• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.37 no.6
• /
• pp.577-590
• /
• 2024

With increasing demand for nuclear power generation, nuclear structures are being planned and constructed worldwide. A grave safety concern is that these structures are sensitive to large-magnitude shaking, e.g., during earthquakes. Seismic response analysis, which requires P- and S-wave velocities, is a key element in nuclear structure design. Accordingly, it is important to determine the P- and S-wave velocities in the Gyeongju and Pohang regions of South Korea, which are home to nuclear power plants and have a history of seismic activity. P- and S-wave velocities can be obtained indirectly through a correlation with physical properties (e.g., N values, Young's modulus, and uniaxial compressive strength), and researchers worldwide have proposed regression equations. However, the Gyeongju and Pohang regions of Korea have not been considered in previous studies. Therefore, a database was constructed for these regions. The database includes physical properties such as N values and P- and S-wave velocities of the soil layer, as well as the uniaxial compressive strength, Young's modulus, and P- and S-wave velocities of the bedrock layer. Using the constructed database, the geological characteristics and distribution of physical properties of the study region were analyzed. Furthermore, models for predicting P- and S-wave velocities were developed for soil and bedrock layers in the Gyeongju and Pohang regions. In particular, the model for predicting the S-wave velocity for the soil layers was compared with models from previous studies, and the results indicated its effectiveness in predicting the S-wave velocity for the soil layers in the Gyeongju and Pohang regions using the N values. The proposed models for predicting P- and S-wave velocities will contribute to predicting the damage caused by earthquakes.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.377-390
• /
• 2015

The governing equations of wave propagation in one dimension of elastic continuum materials are investigated by taking the influence of the initial stress into account. After a short review of the theory of elastic wave propagation in a rock mass with an initial stress, results indicate that the initial stress differentially influences P-wave and S-wave propagation. For example, when the initial stress is homogeneous, for the P-wave, the initial stress only affects the magnitude of the elastic coefficients, but for the S-wave, the initial stress not only influences the elastic coefficients but also changes the governing equation of wave propagation. In addition, the P-wave and S-wave velocities were measured for granite samples at a low initial stress state; the results indicate that the seismic velocities increase with the initial stress. The analysis of the previous data of seismic velocities and elastic coefficients in rocks under ultra-high hydrostatic initial stress are also investigated.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.98-104
• /
• 2017

The ultrasonic pulse velocities of pressure, shear, and Rayleigh waves ( P-, S-, and R- waves) have been used for the condition evaluation of various concrete structures, but the statistical distribution according to the wave type has not been studied clearly in view of data reliability and validity. Therefore, this study analyzed the statistical distribution of P-, S-, R-wave velocities in concrete wide beams of $800{\times}3100mm$ (width ${\times}$ length) with a thickness of 300 mm. In addition, we investigated an experimental consistency by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov goodness-of-fit test. The experimental data showed that the R-, S- and P- wave velocities in order have better statistical stability and reliability for in situ evaluation because R- and S-waves are less sensitive to confinement and boundary conditions. Also, good correlations between wave velocities and strength and modulus of elasticity were found, which indicate them as appropriate techniques for estimating the mechanical properties.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.215-227
• /
• 2001

The Okchon Formation and the Mesozoic granite of the Boeun, Chungbuk are compared in terms of seismic wave velocities estimated from the field experiment, and seismic wave velocities in 3-D measured from the rock specimen. P-wave velocity for the field data ranges from 861 m/s (Guryongsan-2 Formation) to 2697m/s (Bulguksa Granite). P-wave anisotropy also ranges from 46% (Changri Formation) to 81% (Bulguksa Granite), with an average value of 68.5%. P-wave velocities for the rock specimens from Guryongsan-1, Guryongsan-2, Changri, and Munjuri Formations are greater than 5000m/s. S-wave velocities for those specimens are approximately 3500m/s, which is 3-5 times grater than the ones estimated from the field experimental data. P-wave anisotropy for the specimens from Bulguksa Granite and Guryongsan-1 Formation exceeds 60%, which is compared to 30% for the other specimens. This value is much smaller than average P-wave anisotropy (69.5%) for the field data. It is suggested that velocity difference, associated with the propagation direction, is much greater for the field data than for the specimens.

• International Journal of Reliability and Applications
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.1-13
• /
• 2004

It is recently well recognized that the technique for the one-sided stress wave velocity measurement in structural materials provides measurement in structural materials provides valuable information on the state of the material such as quality, uniformity, location of cracked or damaged area. This technique is especially effective to measure velocities of longitudinal and Rayleigh waves when access to only one surface of structure is possible. However, one of problems for one-sided stress wave velocity measurement is to get consistent and reliable source for the generation of elastic wave. In this study, the laser based surface elastic wave was used to provide consistent and reliable source for the generation of elastic wave into the materials. The velocities of creeping wave and Rayleigh wave in materials were measured by the one-sided technique using laser based surface elastic wave. These wave velocities were compared with bulk wave velocities such as longitudinal wave and shear wave velocities to certify accuracy of measurement. In addition, the mechanical properties such as poisson's ratio and specific modulus(E/p) were calculated with the velocities of surface elastic waves.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.399-406
• /
• 2018

