Low-frequency dilatational wave propagation through fully-saturated poroelastic media

The strong coupling of applied stress and pore fluid pressure, known as poroelasticity, is relevant to a number of applied problems arising in hydrogeology and reservoir engineering. The standard theory of poroelastic behavior in a homogeneous, isotropic, elastic porous medium saturated by a viscous, compressible fluid is due to Biot, who derived a pair of coupled partial differential equations that accurately predict the existence of two independent dilatational (compressional) wave motions, corresponding to in-phase and out-of-phase displacements of the solid and fluid phases, respectively. The Biot equations can be decoupled exactly after Fourier transformation to the frequency domain, but the resulting pair of Helmholtz equations cannot be converted to partial differential equations in the time domain and, therefore, closed-form analytical solutions of these equations in space and time variables cannot be obtained. In this paper we show that the decoupled Helmholtz equations can in fact be transformed to two independent partial differential equations in the time domain if the wave excitation frequency is very small as compared to a critical frequency equal to the kinematic viscosity of the pore fluid divided by the permeability of the porous medium. The partial differential equations found are a propagating wave equation and a dissipative wave equation, for which closed-form solutions are known under a variety of initial and boundary conditions. Numerical calculations indicate that the magnitude of the critical frequency for representative sedimentary materials containing either water or a nonaqueous phase liquid is in the kHz–MHz range, which is generally above the seismic band of frequencies. Therefore, the two partial differential equations obtained should be accurate for modeling elastic wave phenomena in fluid-saturated porous media under typical low-frequency conditions applicable to hydrogeological problems.     

基于Biot-Squirt方程的波场模拟

Biot流动和喷射流动是含流体多孔隙介质中流体流动的两种重要力学机制,对地震波和声波的传播均产生重要影响. Dvorkin和Nur提出了同时包含Biot流动和喷射流动力学机制的统一的BISQ(Biot-Squirt)模型,基于这一模型,尽管有关弹性波在多孔隙介质中的衰减和频散问题已被广泛研究,然而,基于BISQ波传播方程的波场数值模拟至今仍未见报道. 本文从同时包含两种力学机制的孔隙弹性波方程出发,利用FCT有限差分法对含流体孔隙各向同性介质中的地震波和声波进行了数值模拟,并与基于Biot流动的Biot理论之模拟结果进行比较. 数值模拟结果表明:同时包含Biot流动和喷射流动影响的地震波和声波速度比仅包含Biot流动作用的地震波和声波速度慢,慢P波的衰减比根据Biot理论模拟的慢P波衰减更强.     

基于Biot-Squirt方程的波场模拟

Biot流动和喷射流动是含流体多孔隙介质中流体流动的两种重要力学机制,对地震波和声波的传播均产生重要影响. Dvorkin和Nur提出了同时包含Biot流动和喷射流动力学机制的统一的BISQ(Biot-Squirt)模型,基于这一模型,尽管有关弹性波在多孔隙介质中的衰减和频散问题已被广泛研究,然而,基于BISQ波传播方程的波场数值模拟至今仍未见报道. 本文从同时包含两种力学机制的孔隙弹性波方程出发,利用FCT有限差分法对含流体孔隙各向同性介质中的地震波和声波进行了数值模拟,并与基于Biot流动的Biot理论之模拟结果进行比较. 数值模拟结果表明:同时包含Biot流动和喷射流动影响的地震波和声波速度比仅包含Biot流动作用的地震波和声波速度慢,慢P波的衰减比根据Biot理论模拟的慢P波衰减更强.     

Acoustic wave propagation in saturated porous media: reformulation of the Biot/Squirt flow theory

A model of wave propagation in fluid-saturated porous media is developed where the principal fluid/solid interaction mode affecting the propagation of the acoustic wave results from the conjunction of the Biot and the Squirt flow mechanism. The difference between the original Biot/Squirt (BISQ) flow theory and the new theory, which we call the reformulated BISQ, is that the average fluid pressure term appearing in the dynamic equation for a two component solid/fluid continuum is independent of squirt flow length. P-velocity and attenuation relate to measurable rock physical parameters: the Biot's poroelastic constants, porosity, permeability, pore fluid compressibility and viscosity. Modelling shows that velocity and attenuation dispersion obtained using the reformulated BISQ theory are of the same order of magnitude as those obtained using the original BISQ theory. Investigation on permeability effect on velocity and attenuation dispersion indicate that the transition zone in velocity and attenuation peak, occurring both at the relaxation frequency, shifts toward high frequency when permeability decreases. This behaviour agrees with Biot's theory prediction.     

A high-order time-domain transmitting boundary for cylindrical wave propagation problems in unbounded saturated poroelastic media

Based on the u–p formulation of Biot equation with an assumption of zero permeability coefficient, a high-order transmitting boundary is derived for cylindrical elastic wave propagation in infinite saturated porous media. By this transmitting boundary the total stresses on the truncated boundaries of a numerical model, such as a finite element model, are replaced by a set of spring, dashpot and mass elements, with some additionally introduced auxiliary degrees of freedom. The transmitting boundaries are incorporated into the DIANA SWANDYNE II program and an unconditionally stable implicit time integration algorithm is adopted. Despite the assumption made in the derivation of the transmitting boundary, numerical examples show that it can provide highly accurate results for cylindrical elastic wave propagation problems in infinite saturated porous medium in case the u–p formulation is applicable. Although the direct applications of the proposed transmitting boundary to general two dimensional wave problems in infinite saturated porous media are not highly accurate, acceptable accuracy can still be achieved by placing the transmitting boundary at relatively large distance from the wave source.     

A viscous-spring transmitting boundary for cylindrical wave propagation in saturated poroelastic media

Based on the u–U formulation of Biot equation and the assumption of zero permeability coefficient, a viscous-spring transmitting boundary which is frequency independent is derived to simulate the cylindrical elastic wave propagation in unbounded saturated porous media. By this viscous-spring boundary the effective stress and pore fluid pressure on the truncated boundary of the numerical model are replaced by a set of spring, dashpot and mass elements, and its simplified form is also given. A u–U formulation FEA program is compiled and the proposed transmitting boundaries are incorporated therein. Numerical examples show that the proposed viscous-spring boundary and its simplified form can provide accurate results for cylindrical elastic wave propagation problems with low or intermediate values of permeability or frequency content. For general two dimensional wave propagation problems, spuriously reflected waves can be greatly suppressed and acceptable accuracy can still be achieved by placing the simplified boundary at relatively large distance from the wave source.     

An absorbing boundary condition for wave propagation in saturated poroelastic media — Part II: Finite element formulation

In a finite element formulation for dynamic soil-structure interaction, an absorbing boundary condition is needed to model wave propagation towards infinity. When the soil is saturated, its dynamic behaviour can be modelled by means of Biot's poroelastic theory. In Part I (Degrande, G. & De Roeck, G., Soil Dynamics & Earthquake Eng., 1993, 12(7), 411-21), a local absorbing boundary condition for wave propagation in saturated poroelastic media has been developed. In the present paper, this boundary condition is implemented in an irreducible finite element formulation for a compressible pore fluid. Spurious reflections for oblique incident waves on the absorbing boundary contribute to the solution errors. Therefore, a spectral element method, based on classical analytical solution techniques, is used to assess the accuracy of the finite element formulation.     

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.     

Formation compaction associated with thermal cooling in geothermal reservoirs

Concepts from the Theory of Interacting Continua are employed to develop constitutive relations for thermoelastic fluid-saturated porous media; these constitutive relations are shown to be equivalent to those of Biot in isothermal limit. For uniaxial compaction, the constitutive theory is simplified to give formation compaction as a function of changes in fluid pressure and temperature. The formation compaction due to thermal cooling is equal to 3hη[(1 + v)/3(1 − v)]ΔT.     

Poroelastic finite-difference modeling for ultrasonic waves in digital porous cores

