Relationship of sound speeds between compressional wave and shear wave of seafloor sediments

Based on the assumption of continuous medium, a general model of sound speed (GMSS) is put forward to analyze acoustic characteristics of seafloor sediments by introducing the elastic structure factor, with the analysis of acoustic wave propagation in sediment by using the general equation of non-absorbing isotropic elastic medium. With the study of comparison of Willey time average model, Wood equation, Gassmann equation, Buckingham model, Biot-Stoll model and EDFM model with the GMSS, they can be expressed with GMSS in some specific elastic structure factor status. And GMSS model has the consistency in the interpretation of compressional wave velocity and shear wave velocity characteristics. GMSS is with seven parameters included elastic structure distribution factor, porosity, equivalent densities and equivalent elastic modules of pore water and solid particles, and equivalent shear modules of solid particles. It provides a simple and universal method with few parameters for the study of seafloor sediment compressional wave and shear wave velocity. Moreover, there still need to carry out a more in-depth analysis to explore the physical meaning and parameter measurement of the model of GMSS considering the physical structure and the stress-strain relationship.