ELASTIC WAVES THKOUGH A4 PACKING OF SPHERES*

FRITZ GASSMANNt
ABSTRACT
Based on a theory of porous solids previously developed by the author, the elasticity of a hexag-
onal close packing of equal spheres is treated. The packing is anisotropic and because of the weight
of the spheres, also inhomogeneous. The velocities of propagation of elastic waves have been caleu-
lated for evacuated interspaces and for interspaces filled with a liquid or gas. In the case of evacuated
or air-filled interspaces, the wave rays and travel times have been computed. The packing which has
been treated may be of use as a model for a dry or wet loose material such as gravel or sand. Though
the model is very simplified, the results obtained show some typical effects such as anisotropy, in-
homogeneity, and a 90 angle of emergence.
THE ELASTICITY OF POROUS SOLIDS
In a previous paper by the author (Cassmann, 1951) the elasticity of homo-
geneous isotropic or anisotropic porous solids has been treated. The following
investigations are based upon the results of the above mentioned paper. There-
fore these results may first be summarized, all demonstrations being omitted.
A sample of a porous solid possessing the volume I and the mass m, may be
composed of a homogeneous isotropic solid material of volume V and mass 2
and of a homogeneous liquid or gas of volume P and mass & filling the pores.
Therefore,
v=jF+l7,
m=m^+i?t,
P
n = v = porosity,
Macroscopically the porous solid may be considered as a homogeneous elastic
solid if the pores are assumed sufficiently small. Though the solid material is
assumed isotropic, the porous solid can behave either as an isotropic or aniso-
tropic elastic body according to the shape of the pores. All pores are assumed to
be in connection. Let us consider an initial state of stress and strain (e.g. such as
the state of rocks under the weight of overlying material) and variations from
this state small enough to allow the application of Hookes law. Two extreme
cases will be taken into account. In the first case the variations of stress act
only upon the solid matter, the hydrostatic pressure of the pore content remaining
constant, due to circulation allowed through the pores and through the surface
of the body. The porous solid then behaves like an open system (e.g., slow varia-
tions of stress applied to a rock sample in free air). In the second case circulation
of the pore content is not possible, the porous solid behaving like a closed
* Manuscript received by the Editor May 21, 1951.
t Professor of Geophysics and Director of Institute of Geophysics, Swiss Federal Institute of
Technology, Zurich.
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system (e.g., stress variations in the earths interior due to earthquake waves).
Sotations:
.\, _V, 2 = rectangular coordinates
sx, s,, SL =
rectangular comlwnents of displacement (Love, 1944), due to stress
variations.
Aei = components of strain variations.
as,
Aes = -az,
as2
Ael = a,' Ae3 = TiY
Ae,=as,+?!?!
(2)
Ae4 =$+%;
as? as,
ay
Ae5 = z + -i;- >
:, ay i)_~
Ajf, Api = components of stress variations of the open and the closed system
(pressure with positive sign).
(3)
Lames constants and modulus of compression of the solid material
z = modulus of compression of the pore content. Stress-strain relations,
general anisotropic case:
open system:
closed system :
A& = _ f: ci;Ae,ii = I1 2 .
j=l
' \.j = I, 2, . . . ) 6
Ap; = - 2 ci,Aei, Aei = - C TijApi
(5)
Relations between the elastic constants:
(4)
(6)
(7)
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EL.l.STIC W.1 [ ES THROl:CH :I P.lCKISG OF SPHERES
675
zl*=1+
- (EL + br + bx).
3k
In particular, for the isotropic case:
x, p, /$ = r; + 5 p
elastic constants of the open system.
3
x
,0=AS4,,
elastic constants of the closed system.
3
I:rom (7) is obtained
(8)
IIEX.\GOS.AL CLOSE P.-lCKIS(; OF SI tll :KE:S, IIO.2IO(;I SI:OUSI.\i STKE:SSED
Let two homogeneous and isotropic spheres of equal radius R (with Lames
constants x, E) be in contact under the pressure P (Figure I).
