In-situ material damping measurements using the crosshole seismic method

Abstract

Crosshole seismic testing is commonly used to determine detailed and reliable wave velocity profiles. Material damping measurements can also be performed in crosshole seismic testing, but these measurements require a window function to maintain similar amplitude shapes over the frequency range of interest for the calculation. In-situ seismic testing, including downhole and seismic cone penetration testing (SCPT), also requires a window function for the material damping calculations. However, the length of the window function has the largest influence on the material damping calculation. Therefore, the half-power bandwidth method is introduced to determine the material damping ratio without the window function in crosshole testing by replicating the unconfined, free-free, resonant column (Fr-Fr) test. To demonstrate the influence in the length of the window function, the first cycle of the signal is used in the material damping calculation. The half- power bandwidth method is verified using synthetic signals and field data. Two sets of crosshole and downhole tests were performed, one at a backfill test pad and the second at a Hornsby Bend research site operated by the University of Texas at Austin. The in-situ material damping ratio calculated from these two sets of crosshole tests using the half-power bandwidth method are compare with the Spectral Ratio Slope (SRS) method applied to the downhole testing at these sites. The material damping calculated from the half-power bandwidth method using the full signal results in a reliable and precise damping value compared to the SRS method applied to the downhole data.