Effects of axial static stress on stress wave propagation in rock considering porosity compaction and damage evolution

Abstract

A wave equation of rock under axial static stress is established using the equivalent medium method by modifying the Kelvin-Voigt model. The analytical formulas of longitudinal velocity, space and time attenuation coefficients and response frequency are obtained by solving the equation using the harmonic method. A series of experiments on stress wave propagation through rock under different axial static stresses have been conducted. The proposed models of stress wave propagation are then verified by comparing experimental results with theoretical solutions. Based on the verified theoretical models, the influences of axial static stress on longitudinal velocity, space and time attenuation coefficients and response frequency are investigated by detailed parametric studies. The results show that the proposed theoretical models can be used to effectively investigate the effects of axial static stress on the stress wave propagation in rock. The axial static stress influences stress wave propagation characteristics of porous rock by varying the level of rock porosity and damage. Moreover, the initial porosity, initial elastic modulus of the rock voids and skeleton, viscous coefficient and vibration frequency have significant effects on the P-wave velocity, attenuation characteristics and response frequency of the stress wave in porous rock under axial static stress.