Acoustic logging

Method Type:
Borehole Methods
Assigned Problems:
+
Depth of Overburden-bedrock interface
Civil Engineering
+
Fractures
Groundwater
+
Gravel, clay, limestone, salt exploration
Natural Resources
+
Porosity / Permeability
Groundwater
+
Quality / Thickness of aquifer/aquitard
Groundwater
+
Quality and thickness (Natural resources)
Natural Resources
+
Soil / rock quality
Civil Engineering
+
Young's / shear modulus, Poisson's ratio
Civil Engineering
0
Building stability
Buildings and Structures
0
Characteristics of hazardous waste
Hazardous Waste
0
Groundwater table
Groundwater
0
Heat mining
Natural Resources
0
Host sediments, hydogeological settings
Hazardous Waste
0
Ice thickness
Natural Hazards
0
Landslides
Natural Hazards
0
Permafrost and ice detection
Natural Hazards
0
Quality / Thickness of concrete
Buildings and Structures
'+' = Technique applicable; '0' = Application possible/limited use.

Principle:
Ultra-sonic waves are used to characterize the acoustic properties of the surrounding rock. Those
are seismic velocities, attenuation of seismic amplitudes and reflection characteristics.
Keywords:
Sonic log; transit-time log; seismic velocities; attenuation of seismic amplitudes; reflection
characteristics
Prerequisites:
- Layers must have sufficient velocity contrast and thickness
- Uncased or bonded cased boreholes
- Fluid filled borehole
- Seismic velocity in the borehole fluid should be lower than in the surrounding rock
Resolution:
Typically resolution is 30 cm (1 ft) or 60 cm (2 ft)
Depth of investigation is 10 - 20 cm
Expected Results:
- Measured parameter: slowness in s / m
- Data analysis: log of the seismic velocity in m / s or full waveform (acoustic log/sonic log; fullwaveform sonic log)
- Interpretation: porosity, elastic parameters
Combination with other Methods:
- Required additional information: density log for calculation of elastic parameters necessary
- Related add-on information: caliper log
- Independent additional information: other logs; laboratory analyses

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Operation Expense:
- Crew size: 2 persons
- Acquisition speed: logging speed 2 - 4 m / min
- Processing: intermediate
- Equipment rental costs: high
Parameters to specify:
- Instrument type
- Sampling rate (digital devices)
- Logging speed (2 - 4 m / min)
- Properties of borehole filling fluids
QC Documents:
- Calibration data: last laboratory-calibration
- Around 20 m of repeated measurements
- Borehole information (i.e., casing (type and length), diameter, deviation, fluid properties)
- Complete headers
- Field notes (e.g., all activities, effective time schedule, present personnel)
Products:
- Field logs (displayed using specified scales)
- Composite logs
- Crossplots
- Listings; histograms
- Interpretation

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