Scattering attenuation in short wavelengths has long been interesting to geophysicists. Ultrasonic coda waves, observed as the tail portion of ultrasonic wavetrains in laboratory ultrasonic measurements, are important for such studies where ultrasonic waves interact with small-scale random heterogeneities on a scale of micrometers, but often ignored as noises because of the contamination of boundary reflections from the side ends of a sample core. Numerical simulations with accurate absorbing boundary can provide insight into the effect of boundary reflections on coda waves in laboratory experiments. The simulation of wave propagation in digital and heterogeneous porous cores really challenges numerical techniques by digital image of poroelastic properties, numerical dispersion at high frequency and strong heterogeneity, and accurate absorbing boundary schemes at grazing incidence. To overcome these difficulties, we present a staggered-grid high-order finite-difference (FD) method of Biot’s poroelastic equations, with an arbitrary even-order (2L) accuracy to simulate ultrasonic wave propagation in digital porous cores with strong heterogeneity. An unsplit convolutional perfectly matched layer (CPML) absorbing boundary, which improves conventional PML methods at grazing incidence with less memory and better computational efficiency, is employed in the simulation to investigate the influence of boundary reflections on ultrasonic coda waves. Numerical experiments with saturated poroelastic media demonstrate that the 2L FD scheme with the CPML for ultrasonic wave propagation significantly improves stability conditions at strong heterogeneity and absorbing performance at grazing incidence. The boundary reflections from the artificial boundary surrounding the digital core decay fast with the increase of CPML thicknesses, almost disappearing at the CPML thickness of 15 grids. Comparisons of the resulting ultrasonic coda Q _sc values between the numerical and experimental ultrasonic S waveforms for a cylindrical rock sample demonstrate that the boundary reflection may contribute around one-third of the ultrasonic coda attenuation observed in laboratory experiments.     

Algorithms for staggered-grid computations for poroelastic,elastic, acoustic,and scalar wave equations

Heterogeneous wave equations are more complicated numerically than homogeneous wave equations, but are necessary for physical validity. A wide variety of numerical solutions of seismic wave equations is available, but most produce strong numerical artefacts and local instabilities where model parameters change rapidly. Accuracy and stability of heterogeneous equations is achieved through staggered-grid formulations. A new pseudospectral staggered-grid algorithm is developed for the poroelastic (Biot) equations. The algorithm may be reduced to handle the elastic and acoustic limits of the Biot equations. Comparisons of results from poroelastic, elastic, acoustic and scalar computations for a 2D model show that porous medium parameters may affect amplitudes significantly. The use of homogeneous wave equations for modelling of a heterogeneous medium, or of a centred rather than a staggered grid, or of simplified (e.g. acoustic) wave equations when elastic or poroelastic media are synthesized, may produce erroneous or ambiguous interpretations.     

Role of basic rheological models in determination of wave attenuation over muddy seabeds

Among rheological models for estimating the rate of dissipation of non-breaking waves in muddy seabeds, those representing viscoelastic and poroelastic behaviors are used widely. In that regard, the dependence of the wave attenuation coefficient derived from basic rheological representations of mud behavior is examined on a cursory basis. For wave attenuation due to viscoelastic muds, results based on a semi-analytical model incorporating the effects of typically thin mud layers are summarized. This and an existing model for poroelastic beds are tested against selective laboratory data. Relying on these tests, it is emphasized that fluid-like mud should be modeled as a viscoelastic fluid medium, and that only non-fluid beds can be modeled as poroelastic media. Mechanisms for energy dissipation depend on bed compactness specified by the solids volume fraction, porosity or density, and on a characteristic Péclet number defined in terms of particle size, permeability and wave frequency. Due to the role of the latter parameter, for simulation of wave attenuation the chosen rheological model for a bed of given compactness must be applicable over the expected range of wave frequency.     

基于改进BISQ机制的双相HTI介质波传播伪谱法模拟与特征分析

改进BISQ(Biot-Squirt)机制在不引入特征喷流长度的情况下,将含流体孔隙介质中Biot流动和喷射流动两种重要的力学机制有机地结合起来,且各相关参数具有明确物理意义和可实现性.本文将改进BISQ机制一维孔隙流体压力公式推广到三维具有水平对称轴横向各向同性介质(HTI介质)情况,结合裂缝各向异性理论,给出了基于改进BISQ机制的双相HTI介质模型及其二维三分量波传播方程,采用伪谱法求解该方程,进行了不同相界、不同频率以及双层地质结构情况下该类介质中波场的数值模拟与特征分析.数值模拟结果表明:伪谱法模拟精度高,压制网格频散效果好,可以得到高精度的波场快照和合成记录;基于改进BISQ机制的双相HTI介质模型兼具裂缝各向异性特征和孔隙弹性特征,其为从双相各向异性理论角度深入研究裂缝性储层的地震响应奠定了理论基础.     

Analysis of Rayleigh waves in saturated porous elastic media by finite element method

A numerical procedure for the analysis of Rayleigh waves in saturated porous elastic media is proposed by use of the finite element method. The layer stiffness matrix, the layer mass matrix and the layer damping matrix in a layered system are presented for the discretized form of the solid-fluid equilibrium equation proposed by Biot. In order to consider the influence of the permeability coefficient on the behavior of Rayleigh waves, attention is focused on the following states: ‘drained’ state, ‘undrained’ state and the states between two extremes of ‘drained’ and ‘undrained’ states. It is found from computed results that the permeability coefficient exerts a significant effect on dispersion curves and displacement distributions of Rayleigh waves in saturated porous media.     

Full frequency-range transient solution for compressional waves in a fluid-saturated viscoacoustic porous medium1

An analytical transient solution is obtained for propagation of compressional waves in a homogeneous porous dissipative medium. The solution, based on a generalization of Biot's poroelastic equations, holds for the low- and high-frequency ranges, and includes viscoelastic phenomena of a very general nature, besides the Biot relaxation mechanism. The viscodynamic operator is used to model the dynamic behaviour associated with the relative motion of the fluid in the pores at all frequency ranges. Viscoelasticity is introduced through the standard linear solid which allows the modelling of a general relaxation spectrum. The solution is used to study the influence of the material properties, such as bulk moduli, porosity, viscosity, permeability and intrinsic attenuation, on the kinematic and dynamic characteristics of the two compressional waves supported by the medium. We also obtain snapshots of the static mode arising from the diffusive behaviour of the slow wave at low frequencies.     

The reflection of plane waves in a poroelastic half-space saturated with inviscid fluid

This paper discusses surface displacements, surface strain, rocking, and energy partitioning during reflection-of-plane waves in a fluid-saturated poroelastic half-space. The medium is modeled by Biot's theory, and is assumed to be saturated with inviscid fluid. A linear porosity-modulus relation based on experimental data on sandstones is used to determine the material parameters for Biot's model. Numerical results in terms of angle of incident waves and Poisson's ratio are illustrated for various porosities and degrees of solid frame stiffness. The results show that the amount of solid frame stiffness controls the response of a fluid-saturated porous system. A poroelastic medium with essentially dry-frame stiffness behaves like an elastic medium, and the influence of pore fluid increases as dry-frame stiffness is reduced. The effects of a second P-wave become noticeable in poroelastic media with low dry-frame stiffness.     

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.     

Paraxial approximation for poroelastic media

Amongst different existing techniques developed for absorbing boundaries in transient dynamic analysis, the paraxial approximation represents an elegant framework. This approach is extended to the case of saturated porous media, which is of vital interest in many earthquake engineering problems. With respect to the frequency content of the dynamic process, several formulations exist for modelling the two-phase behaviou of soil or rock materials. The existence of a shear wave and two dilatational waves, which are standard features of porous media, is verified for the adopted formulation. The paraxial approximation is presented in the case of the u – p Biot two-phase dynamic formulation, suitable for seismic analyses and implemented by using a finite element approach. The efficiency of these boundaries is further verified through same numerical examples.     

Effects of rainfall on soil–structure system frequency: Examples based on poroelasticity and a comparison with full-scale measurements

In this paper, a simple two-dimensional soil–structure interaction model, based on Biot's theory of wave propagation in fluid saturated porous media, is used to explain the observed increase of the apparent frequencies of Millikan library in Pasadena, California, during heavy rainfall and recovery within days after the rain. These variations have been measured for small amplitude response (to microtremors and wind excitation), for which Biot's linear theory is valid. The postulated hypothesis is that the observed increases in frequency are due to the water saturation of the soil. The theoretical model used to explore this hypothesis consists of a shear wall supported by a circular foundation embedded in a poroelastic half-space. This rigid foundation model may be appropriate only for the NS response of Millikan library. This paper presents results for the foundation stiffness, and for the system response for model parameters similar to those for Millikan library (located on alluvium with shear wave velocity of about 300 m/s). The foundation impedance matrix, foundation input motion and system response are compared for dry and fully saturated half-space, with permeable and impermeable foundation. The results show that for embedded foundations, the effects of saturation on the horizontal foundation stiffness are as significant as for the vertical stiffness, contrary to what has been known for surface foundations investigated by other authors. Further, the results suggest a 1–2% increase in system frequency of the first two modes of vibration, depending on the drainage condition along the foundation–soil interface. Such increases agree qualitatively with the observations.