Experimental research on the ultrasonic attenuation mechanism of coal

We studied the ultrasound velocity and attenuation coefficient in coal on the basis of acoustic emission analysis in the time and frequency domains. We also analyzed the mechanism of ultrasound attenuation in coal from a microscopic point of view. Previous research has indicated that the ultrasound velocity and the attenuation coefficient in coal correlate positively and negatively, respectively, with the coal density. In the present study, we found that the acoustic emission characteristics in the time and frequency domain are influenced by the quality of the coal and the fundamental frequency of the ultrasound. For example, the decay time was longer and the amplitude of the received signal was greater in anthracite than in fat coal. Moreover, with increasing fundamental frequency, the decay time decreased and the energy distribution in the transmitted wave became more concentrated around the fundamental frequency. In terms of energy dissipation, coal matrix deformation resulted in a pulling force and caused shear distortion owing to friction, the ultrasonic attenuation in coal is positively affected by the stress induced by ultrasonic waves, which means that a larger strain amplitude would lead to more energy dissipated in coal and an increase of the attenuation coefficient. This was the main cause of ultrasonic attenuation.