Surface Wave Methods for Predicting Oil Sand Properties

• Published in: Geotechnical and geological engineering Vol. 36; no. 2; pp. 1113 - 1127
• Main Authors: Kakan, M., Joseph, T. G., Curley, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.04.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Bulk modulus; Civil Engineering; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Geotechnical Engineering & Applied Earth Sciences; Haul roads; Hydrogeology; Material properties; Measurement methods; Oil sands; Original Paper; Properties; Rayleigh waves; Sand; Seismic analysis; Seismic data; Seismometers; Shear modulus; Soil; Stiffness; Surface water waves; Surface waves; Terrestrial Pollution; Velocity; Waste Management/Waste Technology; Wave velocity; Mining; VIMS; Seismic analysis; Haul truck; Rayleigh waves; Geophones
• ISSN: 0960-3182; 1573-1529
• DOI: 10.1007/s10706-017-0378-6

The use of seismic analysis to estimate ground material properties such as bulk modulus, shear modulus or stiffness has been the subject of research in recent decades. In general, the velocity of a generated wave depends on the properties of the ground through which it travels. While in the case of subsurface methods, where the P- and S-wave velocities are measured, surface methods rely on the velocity of surface waves such as Rayleigh waves (Tokimatsu et al. in Soils Found 31(2):153–163, 1991 , doi: 10.3208/sandf1972.31.2_153 ; Matthews et al. in Proc ICE-Geotech Eng 119(2):84–95. 1996 ). The results of previous analyses on passive seismic monitored truck motion on oil sand was collected via an array of 72 geophones spaced at 1 m intervals on an oil sand haul road. This paper describes the principles to determine a ground shear modulus from seismic data. The method applies to stationary envelopes of data filtered to obtain a conclusive comparison.