Effects of shock-induced cracks on the ultrasonic velocity and attenuation in granite

Measurements of the compressional wave velocity and the attenuation coefficients of 1-cm cubes were conducted. Samples were taken at various radii and depths beneath a 20 x 20 x 15 cm San Marcos granite block, impacted by a lead bullet at a velocity of 1200 m/s. The damage parameters of the cubes are calculated from the measured preimpact and postimpact P wave velocities, V-p0 and V-p, and the crack density is inverted from the measured P wave velocities. The anisotropic orientation of cracks is more obvious from the attenuation than crack density and damage parameters calculated from the ultrasonic velocity. P wave velocity and the normalized distance from the impact point follow an exponential decay relation. Other properties, such as the damage parameter, crack density, and attenuation coefficient, are expressed by a power law decay with distance. The damage parameter and attenuation coefficients are approximately linearly related. The slope of the linear fitting results in directions normal to the crack orientation is about twice the value in direction along the crack orientation. The attenuation coefficient is found to be a more useful parameter than elastic velocity in describing the anisotropic orientation of cracks.