Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Seismic Method
Seismic Method
١
Principles of Geophysics (250G)
(Seismic Prospecting Methods)
Compiled by
Prof. Dr. Abudeif A. Bakheit
Email : abakheit
abakheit57
57@yahoo.com
@yahoo.com
2
Seismic methods
4
Wave propagation
•Ray-
y ppaths:
Lines that show the
direction that the
seismic wave is
propagating
p p g g and are
perpendicular to the
wave front.
•Wave- front:
Is a surface of
constant wave, the
leading edge of a
wave disturbance.
Elastic
El ti wave energy spreads
d outt from
f a point
i t
5
source as an expanding sphere of energy
Terminology of Seismic Waves
Characteristics of Waves
Measurements of a wave
Wave period – the time interval
between the passage of two
successive crests
Frequency – the number of
repetitions per unit time
f = 1/T unitit is
i Hertz
H t (number
( b off
repetitions/sec)
Velocity - wave speed – time it
takes the wave front to traverse
a known distance
6
Elastic Moduli/ Elastic constants/ coefficients
Exploration
E l ti seismology
i l iis concerned
d with
ith elastic
l ti
deformation. Velocities in earth materials depend on
physical properties of earth materials such as densities
and elastic moduli.
Modulus = stress/strain
10
Poisson ‘s ratio ( , or )
11
Seismic Waves
Four most important types of waves:
Body waves -
Compressional (longitudinal, primary or P-waves)
T
Transverse ((shear,
h secondary
d or S
S-waves))
Surface waves -
Love waves (transverse, horizontal)
Rayleigh waves (circular, reverse of water wave motion)
12
Seismic Waves
Body waves
Compressional
p
(longitudinal, primary or
P-waves))
13
Types of seismic waves
Body
B d waves
Primary (P) waves
Push-pull (compress and expand) motion,
changing the volume of the intervening material
Travel through solids, liquids, and gases
14
Seismic Waves
Body waves :
transverse (shear,
(
secondary or S-waves)
15
Types of seismic waves
Body waves
Secondary (S) waves
Slower velocity than P waves
Slightly greater amplitude than P waves
Second to appear at recording station
Travels through
g solids only
y
16
Surface
Su ace Waves
a es
17
Seismic Waves
Surface waves -
Love waves:
are essentiallyy horizontallyy
polarized shear waves (SH
waves)
Love waves travel with a
slower velocity than P- or S-
waves, but faster than
Rayleigh waves.
18
Seismic Waves
Surface waves :
Raleigh waves
Also known as the Rayleigh-
Lamb Wave or "ground roll”
Particle moves in a circle or
ellipse like water waves, but
in opposite direction
If one measures particles
deeper in the material, the
particles move slower
slower, then
reach a "no movement"
depth.
Its velocity is slower than
Love waves
19
Seismic wave velocities in rocks
Material P wave Velocity (m/s) S wave Velocity (m/s)
Air 332 --
Water 1400-1500 --
Petroleum 1300-1400 --
Steel 6100 3500
Concrete 3600 2000
Granite 5500-5900 2800-3000
Basalt 6400 3200
Sandstone 1400-4300 700-2800
Limestone 5900-6100 2800-3000
Sand (Unsat.) 200-1000 80-400
Sand (Sat.) 800-2200 320-880
Clay 1000-2500 400-1000
20
Glacial Till (Sat.) 1500-2500 600-1000
Snell’s Law & Critical Refraction
•Because seismic sources radiate
waves in all directions. Some ray
m st hit interface at e
must exactly
actl the critical
angle, ic
•This critically oriented ray will then
travel along the interface between the
two layers.
•If more oblique
q than critical,, all wave
energy is reflected The reflected
energy is useful too
too.
21
E l
Exploration
ti Seismology
S i l
22
Seismic reflection
23
24
•The
Th travel
t l time
ti for
f the
th reflected
fl t d wave for
f a 2-
2
layer model can be expressed as follows.
