Abstract
We present several mini-seismic methods developed and applied in recent years in the Mont Terri rock laboratory. All these applications aimed at correlating and interpreting seismically derived parameters with relevant rock-mechanical parameters and findings. The complexity of the local site setting always required very high spatial and parameter resolution. Both, seismic P- and S-wave velocities and dynamic elastic parameters, such as the dynamic Poisson’s ratio ʋdyn and the Young’s modulus Edyn, are used to characterise the Opalinus Clay under real in situ conditions. We were able to establish a correlation between static and dynamic elastic Young’s moduli. We describe the extremely large, small-scale variability of seismic parameters normal and parallel to the bedding plane orientation and address the question of fracture detection. We also present examples of the characterization of excavation-damaged zones with seismic parameters, including extent as well as degree of damage, and compare these to geological and structural mapping. The evolution of borehole-disturbed zones (BdZ) was deduced from repeating high-resolution borehole measurements. Finally, we quantify seismic anisotropy at dimensions between several cm and tens of m.
Editorial handling: P. Bossart and A. G. Milnes.
This is paper #10 of the Mont Terri Special Issue of the Swiss Journal of Geosciences (see Bossart et al. 2017, Table 3 and Fig. 7).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Bock, H. (2002). RA experiment: Rock mechanics analyses and synthesis: conceptual model of Opalinus clay. Mont Terri Technical Report, TR 01-03. Federal Office of Topography (swisstopo), Wabern, Switzerland. www.mont-terri.ch.
Bossart, P., Bernier, F., Birkholzer, J., Bruggeman, C., Connolly, P., Dewonck, S., Fukaya, M., Herfort, M., Jensen, M., Matray, J-M., Mayor, J. C., Moeri, A., Oyama, T., Schuster, K., Shigeta, N., Vietor, T., & Wieczorek, K. (2017a). Mont Terri rock laboratory, 20 years of research: introduction, site characteristics and overview of experiments. Swiss Journal of Geosciences, 110. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00015-016-0236-1 (this issue).
Bossart, P., Nussbaum, C., & Schuster, K. (2017b). Generation and self-sealing of the excavation-damaged zone (EDZ) around subsurface excavation in a claystone. Wiley (submitted).
Bossart, P., & Thury, M. (2008). Mont Terri Rock Laboratory. Project, Programme 1996 to 2007 and Results. Reports of the Swiss Geological survey No. 3. Federal Office of Topography (swisstopo), Wabern, Switzerland. www.mont-terri.ch.
Corkum, A. G. (2006). Non-linear behavior of Opalinus Clay around underground excavations. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Furche, M., & Schuster, K. (2015). Neuartige Kombination von Geoelektrik (ERT)- und Miniseismik-Messungen zur Charakterisierung von Tongesteinen erfolgreich getestet. BGR online: http://www.bgr.bund.de/DE/Themen/Endlagerung/Methoden/In_situ/neuartige_kombination_ert_miniseismik_messungen.html?nn=1550002.
Göbel, I., Alheid, H.-J., Alonso, E., Ammon, Ch., Bossart, P., Bühler, C., Emmerich, K., Fernandez, A. M., García-Siñeriz, J. L., Graf, A., Jockwer, N., Kaufhold, St., Kech, M., Klubertanz, G., Lloret, A., Mayor, J. C., Meyer, T., Miehe, R., Muñoz, J. J., Naumann, M., Nussbaum, C., Pletsch, T., Plischke, I., Ploetze, M., Rey, M., Schnier, H., Schuster, K., Sprado, K., Trick, T., Weber, H., Wieczorek, K., & Zingg, A. (2007). Heater Experiment: rock and bentonite thermo-hydromechanical (THM) processes in the near field of a thermal source for development of deep underground high level radioactive waste repositories. In P. Bossart, & C. Nussbaum (Eds.), Mont Terri Project—Heater experiment, engineered barriers emplacement and ventilation tests. Reports of the Swiss Geological Survey No. 1 (pp. 7–16). Federal Office of Topography (swisstopo), Wabern, Switzerland. www.mont-terri.ch.