The influences of mineral content and porosity on ultrasonic wave velocity were assessed for ten hornfelsic rocks collected from southern and western parts of the city of Hamedan, western Iran. Selected rock samples were subjected to mineralogical, physical, and index laboratory tests. The tested rocks contain quartz, feldspar, biotite, muscovite, garnet, sillimanite, kyanite, staurolite, graphite and other fine grained cryptocrystalline matrix materials. The values of dry unit weight of the rocks were high, but the values of porosity and water absorption were low. In the rocks, the values of dry unit weight are related to the presence of dense minerals such as garnet so not affected by porosity. The statistical relationships between mineral content, porosity and ultrasonic wave velocity indicated that the porosity is the most important factor influencing ultrasonic wave velocity of the studied rocks. The values of P-wave velocity of the rocks range from moderate to very high. Empirical equations, relevant to different parameters of the rocks, were proposed to determine the rocks' essential characteristics such as primary and secondary wave velocities. Quality indexes (IQ) of the studied samples were determined based on P-wave velocities of them and their composing minerals and the samples were classified as non-fissured to moderately fissured rocks. Also, all tested samples are classified as slightly fissured rocks according to the ratio of S-wave to P-wave velocities.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.25 no.5
• /
• pp.75-86
• /
• 2009

Salt, one of the most common soluble materials in engineering soil, may have an effect on mechanical behaviors of soils under its cementation process. In order to investigate this natural phenomenon, non-soluble material by using glass beads is mixed with salt electrolyte and cemented by using oven to evaporate water. Three different sizes of glass bead particles, 0.26, 0.5, and 1.29 mm, with different salt concentration, 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0M, are explored by using P- and S-waves, excited by bender elements and piezo disk elemets, respectively. The velocities of the P-wave and S-wave of the particulate medium cemented by salt show three stages with the degree of saturation: 1) S-wave velocities increase while P-wave velocities reduce with degree of saturation changing from 100% to 90%; 2) Both velocities are stable with degree of saturation varying from 90% to 10%; 3) The velocities change enormously when the specimens are nearly dry with degree of saturation from 10% to 0%. Besides, the resonance frequencies of S-wave show similar stages to the S-wave velocities. This study demonstrates meaningful trends of elastic wave characteristics of geo-materials according to the cementation of dissolved salt.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
• /
• v.23 no.6
• /
• pp.507-513
• /
• 2002

To delineate the relationship between dynamic elastic modulus and lithologies, suspension PS logging was applied to Yuseong granite, Paldang banded gneiss, and Sabuk sedimentary rock. P and S wave velocities were also measured for these lithologies. In addition, uniaxial strength and Poisson’s ratio were measured in a laboratory for Yuseong granite and Paldang banded gneiss. In laboratory measurements, P and S wave velocities in Paldang banded gneiss were higher than those in Yuseong granite whereas Poisson’s ratio in Paldang banded gneiss was lower than that in Yuseong granite. This implies that P and S wave velocities correlate reversely with Poisson’s ratio. The dynamic Young modulus obtained from suspension PS logging was high compared to the dynamic bulk modulus and the dynamic shear modulus.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.253-266
• /
• 2021

In this paper, we discuss a mathematical method for determining the return energy of the wave from the sample and comparing it with the mechanical energy consumed to change the dimension of the sample in the triaxial test of the rock. We represent a method to determine the mechanical energy and then we provide how to calculate the return energy of the wave. However, the static energy and pulse return energy will show higher amounts with axial pressure increase. Three types of clastic sedimentary rocks including sandstone, pyroclastic rock, and argillitic tuff were selected. The sandstone showed the highest strength, Young's modulus and ultrasonic P and S waves' velocities versus others in the triaxial test. Also, from the received P wavelet, the calculated pulse wave returning energy indicated the best correlation between axial stress compared to wave velocities in all specimens. The fact that the return energy decreases or increases is related to increasing lateral stress and depends on the geological characteristics of the rock. This method can be used to determine the stresses on the rock as well as its in-situ modulus in projects that are located at high depths of the earth.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.55-66
• /
• 2006

Laboratory tests have revealed that the liquefaction resistance of sands depends strongly upon the degree of saturation, which is expressed in terms of the pore pressure coefficient, B. The velocity of compression waves(i.e. P-waves), which have been known to be influenced largely by the degree of saturation and can be measured conveniently in the field, appears as an indicator of saturation. In this paper, the Stokoe type torsional shear(TS) testing equipment is modified to saturate the specimen and measure the velocities of P-wave and S-wave and pore pressure buildup. The velocities of P-wave and S-wave for Toyoura sand from Japan is measured and compared at the various B-value (degree of saturation) which are partially saturated to fully saturated conditions. Additionally, the variation of the pore water pressure induced during undrained TS tests at the various B-value is measured and analyzed.