Experimental and numerical investigation of groundwater head losses on and nearby short intersections between disc-shaped fractures

Discrete fracture models are used for investigating precise processes of groundwater flow in fractured rocks,while a disc-shaped parallel-plates model for a single fracture is more reasonable and efficient for computational treatments.The flow velocity has a large spatial differentiation which is more likely to produce non-linear flow and additional head losses on and nearby intersections in such shaped fractures,therefore it is necessary to understand and quantify them.In this study,both laboratory experiments and numerical simulations were performed to investigate the total head loss on and nearby the intersections as well as the local head loss exactly on the intersections,which were not usually paid sufficient attention or even ignored.The investigation results show that these two losses account for 29.17%-84.97%and 0-73.57%of the entire total head loss in a fracture,respectively.As a result,they should be necessarily considered for groundwater modeling in fractured rocks.Furthermore,both head losses become larger when aperture and flow rate increase and intersection length decreases.Particularly,the ratios of these two head losses to the entire total head loss in a fracture could be well statistically explained by power regression equations with variables of aperture,intersection length,and flow rates,both of which achieved high coefficients of determination.It could be feasible through this type of study to provide a way on how to adjust the groundwater head from those obtained by numerical simulations based on the traditional linear flow model.Finally,it is practicable and effective to implement the investigation approach combining laboratory experiments with numerical simulations for quantifying the head losses on and nearby the intersections between disc-shaped fractures.     

The first extra-large helium-rich gas field identified in a tight sandstone of the Dongsheng Gas Field,Ordos Basin,China

Science China Earth Sciences - Helium gas is a scarce but important strategic resource, which is usually associated with natural gas. Presently, only one extra-large helium-rich gas field has been...     

Multi-scale climate variations and mechanisms of the onset and withdrawal of the South China Sea summer monsoon

Science China Earth Sciences - The onset of the South China Sea summer monsoon (SCSSM) heralds the establishment of the large-scale East Asian summer monsoon and the western North Pacific summer...     

Under the surface: Pressure-induced planetary-scale waves,volcanic lightning,and gaseous clouds caused by the submarine eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano

We present a narrative of the eruptive events culminating in the cataclysmic January 15, 2022 eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai Volcano by synthesizing diverse preliminary seismic, volcanological, sound wave, and lightning data available within the first few weeks after the eruption occurred. The first hour of eruptive activity produced fast-propagating tsunami waves, long-period seismic waves, loud audible sound waves, infrasonic waves, exceptionally intense volcanic lightning and an unsteady volcanic plume that transiently reached—at 58 ?km—the Earth's mesosphere. Energetic seismic signals were recorded worldwide and the globally stacked seismogram showed episodic seismic events within the most intense periods of phreatoplinian activity, and they correlated well with the infrasound pressure waveform recorded in Fiji. Gravity wave signals were strong enough to be observed over the entire planet in just the first few hours, with some circling the Earth multiple times subsequently. These large-amplitude, long-wavelength atmospheric disturbances come from the Earth's atmosphere being forced by the magmatic mixture of tephra, melt and gasses emitted by the unsteady but quasi-continuous eruption from 0402±1–1800 UTC on January 15, 2022. Atmospheric forcing lasted much longer than rupturing from large earthquakes recorded on modern instruments, producing a type of shock wave that originated from the interaction between compressed air and ambient (wavy) sea surface. This scenario differs from conventional ideas of earthquake slip, landslides, or caldera collapse-generated tsunami waves because of the enormous (～1000x) volumetric change due to the supercritical nature of volatiles associated with the hot, volatile-rich phreatoplinian plume. The time series of plume altitude can be translated to volumetric discharge and mass flow rate. For an eruption duration of ～12 ?h, the eruptive volume and mass are estimated at 1.9 ?km³ and ～2 900 ?Tg, respectively, corresponding to a VEI of 5–6 for this event. The high frequency and intensity of lightning was enhanced by the production of fine ash due to magma—seawater interaction with concomitant high charge per unit mass and the high pre-eruptive concentration of dissolved volatiles. Analysis of lightning flash frequencies provides a rapid metric for plume activity and eruption magnitude. Many aspects of this eruption await further investigation by multidisciplinary teams. It represents a unique opportunity for fundamental research regarding the complex, non-linear behavior of high energetic volcanic eruptions and attendant phenomena, with critical implications for hazard mitigation, volcano forecasting, and first-response efforts in future disasters.     

南方岩溶区地下水资源特征与水资源保障对策

【研究目的】中国南方岩溶地区干旱缺水等问题异常突出,岩溶地下水赋存和分布的复杂,开发利用率低,基于多年调查研究工作为基础,系统总结南方岩溶区地下水资源特征,研讨水资源保障对策。【研究方法】基于南方岩溶区地下水资源特点、地下水系统类型、地下水系统空间结构的叠置性和时空分布不均性分析,提出南方岩溶区水资源保障对策。【研究结果】南方岩溶区可从以下三方面充分发挥地下水资源安全保障作用,一是掌握地下水赋存分布规律,发挥分散供水和应急供水作用;二是加强调蓄工程建设,解决水资源时空分布不均问题;三是建立与生态重建和经济发展相结合的地下水资源可持续利用模式。【结论】南方岩溶区地下水赋存条件复杂,具有表层带岩溶水系统、岩溶地下河与管道流系统、岩溶大泉系统以及分散排泄地下水系统多种类型,规模大小不一,开发利用形式多样;在垂向上具有叠置性,水空分布严重不均;开发利用潜力较大。在地球科学系统论的指导下,查明岩溶水资源赋存分布规律,科学评价地下水资源量,因地制宜制定水资源开发利用和保护方案,为脱贫攻坚、生态文明建设和乡村振兴提供技术支撑。创新点：以系统水文地质环境地质综合调查和地下水开发利用示范工作为基础,系统总结南方岩溶区地下水资源特点;针对岩溶区水资源安全保障问题,分析其主要原因,提出了水资源保障对策。     

