Refraction Methods

cplin@mail.nctu.edu.tw
Principle of Seismic Refraction
Analysis
Principle of Seismic Refraction Analysis
Snells Law
2 1 1
sin sin sin
v v v
t r i

= =
V
1
V
2
i

Refraction Basics
Body Wave in Layered Media
Refraction Basics
Head Wave
Refraction Basics
Ray Path
p
v v v v
n
n
= = = = =
sin sin sin sin
3
3
2
2
1
1
L
p
v v
n n
n
= =

1 sin
1
1

Refraction Basics
Ray Slowness Decomposition
x
v
t

=
1
px z
v
x
v
z
v
t
i i i
+

=
cos sin cos
Refraction Basics
Travel Time Curve
Refraction Basics
Picking First Arrival Time
Refraction Basics
Low Velocity Over
High Velocity Halfspace
Horizontal two-layer model
Refraction Basics
Determining Earth Structure From
Travel Time Curve
Refraction Basics
Determining Earth Structure From
Travel Time Curve
Refraction Basics
Derivation of
Travel Time Equation
Refraction Basics
High Velocity Over
Low Velocity Halfspace
Refraction Basics
2
2
1
1
sin sin
v v

=
Multiple Subsurface Model
Refraction Basics
Multiple Subsurface Model
Refraction Basics
Hidden Layers
Low Velocity Layer
Refraction Basics
Hidden Layers
Thin, large velocity
contrast layer
Refraction Basics
Dipping Layer
(Shooting Down Dip)
Refraction Basics
Dipping Layer
(Shooting Up Dip)
Refraction Basics
Recognizing Dipping Layers
Refraction Basics
Interpretation of Dipping Layers
Refraction Basics
Interpretation Methods
Intercept Time Method
The Reciprocal Method
Generalized Reciprocal Method
Tomographic Method
Interpretation Method
Intercept Time Method
The intercept time method requires a
mathematical model in which each layer has a
constantvelocity and is bounded by plane
dipping interfaces.
Gives the exact solution (depth, dip, and velocity
of each layer) by using the apparent velocities
and the intercept time measured on the travel
time curves.
Interpretation Method
The Reciprocal Method
Irregular layer boundary
Main consideration is to do the computation at every
receiver station (not only at the shot location)
Interpretation Method
The Reciprocal Method
Interpretation Method
The Reciprocal Method
Interpretation Method
The Reciprocal Method
Refraction Basics
The Reciprocal Method
The Reciprocal Method
Generalized Reciprocal Method
The reciprocal method can treat major refractor
velocity changes and simple refractor
irregularities. It essentially extends intercept
time method computations from the shot points
to each detector. However, there are some
problems if the refractors are too irregular.
GRM is similar to the conventional reciprocal
method, but include the principle of migration
by considering the offset distance XY.
Interpretation Method
Tomographic Analysis
Interpretation Method
Tomographic Analysis
Interpretation Method
Refraction Method Procedure
Data Acquisition Traveltime Curve
Tomography Inversion
GRM Analysis
Seismic Equipment
Data Acquisition
Seismic Equipment
Seismic Sources
Impact sources
Example: Sledgehammer
Advantages
Low cost
Simple to operate and maintain
Disadvantage
Difficult to assure repeatability
Manually strenuous
Energy small
Low frequency (i.e. this source
generate a lot of surface waves)
Data Acquisition
Seismic Equipment
Seismic Sources
Gun Sources
Advantages
Highly repeatable
Energy greater than
sledgehammer
Higher-frequency energy
Disadvantage
Safety
More bulky and expensive
Getting permission difficult
Data Acquisition
Seismic Equipment
Seismic Sources
Explosive Sources
Advantages
Most amount of seismic energy
Very high frequency
Disadvantage
Safety
Permitting
Data acquisition slower
Expensive to acquire and maintain
Data Acquisition
Seismic Equipment
Geophone
Data Acquisition
Seismic Equipment
Seismic Recording System
Traditional
Distributed
Geometrics StrataVisor Seistronix RAS-24
OYO McSeis_SX
Data Acquisition
Seismic Equipment
Seismic Recording System
Data Acquisition
Seismic Equipment
Seismic Recording System
Data Acquisition
Seismic Equipment
Design a survey line
Data Acquisition
Design a survey line
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Survey line direction
Receiver interval and location
Usually use 5 meter for interval
Source location
7 points method
9 points method
source
receiver / geophone
use 1/3 or line length
Data Acquisition
Data Acquisition
Field Testing
Sources of Noise
Uncontrolled Ground Motion
Electronic Noise
Geologic Noise
Data Acquisition
Travetime curve
Picking first arrival
Checking travel time curves
Parallelism
Reciprocal traveltime
Critical distance
Intercept time
Completed traveltime curves
Travetime curve
Checking traveltime curves
Parallelism
Traveltime difference dose not increase
Travetime curve
Reciprocal traveltime
Checking traveltime curves
Reciprocal traveltime should be same
Travetime curve
Critical distance (layer assignment)
Layer assignment should be same in
reciprocal traveltimes
Checking traveltime curves
Travetime curve
Intercept Time
Checking traveltime curves
Intercept time from the both sides of
traveltime curves should be same
Travetime curve
Analysis Method
Intercept Time Method
The Reciprocal Method
Generalized Reciprocal Method
Tomographic Method
Ground Layers Analysis