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1st International Conference of Applied Geophysics for Engineering
October 13-15, 2004
Osservatorio Sismologico - Università di Messina
Messina, Italy

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Crustal stress and acoustic emission
by
Giovanni P. Gregori
Istituto di Acustica O. M. Corbino (CNR)
Coauthors: Gabriele Paparo (Istituto di Acustica O. M. Corbino (CNR)) - Iginio Marson (Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e Geofisica Sperimentale (OGS)) - Maurizio Poscolieri (Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica (INAF - CNR))

Provided that the “prevision” of natural catastrophes is beyond human capabilities (the main reason being that the typical time scales of natural phenomena are much longer than the temporal resolution needed by the humans), it appears definitely possible to “diagnose” the state of the natural system, and to monitor its eventual evolution towards a state of increased hazard and concern. Soil deformation is one leading parameter capable of providing us with information about the precautions that we must keep for security and a sound planning of our living buildings and facilities. Soil deformation can derive either by an external cause, propagating from its boundaries by the propagation of crustal stress, or by some endogenous hot fluids that move through the medium.

The case history of an externally applied stress is here considered, and it is shown how acoustic emission (AE) can detect such phenomenon, and the flaws that are caused by it. Detection is exploited much prior to the occurrence of every other “macroscopic” occurrence, preceding an eventual “catastrophe” of the system. A few case histories are discussed related to earthquakes and to the related AE effects that are observed on an area of at least ~ 1000 km linear size. The potential application is briefly considered for monitoring land slides, and the speed variation of the ice-sheet flow. The chemistry of hot water springs can eventually provide additional relevant information to be correlated with the AE evidence.

Date received: September 6, 2004

Copyright © 2004 by the author(s). The author(s) of this document and the organizers of the conference have granted their consent to include this abstract in Atlas Conferences Inc. Document # caon-31.