Correlations Developed for Estimation of Hydraulic Parameters of Rough Fractures Through the Simulation of JRC Flow Channels

The hydro-mechanical response of fractured rock masses is complex, due partly to the presence of fractures at different scales. Surface morphology has a significant influence on fluid flow behaviour of a fracture. Different empirical correlations and statistical models have been proposed to estimate the equivalent hydraulic aperture and determine the pressure drop along a fracture. However, the existing models suffer from not being adequately generalised to be applicable to a wide range of real fracture surfaces. To incorporate the effect of profile roughness in the hydro-mechanical behaviour of fractured rock masses, the joint roughness coefficient (JRC) is the most widely used empirical approach. However, the average JRC of two fracture walls in fluid flow analysis, as is a common practice, appears to be inappropriate. It will be shown how different combinations of pairs of JRCs could lead to a similar JRC value. Also, changing the position of the top and bottom walls of a fracture can significantly change the hydraulic response of the fracture while the average JRC is identical in both cases. In this paper, correlations are developed which are based on the simulation of JRCs using estimated fluid flow parameters of 2D fractures can be estimated. In order to widen the application range of the correlations, JRC flow channels were generated: these are 2D channels with their top and bottom walls being made from two of the JRC profiles. To estimate the JRC of linear profiles, a correlation developed between JRC and a newly developed Riemannian roughness parameter, D _R1, is proposed. Considering ten JRC profiles, a total of 100 JRC flow channels were generated. In order to only investigate the effect of surface roughness on fluid flow, the minimum closure between the top and bottom walls of JRC flow channels were considered to be constant. Three cases with minimum closures of 0.01, 0.05 and 0.10 cm were considered in this study. All JRC flow channels were subjected to fluid analysis using FLUENT software. Based on these results, correlations were developed between the geometrical and hydraulic properties of flow channels. Analysis of several real fractures demonstrated the applicability of these correlations.     

Algorithmic Simulation of Flow in Rock Fractures

The two sides of a rock fracture are geometrically often very different. The difference or heterogeneity can be captured using aperture. This is also practically very significant because locally low or zero aperture in a rock fracture impedes flow. The aperture measurements of each of five paired rock blocks are discretely digitized (0–9). Each resulting weakly continuous two-dimensional matrix is then traversed by the nflow (new-flow) flow algorithm, once from each entry at one end to the other end. The paths are either incomplete and end surrounded by zeros or are completed at the other (exit) end. The numerical digit distribution is held constant from block to block. Fracture through-flow is defined as the average percentage of complete paths from one end to the other for that block. Fracture roughness is negatively correlated with fracture through-flow (r ~ −0.893). A rough fracture will only allow little flow compared with a smooth fracture with a smoother aperture distribution. Channeling of complete paths toward exit points is discussed for all blocks. Channeling is not related to roughness. A long complete sample path in a very rough fracture is shown. The distribution of numbers of complete paths is also investigated.     

Strain-dependent Fluid Flow Defined Through Rock Mass Classification Schemes

Summary ?Strain-dependent hydraulic conductivities are uniquely defined by an environmental factor, representing applied normal and shear strains, combined with intrinsic material parameters representing mass and component deformation moduli, initial conductivities, and mass structure. The components representing mass moduli and structure are defined in terms of RQD (rock quality designation) and RMR (rock mass rating) to represent the response of a whole spectrum of rock masses, varying from highly fractured (crushed) rock to intact rock. These two empirical parameters determine the hydraulic response of a fractured medium to the induced-deformations. The constitutive relations are verified against available published data and applied to study one-dimensional, strain-dependent fluid flow. Analytical results indicate that both normal and shear strains exert a significant influence on the processes of fluid flow and that the magnitude of this influence is regulated by the values of RQD and RMR.     

