations procedure. It has been the experience of the authors that in certain noisy environments, the seismic monitoring system may trigger on and subsequently acquire substantial quantities of erroneous data, due to the high energy content of the ambient noise. Digital filtering techniques need to be applied on the microseismic data so that the ambient noise is removed and event detection simplified. The monitoring of seismic acoustic emissions is a continuous, real-time process and it is desirable to implement digital filters which can also be designed in the time domain and in real-time such as the Kalman Filter. This paper presents a real-time Kalman Filter which removes the statistically describable background noise from the recorded seismic traces.     

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…     

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.      

Simulation of Unstable Fault Slip in Granite Using a Bonded-particle Model

—?A bonded-particle model is used to simulate shear-type microseismic events induced by tunnel excavation in granite. The model represents a volume of granite by an assembly of 50,000 individual particles bonded together at points of contact. A plane of weakness is included in the model and this plane is subjected to increasing shear load while the normal load across the plane is held constant. As shear stress in the model increases, bonds begin to break and small acoustic emissions (AE) result. After enough bonds have broken, macro-slip occurs across the large portions of the fault in an unstable manner. Since the model is run dynamically, seismic source information can be calculated for the simulated AE and macro-slip events. This information is compared with actual results obtained from seismic monitoring around an underground excavation. Although the modelled events exhibit larger magnitudes than the actual recorded events, there are many similarities between the model and the actual results, namely the presence of foreshocks before the macro-slip events and the patterns of energy release during loading. In particular, the model provides the ability to examine the complexity of the slip events in detail.     

Monitoring Hydrogeologlcal Conditions in Fractured Rock at the Site of Canada's Underground Research Laboratory

Atomic Energy of Canada Limited is constructing an Underground Research Laboratory (URL) at a depth of 250m in a plutonic rock body near Lac du Bonnet, Manitoba. The facility is being constructed to carry out a variety of in situ geotechnical experiments as part of the Canadian Nuclear Fuel Waste Management Program. A unique feature of the URL, in comparison to other similar facilities such as the Stripa Mine in Sweden, is that it is to be constructed below the ground water table in a previously undisturbed plutonic rock body. One of the main research objectives of the project is to develop and validate comprehensive three-dimensional models of the hydrogeology of the rock mass encompassing the URL site. These models will be used, before excavation of the URL shaft begins, to predict the hydrogeological perturbation that will be created by the excavation of the shaft and the horizontal working levels below the ground water table. As a model-validation exercise, these drawdown predictions will be compared with actual hydrogeological perturbations that will be monitored at the study area over the next several years by an extensive network of instrumented boreholes. Measurements made in an array of boreholes extending to depths of 1,000m on the 4.8 km² study area have established that the permeability distribution in three major extensive subhorizontal fracture zones controls the movement of ground water within the rock mass. Several types of multiple-interval completion systems have been installed in the boreholes to monitor the three-dimensional, physico-chemical hydrogeological conditions within the fractured rock mass. These include conventional piezometer nests and water-table wells that have been installed in shallow holes (less than 30m deep), and multiple-packer/ multiple-standpipe piezometers and multiple-interval casing systems installed in deeper holes (30 to 1,000m deep). An automated, electronic, piezometric pressure-monitoring system has been designed to collect continuous measurements from 75 isolated hydrogeological monitoring positions within the rock mass. Another 200 positions are being monitored frequently using a variety of techniques. Piezometric data have been collected from this monitoring network to establish baseline conditions prior to any excavation into the rock mass. These data have also been used to determine the steady-state, three-dimensional ground water flow regimes that exist at the URL site under natural conditions.     

从断裂力学观点探讨 b 值的物理实质

岩石试验声发射及天然地震的 b 值到底反映了什么样的物理实质,是一个长期以来引起争论的问题.本文运用断裂力学的观点和方法,研究岩石试验试件内微裂纹系中各裂纹的扩展顺序及声发射能量,由此确定整个声发射序列,并进而确定 b 值.如果假设裂纹长度的分布密度函数为 p()=B-.经过力学分析和数学推导,可得到关系式 b=3/2.由此看出:b 值的物理实质是,它反映了介质的断裂构造状态————包括介质中裂纹系的空间分布及其它影响材料中裂纹扩展的物理量(如断裂韧度、摩擦系数等)的空间分布.这一结论与大多数实验及观测结果相符.我们的研究结果与茂木清夫观点有共同之处.茂木清夫认为:介质的不均匀性是决定 b 值的重要因素.介质的不均匀性一词固然也包括了介质的断裂构造状态在内,但是本文之观点比茂木更进一步说明了问题的实质.      

