Linear Elastic Wave Propagation in Unsaturated Sands, Silts, Loams and Clays

Abstract

Due to its propitious material properties sandstone is the most studied porous medium for the investigation of linear wave propagation. However, in practical applications the behavior of other soil types, i.e., especially the three main soil types sand, silt, and clay, are much more important. Therefore, the model for partially saturated soils introduced by Albers (Habilitation Thesis, 2010a) is applied to 11 soil types classified in the German standard DIN 4220 to obtain information on the phase velocities and attenuations of the three longitudinal waves and the shear wave appearing in such media.