岩体粗糙单裂隙渗流及溶质运移研究

与多孔介质相比,裂隙介质中的渗流、溶质运移要复杂得多,许多学者在这方面进行了深入的研究,他们在模型的建立、求解、验证等方面都取得很大突破,但仍有许多难点没有解决。着眼于粗糙单裂隙开度变化的实质特性,将原有裂隙介质渗流、溶质运移方程进行修改,建立粗糙单裂隙渗流、溶质运移数学模型,并进行数值模拟。     

Hydraulic Characteristics of Rough Fractures in Linear Flow under Normal and Shear Load

Summary A hydro-mechanical testing system, which is capable of measuring both the flow rates and the normal and shear displacement of a rock fracture, was built to investigate the hydraulic behaviour of rough tension fractures. Laboratory hydraulic tests in linear flow were conducted on rough rock fractures, artificially created using a splitter under various normal and shear loading. Prior to the tests, aperture distributions were determined by measuring the topography of upper and lower fracture surfaces using a laser profilometer. Experimental variograms of the initial aperture distributions were classified into four groups of geostatistical model, though the overall experimental variograms could be well fitted to the exponential model. The permeability of the rough rock fractures decayed exponentially with respect to the normal stress increase up to 5 MPa. Hydraulic behaviours during monotonic shear loading were significantly affected by the dilation occurring until the shear stress reached the peak strength. With the further dilation, the permeability of the rough fracture specimens increased more. However, beyond shear displacement of about 7 to 8 mm, permeability gradually reached a maximum threshold value. The combined effects of both asperity degradation and gouge production, which prohibited the subsequent enlargement of mean fracture aperture, mainly caused this phenomenon. Permeability changes during cyclic shear loading showed somewhat irregular variations, especially after the first shear loading cycle, due to the complex interaction from asperity degradations and production of gouge materials. The relation between hydraulic and mechanical apertures was analyzed to investigate the valid range of mechanical apertures to be applied to the cubic law. Received June 12, 2001; accepted February 26, 2002 Published online September 2, 2002     

A Bonded Particle Model Simulation of Shear Strength and Asperity Degradation for Rough Rock Fractures

Different failure modes during fracture shearing have been introduced including normal dilation or sliding, asperity cut-off and degradation. Attempts have been made to study these mechanisms using analytical, experimental and numerical methods. However, the majority of the existing models simplify the problem, which leads to unrealistic results. With this in mind, the aim of this paper is to simulate the mechanical behaviour of synthetic and rock fracture profiles during direct shear tests by using the two-dimensional particle flow computer code PFC2D. Correlations between the simulated peak shear strength and the fracture roughness parameter D _R1 recently proposed by Rasouli and Harrison (2010) are developed. Shear test simulations are carried out with PFC2D and the effects of the geometrical features as well as the model micro-properties on the fracture shear behaviour are studied. The shear strength and asperity degradation processes of synthetic profiles including triangular, sinusoidal and randomly generated profiles are analysed. Different failure modes including asperity sliding, cut-off, and asperity degradation are explicitly observed and compared with the available models. The D _R1 parameter is applied to the analysis of synthetic and rock fracture profiles. Accordingly, correlations are developed between D _R1 and the peak shear strength obtained from simulations and by using analytical solutions. The results are shown to be in good agreement with the basic understanding of rock fracture shear behaviour and asperity contact degradation.     

A Laboratory Shear Cell Used for Simulation of Shear Strength and Asperity Degradation of Rough Rock Fractures

Different failure modes during fracture shearing have been introduced including dilation, sliding, asperity cut-off and degradation. Several laboratory studies have reported the complexity of these failure modes during shear tests performed under either constant normal load (CNL) or constant normal stiffness (CNS) conditions. This paper is concerned with the mechanical behaviour of synthetic fractures during direct shear tests using a modified shear cell and related numerical simulation studies. The modifications made to an existing true triaxial stress cell (TTSC) in order to use it for performing shear tests under CNL conditions are presented. The large loading capacity and the use of accurate hydraulic pumps capable of applying a constant shear velocity are the main elements of this cell. Synthetic mortar specimens with different fracture surface geometries are tested to study the failure modes, including fracture sliding, asperity degradation, and to understand failure during shearing. A bonded particle model of the direct shear test with the PFC2D particle flow code is used to mimic the tests performed. The results of a number of tests are presented and compared with PFC2D simulations. The satisfactory results obtained both qualitatively and quantitatively are discussed.     