Jaeggi, D., Laurich, B., Nussbaum, C., Schuster, K., & Connolly, P. (2017). Tectonic structure of the ‘‘Main Fault’’ in the Opalinus Clay, Mont Terri rock laboratory (Switzerland). Swiss Journal of Geosciences, 110. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00015-016-0243-2 (this issue).
Kupferschmied, N., Wild, K. M., Amann, F., Nussbaum, C., Jaeggi, D., & Badertscher, N. (2015). Time-dependent fracture formation around a borehole in a clay shale. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 77, 105–114.
Schuster, K. (2002). Seismic in situ Methods for the Characterisation of Excavation Damaged Zones—Final Report. Projektträger des BMBF und BMWi für Wassertechnologie und Entsorgung, Contract-No. 02E9098.
Schuster, K. (2012). Detection of borehole disturbed zones and small scale rock heterogeneities with geophysical methods. In Proceedings of the EC-TIMODAZ-THERESA International Conference, Impact of thermo-hydro-mechanical chemical (THMC) processes on the safety of underground radioactive waste repositories (pp. 135–145). Luxembourg.
Schuster, K., & Alheid, H.-J. (2002). Engineered Barrier (EB) Experiment and Geophysical Characterisation of the Excavation Disturbed Zone (ED-C) Experiment: Seismic Investigation of the EDZ in the EB niche. Mont Terri Technical Report, TR 02-03. Federal Office of Topography (swisstopo), Wabern, Switzerland. www.mont-terri.ch.
Schuster, K., Alheid, H.-J., & Böddener, D. (2001). Seismic investigation of the excavation damaged zone in Opalinus Clay. Engineering Geology, 61, 189–197.
Wieczorek, K., Gaus, I., Mayor, J. C., Schuster, K., García- Siñeriz, J-L., & Sakaki, T. (2017). In-situ experiments on bentonitebased buffer and sealing materials at the Mont Terri rock laboratory (Switzerland). Swiss Journal of Geosciences, 110. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00015-016-0247-y (this issue).
Wild, K. M., Wymann, L. P., Zimmer, S., Thoeny, R., & Amann, F. (2015). Water retention characteristics and state-dependent mechanical and petro-physical properties of a clay shale. Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 48, 427–439.
Yong, S. (2007). A three-dimensional analysis of excavation-induced perturbations in the Opalinus Clay at the Mont Terri Rock Laboratory, Ph.D. dissertation, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich, Switzerland.
Yong, S., Kaiser, P. K., & Loew, S. (2010). Influence of tectonic shears on tunnel-induced fracturing. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 47, 894–907.
Yong, S., Kaiser, P. K., & Loew, S. (2013). Rock mass response ahead of an advancing face in faulted shale. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 60, 301–311.
Acknowledgements
Over the years many colleagues participated in development and measurements. Many thanks to (in alphabetical order): Hendrik Albers, Hans-Joachim Alheid, Dieter Böddener, Christoph Czora, Werner Hökendorff, Peter Eichhorn, Friedhelm Schulte, Wilfried Stille and Torsten Tietz. We thank colleagues from swisstopo, Christophe Nussbaum, David Jaeggi, Thierry Theurillat and Senecio Schefer, for their straightforward local site support. We also thank both reviewers, Till Popp (IFG Leipzig) and Pierre Dick (IRSN Fontenay-aux-Roses), for their very helpful concerted comments that improved the paper. Roy Freeman reviewed the English for readability. Research leading to the results presented here has received funding from the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Schuster, K., Amann, F., Yong, S., Bossart, P., Connolly, P. (2018). High-resolution mini-seismic methods applied in the Mont Terri rock laboratory (Switzerland). In: Bossart, P., Milnes, A. (eds) Mont Terri Rock Laboratory, 20 Years. Swiss Journal of Geosciences Supplement, vol 5. Birkhäuser, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70458-6_11
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70458-6_11
Published:
Publisher Name: Birkhäuser, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-70457-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-70458-6
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)