E = 535_+ G-)
~ = Youngs modulus,
x+i;
x
i;=
~ = Poissons ratio.
26 + 2)
According to Hertzs theory (Love, 19++), the radius of the circle of contact is
R, = 3
J
3(I - y)*R
p-m/I-p.
4t,
(9)
R is assumed to be small compared with R, nnd
s ~ c = 3 9(1 -72)2P2
R J I& R
= relative displacement of the spheres. (IO)
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676
FRITZ GASSMANN
FIG. I. Two equal spheres in contact.
FIG. z.. The hexagonal close packing of spheres.
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ELASTIC WAVES THROUGH A PACKING OF SPHERES
677
The hexagonal close packing of equal spheres (Figure 2) now to be considered
(following an idea of Hara, 1935) consists of different layers (Figure 3). The
coordinates of the centers of the spheres belonging to the Nth layer (no pressure
assumed) are
2 = z [4N + 2N + (-I)~ + I J
2
Y=
+ [4N + (-I)" + I]
2&
z=-RN, N' and N being arbitrary real integers.
3
(11)
As initial stress, we assume zero pressure between the spheres of the same layer,
FIG. 3. A layer of spheres of the hexagonal close packing.
i.e., the spheres with centres of the same value of z, and a pressure P>O between
each pair of spheres in contact, belonging to neighboring layers. The correspond-
ing slight deformation of the lattice (II) of the centers can be neglected in the
following considerations. If the number of layers and spheres is sufficiently large,
the packing at its initial state of stress can be considered as a homogeneous
anisotropic porous solid
a
porosity n = I - - = 0.260
342
1
(12)
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678
FRITZ GASSMANN
with the symmetry of Voigts class Nr. 26 of crystals. With respect to elasticity
all directions perpendicular to z are equivalent (transversely isotropic sym-
metry, Love 1944, page 160) and the elasticity is determined by five constants
c1, c2, . . . )
Cb, the matrix of the open system constants d;f in (4) taking the
form
Cl c, - zcs c2 0 0 0
Cl - 2cg Cl C2 0 0 0
CZ c2 C S 0 0 0
0 0 0 c4 0 0
0 0 0 0 c4 0
0 0 0 0 0 CS
(13)
The Cij can be taken from (4), if for suitable homogeneous deformations of the
lattice (II) the variations of stress are calculated by means of (IO), variatinns
As and AP being replaced by ds and dP. With
I I dP I 6@P
C-
122/2 R ds I24/2 (I - ;;2)2R2
(14)
the matrix Eij is obtained by putting
cr = C, cp = c4 = 4d, CB = 166, cg = 0
(IS)
into (13).
THE PACKING OF SPHERES STRESSED BY SELF-WEIGHT
The packing of spheres introduced by Figures 2 and 3 and the formulas (II)
may now be considered under the influence of self-weight, the +z axis pointing
vertically downward. The interspaces between the spheres may be filled with a
liquid of constant density z. Each sphere belonging to the Nth layer is in contact
with three spheres of the (N+r)th layer under the pressure P.T,I and with three
spheres of the (N-r)th layer under the pressure PAT-~. The condition for equi-
librium of such a sphere contains the vertical components of the six pressures,
and the apparent weight 47r/3R3(5--jS)g of the sphere when g=980. 665 cm
set-2. It is
Pi,_l. 46 - PN. 4% + y R"($ - F)g = o.
(16)
If no load is assumed above the first layer, then PO = o and the recurrence formula
(16) leads to
PLY = N.-z R3(F - F)g
3v6 (17)
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EL.4STIC Will ES THROUGH A PACKING OF SPHERES
or taking the value of IV from (II):
Substituting this expression for P in (rq), we obtain
-
4;.
