The Seismic Response of a Single Fracture – Synthetic Modelling and Laboratory Measurements

The response of a single fracture in an elastic medium has been derived using the linear slip theory. We have performed laboratory experiments where we have successfully isolated the transmission response of a single fracture filled with different fracture infill materials. Experimental results are compared with the synthetic complex transmission response in order to retrieve the fracture compliance. The validity and the accuracy of the linear-slip theory to model the compliance of a single fracture have been looked at. The frequency- and angle-dependence of the fracture response can be used to characterize the compliance. Our results are strongly suggestive of the possibility of fracture compliance retrieval from the elastic wave transmission (or reflection) response.