DOWNHOLE SEISMIC MEASUREMENT

The transmission of seismic survey is common method which is used to obtain subsurface geotechnical data as complement data to site investigation techniques, especially in obtaining mechanical rock or soil quality, such as physical and mechanical properties. Those values later will be valuable for rock mass quality designation. Seismic velocity has more attention than the geological interface in this survey. Compressional ( p! and shear ( s! wave velocities are used for defining mechanical properties or engineering parameters of the material. The seismic theory is based on the physical principle that an elastic shock wave generated in homogeneous material will travel as a function of the density and elastic modulus.
E (# ! (# $ !(# + !

"

"

E# .$(# + !

where %

& " Youngs modulus of deformation " density gr'cm( " Poissons ratio p " Compressional wave velocity (m/sec) s " Shear wave velocity (m/sec)

Theoretically, every rock has its own specific compressional and shear velocities for seismic waves to travel. The type of seismic waves of particular interest are )rimary ()! and Shear (S! waves. The ) and S waves are called *body+ waves because they travel through inside material.

The ,ove and -ayleigh waves appear only at the surface. The ) wave is a pressure wave (dilation!. .ts front wave consists of compression and dilation particle motion in the particle. The shear wave is a shearing motion (transversal!. The particle motion is per pendicular to the direction of wave+s path. The velocity of S wave is slower than ) one, but the ,ove and -ayleigh are even slower than ). Theoretically, by determining the velocities of the body waves and the density of the material, )oisson+s ratio, shear modulus, /oung modulus, and 0ulk modulus can be evaluated. 1or calculating, it uses the standard formula from 2ST3 4 $567, and the applicable equations are% )oisson ratio

# (Vp ' Vs! $ " # $(Vp ' Vs! $

Shear modulus 8 " s$
(Vp $ 6Vs $ " (

/oung modulus & " s$

((Vp ' Vs! $ 6 (Vp ' Vs! $ #

0ulk modulus 9 "

#E ((# $ !

where %

p " compressional velocity (m/sec) s " shear velocity (m/sec) " density (gr'cm(!

These figures are linear and dynamic characteristics and need not always be identical to static modulus performance of foundation material. :evertheless, some of them can be proved by empirical data. )articularly, some low strength material (such as water! has a high confined compressive strength and corresponds with high ) wave velocity. Therefore, shear wave determination is also often done.