Development of imaging technology for remote characterization of geotechnical structures and formations

描述岩土工程和地质结构的主要困难之一是不确定结构的大小、形状和材料特性。这种不确定性是由于使用钻孔、浅挖等方法对结构进行有限的地下采样造成的。由于经济和实际原因，它不能与结构的每个区域相交。这种不确定性也影响了这些结构的工程设计，如基础、矿井开口、隧道、油气钻井规划和水库设计。本提案中描述的研究是一个广泛的研究计划的核心组成部分，该研究计划调查地球物理成像技术，以协助在任何采样钻探完成之前，在地下采样位置之间或岩体中进行远程成像和评估地质结构。正在进行的研究任务是：1)为陆上和海底地质技术地下调查（ssi）成像近地表地质结构，2)成像储层孔隙流体压力和成分，3)实时监测储层以评估生产或增产作业。拟议研究的目标是开发新技术或改进现有技术，用于岩土和地质结构的地球物理成像，以表征这些结构的尺寸、形状和材料特性，并协助后续的工程设计。该研究将从地球物理数据中提供额外的、可能更准确的信息，从而改善地下特征，减少设计和规划中的不准确性和错误，从而提高成本和安全性。

One of the major difficulties with characterizing geotechnical and geological structures is the uncertainty of knowing the size, shape and material characteristics of the structure. This uncertainty results from the limited subsurface sampling of the structures using boreholes, shallow excavations, etc... which for economic and practical reasons cannot intersect every region of the structure. This uncertainty also impacts on engineering designs for these structures such as foundations, mine openings, tunnels, hydrocarbon drill planning and reservoir design. The research described in this proposal is the core component of a broad research program investigating geophysical imaging technology to assist with remotely imaging and evaluating geological structures in between subsurface sampling locations or in rock masses before any sampling drilling has been done. Ongoing research tasks are targeted at i) imaging near surface geological structures for geotechnical subsurface investigations (SSIs) for onshore and seafloor investigations, ii) imaging reservoir pore fluid pressure and composition, and iii) real-time reservoir monitoring to evaluate production or stimulation operations. The objective of the proposed research is the development of new technology or the improvement of existing technology for the geophysical imaging of geotechnical and geological structures for characterizing the size, shape and material properties of these structures and assisting with subsequent engineering design. This research will improve subsurface characterization by providing additional and potentially more accurate information from geophysical data, resulting in cost and safety improvements due to reduced inaccuracies and errors in design and planning.