Work

Elastic Wave Propagation Through Cylinders with Fluid-Filled Fractures Using the Discontinuous Galerkin Method

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Accurately modeling fractures in wave-propagation simulations is challenging due to their small scale relative to other features. While equivalent-media models can approximate fracture-induced anisotropy, they fail to capture their discrete influence on wave propagation. To address this limitation, the Interior-Penalty Discontinuous Galerkin Method (IP-DGM) can be adapted to incorporate the Linear-Slip Model (LSM) to represent fractures explicitly. In this study, we apply IP-DGM to elastic wave propagation in fractured cylindrical domains using realistic fracture compliances obtained from laboratory experiments (using ultrasonic-pulse transmission) to simulate the effects of fluid-filled fractures. We analyze how fracture spacing and fluid type influence P- and S-wave behavior, focusing on amplitude attenuation and wave-front delays. Our numerical results align with experimental and theoretical predictions, demonstrating that higher-density fluids enhance wave transmission, reducing the impedance contrast and improving coupling across fracture surfaces. These findings highlight the capability of IP-DGM to accurately model wave propagation in realistic fractured and saturated media, providing a valuable tool for seismic monitoring in fractured reservoirs and other applications where fluid-filled fractures are prevalent.

Source: Mathematics

DOI: 10.3390/math13101572

Authors: Ana L. Ramos-Barreto, Jonas D. De Basabe, Raul U. Silva-Avalos

Institutions: Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas "Francisco García Salinas"

Language: English

Topic: Seismic Imaging and Inversion Techniques

Subfield: Geophysics

Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137

Funder: Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología