Non-attenuation Behavior of Stress Wave Propagation Through a Rock Mass

• Published in: Rock mechanics and rock engineering Vol. 55; no. 7; pp. 3807 - 3815
• Main Authors: Wang, L. J., Fan, L. F., Du, X. L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Vienna Springer Vienna 01.07.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Attenuation; Civil Engineering; Disasters; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Earthquakes; Geophysics/Geodesy; Identification; Impedance; Incident waves; Original Paper; Propagation; Rock masses; Rocks; Seismic activity; Stiffness; Stress; Stress propagation; Stress waves; Wave attenuation; Wave frequency; Wave propagation; Stress wave; Threshold surface; Non-attenuation propagation; Modified displacement discontinuity method
• ISSN: 0723-2632; 1434-453X
• DOI: 10.1007/s00603-022-02843-6

The propagation properties of stress waves in rock masses are of great importance for exploring the internal structure of the Earth and avoiding earthquake disasters. Based on the modified displacement discontinuity method, the non-attenuation behavior of stress wave propagation through a rock mass with a large wave impedance to a rock mass with a small wave impedance was studied. The results show that the non-attenuation propagation of stress waves can occur when stress waves propagate from rock with a large wave impedance to rock with a small wave impedance. The non-attenuation propagation of stress waves is related to the incident wave frequency, the joint stiffness and the wave impedance ratio. The non-attenuation propagation of stress waves is most likely to occur when the incident wave frequency is low and the joint stiffness and wave impedance ratio are large. According to the critical condition for the non-attenuation propagation of stress waves, a threshold surface was identified. The region corresponding to non-attenuation stress wave propagation exists below the threshold surface. Highlights Non-attenuation behavior of stress wave propagation through a rock mass was explored. Effects of frequency, joint stiffness and wave impedance ratio on non-attenuation behavior was investigated. A threshold surface for non-attenuation behavior in the FKN space (frequency f 0 , joint stiffness k n and wave impedance ratio n ) was identified.