玄武岩纤维堵漏体系在高海拔非开挖钻进中的应用研究

高海拔地区实施非开挖水平定向钻进时,裂隙发育地层的泥浆漏失不仅会影响泥浆的有效循环,还会形成大量的岩屑床,导致钻具过度磨损、摩阻异常增大、有效孔径减小等问题。针对西藏某地钻遇花岗岩裂隙,采用近景摄影测量技术对其进行量化表征,得到该区裂隙地层的缝宽<4 mm;提出采用玄武岩纤维作为裂隙封堵主剂,并建立随钻玄武岩纤维堵漏配方体系,实验结果表明：采用3、6和9 mm多级组合的玄武岩纤维堵漏效果最好,3 mm纤维复合惰性材料形成骨架结构,6和9 mm纤维可发挥一定强度的“加筋”作用。现场随钻实验结果表明：采用玄武岩纤维堵漏后,泥浆中固相含量下降幅度减少了13.14%,有效保障了长距离裂隙山体的有效、绿色、安全钻进。     

垃圾土中排水柱孔扩张问题弹塑性解

随着城市规模扩大,一些垃圾场地被再次利用进行工程建设。垃圾土具有高压缩性、可降解性,其纤维成分具有一定的加筋作用,这些特性给垃圾场地中静力触探、沉桩、旁压试验等工程的开展带来新的挑战。为此,基于考虑纤维加筋作用的垃圾土本构模型和大变形理论,通过引入中间变量,将孔扩张问题转化为求解一组给定边界条件的常微分方程组,继而给出垃圾土中排水柱孔扩张问题的弹塑性理论解。通过将退化解与既有基于修正剑桥模型的柱孔扩张解答对比验证了结果的可靠性。在此基础上,系统分析了超固结比和纤维含量对柱孔扩张过程中孔周应力分布和应力路径的影响。结果表明：与黏性土相比,垃圾土具有更大的塑性区半径;随着超固结比和纤维含量的增加,孔壁处极限压力和塑性区半径分别呈增加和减小趋势,不同纤维含量的垃圾土经历塑性阶段后,均达到泥状物成分的临界状态线附近。     

水合物储层伺服降压开采模型试验研究

深海水合物赋存于一定的温度和压力环境下,降压开采时降压速率对分解产气速率和储层变形特性影响显著。利用浙江大学自主研发的水合物降压开采试验装置,通过伺服控制降压速率,初步开展了水合物储层模型降压开采试验,研究了储层温度场、孔压场、产气量等的响应特性,探讨了降压速率对产气效率和储层变形特性的影响规律。试验表明：水合物竖井降压开采时,开采井周围储层温度率先下降,分解域由井周逐步向周围发展。适当提高降压速率能够提高储层开采效率,但降压速率过快时易导致水合物重生成,反而不利于水合物高效持续稳定开采,开采时应选择合理的降压速率以达到最优产气效率。开采过程中根据储层孔隙与外界连通程度,储层孔隙状态可分为完全封闭型、局部封闭型和开放型3种类型。储层开采试验完成后,浅层土体出现 3 种不同变形特征的区域：I 区为井周土层,呈漏斗型下陷;II 区土层平坦,无明显扰动痕迹;III 区为边界土层,该处水气产出受阻导致部分气体向上迁移引起土丘状隆起带出现。这些变形特征与气体在储层中的迁移路径和运移模式相关。通过相似性分析,给出了模型与原型分解时间和产气量等的对应关系。     

层状边坡倾倒变形多级折断面分布深度计算模型

针对反倾层状岩质斜坡倾倒变形折断面空间展布缺乏定量判断的问题,以地质原型和变形机制分析为基础,考虑岩层自重、上覆岩层盖重、侧向压力、岩层间的摩擦力等作用,提出了岩板倾倒折断的独立悬臂梁模型和独立简支梁模型。采用板梁的最大拉应力破坏准则,推导出了倾倒变形各阶段岩层的临界折断深度公式。利用地质原型对推导的公式进行了验证,并通过离心试验获取了倾倒变形各阶段的坡形参数,对边坡各阶段折断深度进行了定量评价。研究表明：理论模型可计算倾倒变形层间剪切错动、弱倾倒破坏、强倾倒破坏等各阶段岩层的折断长度;岩层折断长度与岩层分布高程、拉应力、岩梁自身重度呈负相关,与岩层内摩擦角、岩层厚度、抗拉强度呈正相关;根据倾倒变形各阶段力学参数,计算倾倒体各级折断面分布位置,结果与地质原型和离心试验结果吻合。该研究成果对倾倒变形边坡稳定性评价具有一定的理论和实际意义。