Acoustic emissions associated with the formation of fracture sets in sandstone under polyaxial stress conditions‡

A polyaxial (true‐triaxial) stress‐loading system, developed originally for determining all nine components of P‐ and S‐wave velocities and attenuation and fluid permeability for 50.8 mm‐side cubic rock specimens tested to failure, has been modified to permit the measurement of acoustic emission events associated with the failure process. Results are reported for Crosland Hill sandstone tested to failure under loading conditions leading to the formation of sets of aligned microcracks, achieved by maintaining the minor principal stress at a low value while increasing the two other principal stresses until failure of the rock. An ultrasonic survey associated with the test has been employed to map the transversely‐isotropic velocity structure created by through‐going parallel fractures resulting from the sets of aligned microcracks. This velocity structure has then been employed to locate acoustic emission events recorded during the test by four acoustic emission sensors located in each of the six specimen loading platens. A selection of acoustic emission events associated with one of the fractures has been processed for moment tensor analysis information, in order to determine the source type and orientation of microcracking as the fracture grows. The mechanisms indicate tensile behaviour during initial fracture propagation. Shear failure, however, appears to dominate as the fracture finally approaches the opposite face of the cubic specimen. The work presented here has, in part, led to the development of new rock testing systems and geophysical monitoring and processing technologies that will enable laboratory study of rock behaviour under conditions better resembling those experienced in situ.     

Acoustic Emission Experiments of Rock Failure Under Load Simulating the Hypocenter Condition

A series of acoustic emission (AE) experiments of rock failure have been conducted under cyclic load in tri-axial stress tests. To simulate the hypocenter condition the specimens are loaded by the combined action of a constant stress, intended to simulate the tectonic loading, and a small sinusoidal disturbance stress, analogous to the Earth tide induced by the Sun and the Moon. Each acoustic emission signal can indicate the occurrence time, location and relative magnitude of the damage (micro-crack) in the specimen. The experimental results verified some precursors such as LURR (Load/Unload Response Ratio) and AER (Accelerating Energy Release) before macro-fracture of the samples. A new parameter, the correlation between the AE and the load, has been proposed to describe the loading history. On the eve of some strong earthquakes the correlation between the Benioff strain and the Coulomb failure stress (CFS) decreases, similar to the variation of LURR prior to strong earthquakes.     

High-resolution Mechanics of a Microearthquake Sequence

—?Unique data from microseismic (MS) and acoustic emission (AE) systems monitoring a common rock volume have been analyzed from the Underground Research Laboratory in Canada. The two 16 sensor systems were installed to investigate stress-induced microcracking around clay and concrete bulkheads as part of the Tunnel Sealing Experiment. Single and double MS events are found to be spatially associated with clusters of between 19–86 higher frequency AE events. Each AE cluster is elongated with the longest axis between 15 and 50?cm. The AE events occurring before the associated MS event are termed foreshocks, and for two of the three analyzed AE clusters an acceleration in the AE frequency and cumulative magnitude occurs upto the time of the MS event, however with one AE cluster very few foreshocks are recorded, possibly indicating a more homogeneous failure plane. Time independent moment tensors were determined with the MS events showing significant deviatoric sources. The majority of the AE events have deviatoric mechanisms with a few crack opening and crack closure type events also determined. This study highlights the benefits of using small-scale seismic systems to investigate the temporal fracture mechanics of microcrack formation, and allows comparisons with larger more damaging seismicity.     

