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Monitoring frictional strength with acoustic wave transmission
Author(s) -
Nagata Kohei,
Nakatani Masao,
Yoshida Shingo
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2007gl033146
Subject(s) - slip (aerodynamics) , acoustic emission , materials science , acoustics , mechanics , geotechnical engineering , geology , composite material , physics , thermodynamics
We monitored acoustic transmissivity of a frictional interface during laboratory experiments where complex slip history was imposed. Frictional strength, which was also tracked continuously, showed complex changes due to various causes such as aging of the interface in quasi‐stationary contact and slip weakening that began with miniscule pre‐failure slip. Albeit such complexity, acoustic transmissivity was found to be a unique function of frictional strength throughout the experiment. This suggests that acoustic transmissivity reflects the resultant changes in load‐supporting contact population that governs the frictional strength of the moment, not the external conditions that have altered contact state. This simple non‐destructive acoustic measurement, which can be applied remotely and continuously, is therefore a robust technique to monitor frictional strength.