Laboratory acousto-mechanical study into moisture-induced changes of
elastic properties in intact granite
Abstract
The water adsorption into pore spaces in brittle rocks affects wave
velocity and transmitted amplitude of elastic waves. Experimental and
theoretical studies have been performed to characterize moisture-induced
elastodynamic variations due to macroporous effects; however, little
attention has been paid to the manner in which wetting of nanopores
affect elastic wave transmission. In this work, we extend our
understanding of moisture-induced elastic changes in a microcracked
nanopore-dominated medium (80 \% of the surface area
exhibits pore diameters below 10 nm). We studied acousto-mechanical
response resulting from a gradual wetting on a freestanding intact
Herrnholz granite specimen over 98 hours using time-lapse ultrasonic and
digital imaging techniques. Linkages between ultrasonic attributes and
adsorption-induced stress/strain are established during the approach of
wetting front. We found that Gassmann theory, previously validated in
channel-like nanoporous media, breaks down in predicting P-wave velocity
increase of microcracked nanopore-dominated media. However, squirt flow
– a theory recognized to characterize wave velocity increase and
attenuation in microcracked macropore-dominated media at pore scale –
also accounts for the observed increase of P-wave velocity in
microcracked nanopore-dominated media. The transmitted amplitude change
in direct P waves are explained and predicted by the elastic wave
propagation within P-wave first Fresnel zone and reflection/refraction
on the wetting front.