HYSTERESIS, DISCRETE MEMORY, AND NONLINEAR-WAVE PROPAGATION IN ROCK - A NEW PARADIGM

The structural elements in a rock are characterized by their density in Preisach-Mayergoyz space (PM space). This density is found for a Berea sandstone from stress-strain data and used to study the response of the sandstone to elaborate pressure protocols. Hysteresis with discrete memory, in agreement with experiment, is found. The relationship between strain, quasistatic modulus, and dynamic modulus is established. Nonlinear wave propagation, the production of copious harmonics, and nonlinear attenuation are demonstrated. PM space is shown to be the central construct in a new paradigm for the description of the elastic behavior of consolidated materials. © 1995 The American Physical Society.