Where :
t is the travel time
h1 is the depth to the first interface (thickness of the first layer
V1 is the velocity of seismic waves in the first layer
25
The equation
q in the last slide can be
re-formatted as
26
Seismic refraction
27
28
Travel Time curves
Refracted arrival
Direct wave
30
•At the crossover distance xcross the travel times to a
particular
ti l geophone
h are the
th same for
f the
th direct
di t wave and
d
the refracted wave, so we have
31
Reflection and refraction Travel Time curves 32
3 layers – 2 interfaces
33
34
Multilayer Seismic Refraction Travel Time curves 35
Determining
g depth
1. Using intercept time time at x =0
F one interface
For i t f – 2 layers
l
Depth Layer1
y
el Time (millisec
L2
Layer2
y
L1
Trave
Xco
Source to Geophone Distance Xco V2 -V1
L1 = Layer
y 1 D1 =
2 V2 V1
V2+V1
L2 = Layer 2
V1 = Velocity of Layer 1 = 1/Slope of L1
V2 = Velocity of Layer 2 = 1/Slope of L2
Xco =Crossover Distance 37
Velocity Model
38
Equipment:
gy Source - apparatus
Seismic energy pp for delivering
g
seismic energy into the ground
Geophones -devices
devices capable of measuring
ground motion generated by the seismic source
Seismograph - stores the ground motion detected
by a number of geophones
39
Field Procedures
• This device consists of a mass hanging on a spring. When the ground moves,
the mass (because it has inertia) remains motionless.
•Wrapped around the mass is a strand of wire. Surrounding the wire-wrapped
mass is a magnet that is fixed to the Earth.
•As the earth moves
moves, the magnet moves up and down around the massmass. The
magnetic field of this moving magnet produces an electrical voltage in the wire.
•This voltage can be amplified and recorded by a simple voltmeter. It is relatively
easy to show that the voltage recorded by the voltmeter is proportional to the
40
velocity (speed) at which the ground is moving.
•Different geophones are used for different types of survey.
• For refraction surveying the typical natural frequency is 14 Hz;
• For detailed shallow reflection 100 Hz;;
• For surface waves 1.5 Hz
• 40 Hz can capture both refraction and reflection
reflection.
41
42
43
Field Procedures
Important notes:
Spend time to know as much as possible about the local
geology
l off the
th study
t d area.
Use spread length at least 3 times the target length
Geophones must be well coupled with firm ground
Can fill holes with water before placing geophones
Lay cable along a line of equal elevation
A id very windy
Avoid i d areas and
d ttraffic
ffi noise
i
Think about the source you will be using
44
Problems interpreting refraction data
45
Problems
46
Problems
Hidden L
Hidd Layers (Blind
(Bli d Z
Zone-
thin layer with high velocity)
The travel-time curve would
show 2 layers only.
It is overtaken by the rapidly
travelingg head wave coming g
from the V2-V3 boundary.
Depth calculated would be
too shallow
47
Applications
pp of Seismic Refraction
Advantages
Determination of depth and soil/rock velocity
Infer soil competency, weathering, fractures
Acquisition and processing less expensive than reflection
Limitations
R
Resolution
l ti lless th
than reflection
fl ti surveys
Large impact source may be required
Increased rock velocity with depth required
“Hidden layers” may be detected, but possibly not interpreted
49
EARTHQUAKE SEISMOLOGY
What is an EARTHQUAKE?
50
Surface waves
Body waves
51
The effect of an
earthquake may be
manifested in any of
the
h following
f ll i forms:
f
Surface faulting,
landslides soil
landslides,
liquefaction, and
structural damage
damage.
٥٢ 52
Earthquake parameters
- Focus (hypocenter)
- Epicenter
- Focal Depth
- Epicenter
p ce te Distance
sta ce
53
Seismograph (Seismometer)
Earthquake Recording
- A seismograph, or seismometer, is an
instrument used to detect and record
earthquakes. Generally, it consists of a mass
attached to a fixed base.
-During
D i an earthquake,
th k th
the b
base moves and d
the mass does not. The motion of the base
with respect
p to the mass is commonly y
transformed into an electrical voltage. The
electrical voltage is recorded on paper,
magnetic tape
tape, or another recording
medium.
-This record is proportional to the motion of
the seismometer mass relative to the earth,
but it can be mathematically converted to a
record of the absolute motion of the ground
ground.
54
55
56
57
Foreshocks
Foreshocks are relatively smaller earthquakes that precede
the largest earthquake (mainshock) in a series.
Not all mainshocks have foreshocks.
58
Earthquakes Intensity Scale and Magnitude Scale
62
Earthquake Magnitude:
• The magnitude is a number that characterizes the relative size of an
earthquake.
q Magnitude
g is based on measurement of the maximum
motion recorded by a seismograph.
• Several scales have been defined, but the most commonly used are
1 local
1. l l magnitude
it d commonly l referred
f d tto as "Ri
"Richter
ht magnitude,“
it d “
2. surface-wave magnitude (Ms),
3 body
3. body-wave
wave magnitude (Mb)
(Mb), and
4. moment magnitude (Mw).
All magnitude scales should yield approximately the same value for
any given earthquake.
63
Richter magnitude scale
٦٦ 66
Seismicity In the World
67