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Evidence for correlation of ultrasonic attenuation and fluid permeability in very low porosity water‐saturated rocks
Author(s) -
Berryman J. G.,
Bonner B. P.,
Chin R. C. Y.
Publication year - 1983
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/gl010i007p00595
Subject(s) - biot number , porosity , attenuation , permeability (electromagnetism) , ultrasonic sensor , amplitude , porous medium , mineralogy , geology , materials science , geotechnical engineering , mechanics , acoustics , optics , chemistry , physics , biochemistry , membrane
The measured amplitude A of ultrasonic pulses in intact and fractured samples of water‐saturated gabbro and granite is observed to decrease as the permeability κ increases according to the proportionality A ⧜ κ −1/2 . This relation is predicted by Biot's theory of elastic waves in fluid‐saturated porous media and, therefore, suggests that Biot's attenuation mechanism may play a significant role in low porosity materials at ultrasonic frequencies. The evidence is not conclusive. The limited data set studied here is also consistent with correlations of the form A ⧜ κ −ε where 0.2 < ε < 0.6. Nevertheless, the observed correlations may still provide a means for monitoring changes in permeability of low‐porosity underground repositories of radioactive waste.