Kadesh Barnea (Water Shall Flow from the Rock)

The spring mentioned quite frequently in the Bible as a camp of the tribes of Israel was Kadesh Barnea. From here the mission headed by Joshua and Caleb went to find the promised land and from here the first attempt to enter the land was made. Kadesh Barnea is an ideal place for the concentration of people in the middle of the desert.     

Micromechanical Modelling of Stress Waves in Rock and Rock Fractures

The goal of this paper is to simulate the interaction of stress waves and rock fractures in a particle micromechanical model. Stress waves travelling in fractured rock masses are slowed down and attenuated by natural heterogeneities, voids, microcracks and, above all, by faults and fractures. Considerable laboratory and theoretical investigation have uncovered the major aspects of this phenomenon, but models that cover the core mechanisms of the wave propagation in rock masses are necessary to investigate aspects of wave–fracture interaction, which are not completely clear, and in the future simulate full-scale real problems. The micromechanical model is based on the particle discrete element model that reproduces rock through a densely packed non-structured assembly of 2D disks with point contacts. The model of a hard rock core is developed and an irregular rock joint is generated at mid-height. A new contact constitutive model is applied to the particles in the joint walls. Numerical static joint compression tests are performed and a typical hyperbolic stress–displacement curve is obtained. Conditions for good quality wave transmission through non-jointed unorganized particulate media are determined, hybrid static–dynamic boundary conditions are established and plane waves are emitted into the compressed joint. The transmitted and reflected waves are extracted and analysed. Joint dynamic stiffness calculated according to the hypotheses of the Displacement Discontinuity Theory shows to increase with the static joint compression until the joint is completely closed. Still in its early stages of application, this rock micromechanical model enables the joint behaviour under static and dynamic loading to be analysed in detail. Its advantages are the reproduction of the real mechanics of contact creation, evolution and destruction and the possibility of visualizing in detail the joint geometry changes, which is hard to accomplish in the laboratory.     

采取井下钻孔预注浆方式确保巷道安全通过大型导(含)水断层

断 层 水害 的发 生 往往 对煤 矿 造成 的损 失 巨大 ,甚 至会 造成 淹 井事 故的 发 生。 但矿 井 一些 运输 巷 、通 风 巷 又必须 穿 越 这些 大 型 导 含水 断 层 。 采取 井 下 钻 孔预 注 浆 的 方式 、选 用单 液 浆 加 入少 量 速 凝 剂的 方 法 ,对 断 层 进行 超 前 止水 、加 固处 理 是十 分可 行 和必 要的 。     

Grouting Rock Fractures with Cement Grout

The radial flow rate of a cement grout in a rock fracture is obtained from Bingham’s relation and the fact that the power expended by the injection mechanism is the energy dissipated by viscous effects. The energy balance reveals that the advance ratio is of fundamental importance in the grouting process and is inherently related to the rest and advance phases of a cement grout. This allows giving a precise definition of the zero flow path that divides the energy diagram into two distinct domains for advancing and non-advancing grout. The advance ratio and the zero flow path are used to explore the grouting of one or more fractures, analyze the GIN model in the context of the SL dispute, draw a terminal sequence considering the energy interval alternative, and reformulate the refusal criterion of the North American grouting method. Secondary grouting effects are also investigated.     

The Hydro-Mechanically Coupled Response of Rock Fractures

Summary. In a fractured rock mass, variations in stress and fluid pressure induced by engineering activities can significantly affect the hydrogeological properties. A significant change in fracture transmissivities can also be experienced in the far-field. The simulation of this kind of change requires a Hydro-Mechanical (HM) coupled model. The purpose of this paper is to show how such a model can be used to analyse the evolution of deformation and pressure in a fracture subjected to fluid injection. A 2D BEM-FEM code is used to solve the non-linear system of equations that describe the dependency of transmissivity on local fracture closure. The results of a sensitivity analysis of the essential fracture parameters allow one to gain insight into the importance of the HM models in the framework of the hydrogeology of fractured rock masses. Results obtained from a system of two impervious blocks and a saturated fracture are reported, in order to show the possibilities offered by this technique.     

