Repository logo

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
  1. Home
  2. Academic and Research Output
  3. Journal articles
  4. Variations in elastic and electrical properties of crustal rocks with varying degree of microfracturation
 
research article

Variations in elastic and electrical properties of crustal rocks with varying degree of microfracturation

Pimienta, Lucas Xan  
•
Orellana, Felipe  
•
Violay, Marie  
June 4, 2019
Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth

This work aims at investigating the effect of varying degrees of microfracturing on the joint elastic and electrical transport properties of rocks. Different crustal rocks were subjected to Thermal Treatment, expected to induce microfracturing, up to different target temperatures from 100°C up to 900°C. The rocks bulk and pore volumes, P‐ and S‐wave velocities, and frequency‐dependent electrical impedance were measured before and after the treatment. As the temperature of treatment increased, P‐ and S‐wave velocities and the electrical formation factor drop and pore and bulk volumes increase. As indicated by the microscopic images, this is consistent with the creation of microcracks. These created microcracks do not affect the properties in the exact same manner, and a strong effect of the initial porosity is observed for electrical formation factor. Extrapolating to low frequency field scale measurements in water‐saturated reservoir rocks, highlights an interesting observation: Both seismic and electrical properties at the field scale might highlight similar variations with increasing damage in all rocks. The maximum amount of decrease expected for all rocks is about one order of magnitude in electrical formation factor and 40% decrease in P‐ and S‐wave velocities. Finally, temperature proved to affect very differently the rocks of varying porosity and mineral content, in ways not fully covered by existing works. Porosity, by increasing the matrix compressibility, damps the degree of microfracturing and crack opening. The distinct behavior in calcite‐pure marble evidences a dominance of anisotropic of thermal expansion over isotropic expansion mismatch.

  • Files
  • Details
  • Metrics
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name

Final Version.pdf

Access type

embargo

Embargo End Date

2019-12-04

Size

3.3 MB

Format

Adobe PDF

Checksum (MD5)

0a852b1a323954cfae175ac5074a42f8

Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne
  • Contact
  • infoscience@epfl.ch

  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Instagram
  • Follow us on LinkedIn
  • Follow us on X
  • Follow us on Youtube
AccessibilityLegal noticePrivacy policyCookie settingsEnd User AgreementGet helpFeedback

Infoscience is a service managed and provided by the Library and IT Services of EPFL. © EPFL, tous droits réservés