Shear wave birefringence in dilating granite

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Abstract
Laboratory observations of ultrasonic shear waves indicate splitting along the direction of minimum principal stress of ∼11% for confined (20 MPa) and ∼16% for unconfined specimens of Westerly granite loaded in uniaxial stress. Dilatant strains increase birefringence except at > 80‐90% of the ultimate strength, when processes related to shear failure apparently become important. If seismic birefringence observed in the field can be related to anisotropic dilatant strains, these laboratory measurements of precursory velocity changes should prove useful in predicting earthquakes.

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