679
(If9
(19)
If the pores are filled with a liquid, the packing of spheres may be called a wet
system. If the pores are evacuated [F =o], the packing may be called a dry
system. If the pores are filled with air, its density and its modulus of compression
are negligible. Therefore the system possesses the elasticity of a dry system.
3 = (I - n)i; = density of the dry system.
p = (I - rt)f + np = density of the wet system.
(20)
(H = 0.26, see (12)).
The stress below the plane z =zo> o (zo large compared with R) is not changed
if the packing of spheres between the planes z =o and z= zo is replaced by an
arbitrary layer between the planes z =zl and z=zo, with density p*, depending
only on z, if
S
20
p*(z)& = pzo.
(21)
=I
The packing of spheres may be considered as a simple model for a gravel or
sand, dry (= dry system) or filled with ground water (= wet system).
PROPAGATION OF ELASTIC WAVES THROUGH THE PACKING OF SPHERES
The elasticity of the dry system is given by the matrix of the Cij which is
calculated by means of (13), (IS) and (19) with p =o. In order to calculate the
elastic constants of the closed wet system, first the matrix of the dij is calculated
in the same way, but with p #o in c of (19). Then the matrix of the c;j, found
by (6), is the matrix (13) with
Cs = 162 + _ bz2,
D*
cq = 4L, cg= 01
(22)
bl = bz = I - 2 -; , b.p-t+ bq=bb=bc=o.
>
The partial differential equations of wave motion, the wave length assumed
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large compared with R, are obtained by substituting the stress-strain relations
into the general equations of motion of an elastic solid (Love, 1944):
+ (c2+c4)$
z
a3,
P
--=Ccg--
at2
(23)
a2s,
+ (c, - c,j __,
axaY
a%, a2s, a2s, azsz
P
__ = cq -ix? + cq __ + ca
at2
dY2
7 + (C2 + c4j 2;
azs,,
+ (C, + Cd dvd 1
z
,
where t= time For the wet system, the Cis are to be taken from (22), for the
dry system from (IS), putting ij=o in (19) and (20). Now let TV(r, y, Z, t)
= const. = equation of a wave front.
a w aw aw aw
-zz!z
907 -- -
-=
at an- I aY q2g a = q3.
(24)
z
The characteristic relation (Levi-Civit%, 1932) of the SyStem (23) iS
Id
11 - pqo2
.I 12
1113 I
1
A 12
;I22 - pqo 1
_ 23
= 0,
(25)
I
I -.I 13
A
L3 a
1
33 - PQ02 ~
.
1
11 = clq12 + Csq? + C4q32, -112 =: (Cl - C&142,
A22 = c5q12 + C1qz2 + c4q32,
_-I23 =
(C? + C-dqzq3,
As = C4q12 + C4qz2 + Cm , - 13 = (C2 + Cdq1q,.
1
Assuming a point source ( = focus) at x =y= z = o and considering the wave
propagation in the (s,e) plane. we have by reason of symmetry, qz=o
I
Qo
u = ~ . .._.~~._..
-\/412 + qs2;
= velocity of propagation perpendicular to the
wave front.
(26)
tan 01 = E j cx = angle between the normal of the wave front and the z axis.
q3
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ELASTIC WAVES THROUGH A PACKING OF SPHERES 681
The three roots of (25) corresponding to the three different kinds of waves with
velocities v =zJ~, v2, 21~ lead to
VI2
>
I
=
v2* W(q12 + q3*1
(11 II + 1133 k 411 II2 + A332 + 4Ad - 2&A
(27)
A22
v32 = __-- .
