An understanding of strain wave propagation in fluid containing porous
rocks is important in reservoir geophysics and in the monitoring in u
nderground water in the vicinity of nuclear and toxic waste sites, ear
thquake prediction, etc. Both experimental and theoretical research ar
e far from providing a complete explanation of dissipation mechanisms,
especially the observation of an unexpectedly strong dependence of at
tenuation Q(-1) on the chemistry of the solid and liquid phases involv
ed. Traditional theories of poroelasticity do not take these effects i
nto account. In this paper the bulk of existing experimental data and
theoretical models is reviewed briefly in order to elucidate the effec
t of environmental factors on the attenuation of seismic waves. Low fl
uid concentrations are emphasized. Thermodynamical analysis shows that
changes in surface energy caused by weak mechanical disturbances can
explain observed Values of attenuation in real rocks. Experimental dis
sipation isotherms are interpreted in terms of monolayered surface ads
orption of liquid films as described by Langmuir's equation. In order
to describe surface dissipation in consolidated rocks, a surface tensi
on term is added to the pore pressure term in the O'Connell-Budiansky
poroelastic equation for effective moduli of porous and fractured rock
s. Theoretical calculations by this modified model, using reasonable v
alues for elastic parameters, surface energy, crack density and their
geometry, lead to results which qualitatively agree with experimental
data obtained at low fluid contents.