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Empirical relationship of p-wave velocity, depth and shear strength parameters of remoulded geological materials from a sedimentary terrain in North-eastern Nigeria

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Abstract

To ascertain possible relationship between p-wave velocity (Vp), depth and shear strength parameters of remoulded geological materials, 10 locations were each drilled to 60 m depth for downhole seismic data acquisition and also to recover geological materials. The acquisition was to determine lithoseismic zones in each location while the material emanating from each zone was subjected to sieve/sedimentation test to determine their grain-size gradation and further subjected to undrained triaxial test to determine their shear strength parameters—cohesion (c) and internal friction angle (ɸ). The seismic acquisition revealed that most of the locations have 3 lithoseismic zones. Vp of the shallowest weathered zone, middle sub-weathered zone and deep unweathered zone ranges from 351 to 629 m/s, 830 to 1198 m/s and 1569 to 1974 m/s, respectively. The remoulded materials are made of mostly sand and fine particles. The weathered zone materials have c and ɸ ranging from 24.00 to 79.50 kPa and 19.8 to 33.67°, respectively; the sub-weathered zone materials have c and ɸ ranging from 36.00 to 108.00 kPa and 19.04 to 30.26°, respectively, while the unweathered zone materials have c and ɸ ranging from 67.50 to 99.00 kPa and 14.30 to 26.72°, respectively. In each location, c of the remoulded materials increases from the shallow zone to the deep zone just as the Vp. Depth has higher control to Vp of weathered zone than compaction. Holistically, cohesion (c) of the remoulded materials has a derived relationship with both Vp and ‘significant depth’ of the lithoseismic zones. These relationships are valid only for non-ferruginous materials.

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Acknowledgements

Authors are grateful to Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) for their financial assistance to this research. Authors are also thankful to the Seismology Department of Integrated Data Service Limited (IDSL) and Bureau of Geophysical Prospecting (BGP) Joint Venture-409 Seismic Crew that provided the drilling equipment used in drilling the wellbores and seismograph used for seismic data acquisition. Authors sincerely appreciate the anonymous reviewers and editor to this publication whom suggestions/recommendations upgraded the paper to this level.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria

    Tochukwu A. S. Ugwoke & Ogbonnaya Igwe

  2. Department of Geological Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria

    Chukwuebuka Emeh

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  1. Tochukwu A. S. Ugwoke
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  2. Ogbonnaya Igwe
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Correspondence to Tochukwu A. S. Ugwoke.

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Ugwoke, T.A.S., Igwe, O. & Emeh, C. Empirical relationship of p-wave velocity, depth and shear strength parameters of remoulded geological materials from a sedimentary terrain in North-eastern Nigeria. Arab J Geosci 15, 315 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-022-09507-3

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