A Factor Strength Approach for the Design of Rock Fall and Debris Flow Barriers

This paper discusses the applicability and the limitations of an approach to the limit states design of flexible barrier in which the soil/rock strength are factored as required in the European construction code. It shows as this approach has different implications if it is applied to the same kind of structure when loaded by different phenomena (rockfall and debris flow in particular). Flexible barriers are common countermeasures to protect from rockfall hazard and to restrain debris flow events. Even if an intense scientific production has demonstrated the difference between the two phenomena, the protection systems are still often designed in the same way. Additionally, the Eurocode 7 (EC7), which is the European Standard concerning geotechnical design, has not been conformed to these kinds of structures and consequently a relationship between the reliability of the system and the partial factors does not exist. Since most of the parameters that rule these systems are not even considered in the code, the Authors propose the study of two cases, in which rockfall and debris flow occur, respectively, to analyse the applicability and the limitations of EC7 principles to design the suitable kind of structure.     

Quantification of Aperture and Relations Between Aperture,Normal Stress and Fluid Flow for Natural Single Rock Fractures

Accurate quantification of rock fracture aperture is important in investigating hydro-mechanical properties of rock fractures. Liquefied wood’s metal was used successfully to determine the spatial distribution of aperture with normal stress for natural single rock fractures. A modified 3D box counting method is developed and applied to quantify the spatial variation of rock fracture aperture with normal stress. New functional relations are developed for the following list: (a) Aperture fractal dimension versus effective normal stress; (b) Aperture fractal dimension versus mean aperture; (c) Fluid flow rate per unit hydraulic gradient per unit width versus mean aperture; (d) Fluid flow rate per unit hydraulic gradient per unit width versus aperture fractal dimension. The aperture fractal dimension was found to be a better parameter than mean aperture to correlate to fluid flow rate of natural single rock fractures. A highly refined variogram technique is used to investigate possible existence of aperture anisotropy. It was observed that the scale dependent fractal parameter, K _v, plays a more prominent role than the fractal dimension, D _a1d, on determining the anisotropy pattern of aperture data. A combined factor that represents both D _a1d and K _v, D _a1d × K _v, is suggested to capture the aperture anisotropy.     

复杂岩体地下水运动问题的有限分析法

在数值模拟方法基础上,提出了一种全局坐标下解复杂岩体地下水运动问题的有限分析法。算例表明,这种方法不仅可行,而且具有较高的数值求解精度。     

基于因子分析的岩石可钻性指标分析

岩石可钻性级别的准确划分是提高钻进效率的有效措施之一,但因其指标极多,故这项工作至今没有圆满解决.传统的方法是通过直接测定岩石的各项物理力学性质来综合判定岩石的可钻性,但这种方法有两大缺陷.首先,各项数据之间数量级和量纲的差距极大;其次,各项数据之间存在很高的相关性,直接使用原始数据判定可钻性会带来误差.用标准差化的方法对原始数据预处理可以消除数量级和量纲的差距.利用多元统计中因子分析模型则可以将原始数据分类构成少数综合因子,再利用数学变换将综合因子转化为综合指标,最终不仅达到降低原始数据维数,简化分析计算的目的,而且综合指标之间的低相关性也避免了原始数据间高相关性带来的误差.     

新疆柯坪-巴楚地区碳酸盐岩构造裂缝发育的控制因素及油气勘探意义

构造裂缝发育程度是碳酸盐岩地区构造裂缝定量研究的重要方面,对碳酸盐岩裂缝油气藏的储层预测具有重要意义。论文基于野外地质实际考察,研究岩性、地层厚度、构造性质等因素对构造裂缝的影响,建立比较系统的构造裂缝发育分布规律,建立构造裂缝发育的地质模型。白云岩的裂缝密度明显大于灰岩类的裂缝密度。地层越厚裂缝密度越小,但裂缝规模较大。走滑断裂控制的构造裂缝的裂缝密度与距断裂的距离呈指数关系且存在"断裂控制的裂缝带","断裂控制裂缝带"与断裂的性质、规模和断距等因素密切相关。提出不同性质断裂"断裂控制裂缝带"宽度与断层破碎带宽度的比值K,这个比值的发现对断裂控制的裂缝油气勘探开发具有重要的应用价值。