确定岩石中先存应力状态的声发射法

对经过三向预加压的石灰岩试件所进行的试验研究表明,其声发射活动的特点与单向受力时的情况完全不同。此时,在一个试件的一次加载过程中会出现两次Kaiser效应,分别对应于载荷达到预加压时所施加的轴压与围压值之时。利用回归分析的方法来处理试验数据,可以使声发射活动对应力的响应关系用三条回归直线来近似。这三条直线的两个交点所对应的应力值,可以确定出预加压时岩石试件承受的应力状态     

Modelling Seismic Waves Around Underground Openings in Fractured Rock

—?The potential for large excavation-induced seismic events may be recognised, even if the timing of an event may be inherently unpredictable. In this case, modelling the wave propagation from a potential event could allow the dynamic motions around an excavation to be projected, and for areas of danger to be anticipated. However, the above and other potential applications require accurate models of wave interaction with the openings, as well as with the fractured rock which surrounds such excavations. This paper considers real recorded waveforms and how well these waveforms are modelled by explicit mechanical models of the source, the medium and the excavation. Models of experiments at three different scales of the problem are presented: small and large amplitude waveforms recorded around a deep-level mining tunnel in a synthetic rockburst experiment; waveforms from laboratory experiments of waves through plates of steel representing fractures; waveforms from active pulses in an acoustic emission experiment in a small volume of fractured rock at the surface of an underground excavation. The results show that elastic wave propagation around an excavation was a first approximation for small amplitude waves, but was less successful for modelling large amplitude waves and more fractured rock. Fractures in the models were represented explicitly with displacement discontinuities. Waveforms through known fracture geometries were particularly well-reproduced, and indicate the importance of fracture stiffness, the in situ stress state, and stress-dependence of the fractures in such models. Overall, the models are sufficiently successful at representing recorded behaviour, to be encouraging for the goal of representing accurate wave motions around excavations.     

Effects of mining-induced seismic events on a deep underground mine

The performance of an underground excavation at the Lucky Friday Mine that was subjected to repetitive episodes of mining-induced seismic activities is assessed. Field measurements indicate that an underground excavation may respond to mining-induced seismicity with step changes in displacement of the rock mass around the excavation or step changes in excavation closures. However, step changes in displacement or closure were also observed without the presence of mine seismic events. This behavior may be explained using the concept of stick-slip on joints or bedding planes within the rock mass. The stick-slip mechanism is believed to be controlled by the state of stresses at a joint or bedding plane. Through this mechanism, joint displacement is accumulated in a progressive fashion leading to a weakening of rock mass around an excavation. As a result, the excavation becomes less stable and therefore is more susceptible to seismic impacts. The concept of using peak particle velocity to assess damage threshold for underground excavations may not be conservative when considering the effect of rock mass fatigue.     

EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF ELASTIC-WAVE PROPAGATION IN A COLUMNAR-JOINTED ROCK MASS*

Results are presented of a series of cross-hole acoustic measurements made between four horizontal boreholes drilled from a near-surface underground opening situated in a basaltic rock mass. The objectives of the program were to assess the extent of blast damage around the opening, and to evaluate the rock mass characteristics and their spatial variation around the opening. The acoustic velocity and attenuation data are indicative of an anisotropic, jointed rock mass, with a greater intensity of jointing along travel paths in the horizontal than the vertical direction. Low acoustic P- and S-velocities are indicative of blast damage and of zones of intense jointing or fracturing. In this case blast damage extends to approximately 1.5 m from the face. Attenuation data appear to be less sensitive in distinguishing between the blast-damaged zone and intense vertical jointing and fracturing in the virgin rock mass. Taken together with field data, laboratory measurements of P- and S-wave velocities on intact core samples suggest that the rock mass is probably water saturated.     

不同应力途径下岩石的体积变化

本文介绍了对岩石在不同应力途径下的体积变化进行的实验研究。主要的应力途径有三种,并且都是首先把岩石加载到破裂前一定的应力状态,再分别三种类型加载。实验用电阻应变片测量纵向和横向应变以计算体应变。实验表明:同一种岩石在不同应力途径下膨胀效应有显著的不同。文中用辉长岩的实验数据对过密量和超膨胀量进行了估算。研究表明,过密与膨胀是应力途径变化时岩石体积变化的滞后效应。研究了B型实验过密状态出现的条件。从强度80%左右开始减小最小主应力的B型实验明显表现经历过密状态。从低应力状态(强度50%左右)和高应力状态(强度92%以上)开始减小最小应力的B型实验,岩石均未经历过密状态。最后联系地震预报问题进行了简单的讨论