A Simple Method of determining Ultrasonic Velocities in Rocks

Abstract

WE have devised a simple method of determining elastic constants of rocks which is based on the principle of the critical angle method employed by Schneider and Burton¹. In this method a narrow beam of ultrasonic waves strikes the rock section immersed in a liquid at right angles to its axis of rotation, and the critical angles θ_d and θ_s for total reflexion of the longitudinal and transverse waves set up in the section are determined experimentally. Knowing the velocity of ultrasonic waves V in the liquid, the velocities of longitudinal and transverse velocities V _d and V _s in the rock section are determined by using the familiar relations,