Measuring p and s wave velocities of unsaturated soils

• Main Author: Cheng, Zhuoyuan.
• Other Authors: Leong Eng Choon
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Civil engineering::Geotechnical
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/45141
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The propagation of Primary (P) and Secondary (S) waves has garnered increasing interest due to its applicability in areas such as geo-prospecting, site investigation and the determination of geo-material properties like degree of saturation (Sr) and stiffness. In this project, the effect of frequency on P and S wave velocities and the relationship of P wave velocity with degree of saturation are investigated. This report consists of both experimental and modeling aspects.The experimental aspect attempts to understand the propagation of P and S waves. The effect of frequency on the P wave velocity (Vp) is important because while many laboratory experiments and in-situ seismic survey have been conducted to measure them, the data from different sources should strictly not be used interchangeably as different P waves may be measured at different frequencies. Experiments were conducted on sand to determine the effects of frequency on P wave velocity. It was found that there were two P waves (slow and fast) propagating through the specimen at any one time.