P(P? + q3*1
As an example, the velocity z~~(~~>F~>~~) has been calculated for a packing of
granitic spheres, dry [v~=v~(z,cx)] and filled with water [vl = v~*(z,o)] for
CY=O (vertical direction of propagation) and CY= 90
using the following values:
^p = 2.65 8~
cm3
(0
dry,
:= I
i
gr
--- wet,
k = 2,06.101: ?!!?.
cm3 cm2
The results are shown in Figure 4.
f--
velocity L( in m/set
N
.g f O
--
wet
dry
(horizontal direction),
v = 0.25,
(28)
.G
r-4
vertical
-- - horizontal
I
velocjty
r
$
I
8
f -$
velocity w in m/set
0 3 0
.._
dry
FIG. 4. Velocities of wave propagation in a packing of spheres.
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682
FRITZ GASShl.4 N.V
The wave rays (=seismic rays) are the bi-characteristics of (23). For the
rays in the (x,z) plane (p?=o), the differential equations are:
ax aw
Z - aq,
dz azI
- = --
do aq,
dq1
0 20 3 140 5
standard horizontal distance
,
29)
--+
FIG. 5. Standard ray of elastic waves in a packing of spheres.
H, corresponding e.g., to vl, is obtained by taking
responding equation (2 7) :
the square root of the cor-
qo = - H(z, ql, 43). (30)
The rays corresponding to v1 will now be calculated for the dry system:
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ELASTIC WA I/ES THKOliCH A PACKING OF SPHERES 683
I,
II =--
4\/2
&X& + 4qa ) + jy/, + 32%j, (/r2 + 1444~~ t
L=
8&2g
(31)
+I - 2)
We introduce (Y as parameter
_ ~_~_..__ ..-. -.L~~_-
I;(~) = $V& + I5 cos 2a + -\/(Is + g cos ZCY)~ + 256 sin2 2a ,
dF
__ = F (a),
da
zrl = L+F(a),
and integrate (29).
If t =o is assumed as focal time the results are:
(auxiliary function, graphically computed)
T1 = T(n) = 141,950
(integration by aid of elliptic integrals)
Standard ray (Figure 5):
100 sin cy
r=-----
[ 1
6
TI F(c*)
SJ = Liz. T(a) (= standard travel time)
1
angle of emergence = go
Arbitrary ray:
(I = horizontal focal distance of the ray.
z=S,
100 100
QSi6 a516
,! = 0.012@78 = 0.027408.y+
(32)
(33)
(34)
(35)
(36)
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0.5
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ii
rr)
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P
iz
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-ii
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\
0.1
t
0
0.521
10 50 100 200
- distance a in m
FIG. h. Iravel time and apparent velocit), of elastic waves in a Ixxrking of spheres.
The ray is symmetric
Trace! time function :
cy = ?r,
x=
with respect to s=u/2.
(2, I o, 1 = 7 = "~?! ~2516 (Figure 6). (37)
I.
f a
64
Ly = ~~.
,2:=-_,
2
z = zs = -a = 0.451~.
Tl
(38)
2
Deepest point of the ray:
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The integration of (29) and the evaluation of (34) have been carried out by
Dr. Oswald Wyler, and the other numerical computations by Dr. Oswald Wyler
and Walter Kellenberger, both as assistants in the Geophysical Department of
the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. The models shown in Figures 2 and
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ELASTIC WAVES THROUGH il PrlCKING OF SPHERES
6%
3 belong to the Mineralogical Department of the Institute, and I would like to
thank Prof. P. Niggli for permission to photograph them.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
F. Gassmann, Ueber die Elastizitiit poriiser M&en. l ierteljahrsschrift der Naturforschenden Ge-
sellschaft in zurich Heft I, 195.
G. Hara, Theorie der akustischen Schallausbreitung in gekb;rnten Substanzen und experimentelle
Untersuchungen an Kohlepulver. Elektrische Nachrichtentechnik Band 12, 1935, S. 19~200.
T. Levi-CivitB, Cara&ristiques des Syst?mes Diff&entiels et Propagation des Ondes. Paris: Felix
Alcan, 1932.
A. E. H. Love, A Treatise on the Mathematical Theory of Elasticity. New York: Dover Publications,
1944,
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