Fracture closure modes during flowback from hydraulic fractures

Flowback analysis recently has been considered as a potential tool for assessing induced fractures through corresponding pressure analyses and rate transient analysis. In this paper, we study fracture closure mechanisms during the flowback of fracturing fluid after hydraulic fracturing treatments. Although it is known that flowback can be significantly affected by the geometry of the fractures and closure stress, there has not been any effort to understand the problem from the geomechanical point of view; rather, available studies assume that a fracture closes uniformly with constant fracture compressibility. The coupled geomechanics and fluid flow model presented in this paper help to elucidate how geostresses may affect fracturing fluid recovery under different conditions. We perform a scaling analysis to formulate the occurrence of different fracture closure modes and then use numerical analyses to verify our scaling parameters. The factors governing the flowback process include the mechanical and petrophysical properties of the rock as well as preexisting discontinuities such as natural fractures. Three different closure modes for fracture networks are described and numerically verified. The occurrence of each mode can dramatically affect fracturing fluid recovery. The role of fluid leakoff into the formation, fractures conductivity, and drawdown strategy are examined for each fracture closure scenario.     

Estimation of anisotropic hydraulic conductivity using geophysical data in a coastal aquifer of Karnataka,India

Estimation of hydraulic parameters is essential to understand the interaction between groundwater flow and seawater intrusion. Though several studies have addressed hydraulic parameter estimation, based on pumping tests as well as geophysical methods, not many studies have addressed the problem with clayey formations being present. In this study, a methodology is proposed to estimate anisotropic hydraulic conductivity and porosity values for the coastal aquifer with unconsolidated formations. For this purpose, the one-dimensional resistivity of the aquifer and the groundwater conductivity data are used to estimate porosity at discrete points. The hydraulic conductivity values are estimated by its mutual dependence with porosity and petrophysical parameters. From these estimated values, the bilinear relationship between hydraulic conductivity and aquifer resistivity is established based on the clay content of the sampled formation. The methodology is applied on a coastal aquifer along with the coastal Karnataka, India, which has significant clayey formations embedded in unconsolidated rock. The estimation of hydraulic conductivity values from the established correlations has a correlation coefficient of 0.83 with pumping test data, indicating good reliability of the methodology. The established correlations also enable the estimation of horizontal hydraulic conductivity on two-dimensional resistivity sections, which was not addressed by earlier studies. The inventive approach of using the established bilinear correlations at one-dimensional to two-dimensional resistivity sections is verified by the comparison method. The horizontal hydraulic conductivity agrees with previous findings from inverse modelling. Additionally, this study provides critical insights into the estimation of vertical hydraulic conductivity and an equation is formulated which relates vertical hydraulic conductivity with horizontal. Based on the approach presented, the anisotropic hydraulic conductivity of any type aquifer with embedded clayey formations can be estimated. The anisotropic hydraulic conductivity has the potential to be used as an important input to the groundwater models.     

Influence of Quaternary paleoclimate change on the permeability of the loess–paleosol sequence in the Loess Plateau,northern China

Permeability differences in multi-cycle loess–paleosol aeolian sediments, which are still poorly understood, have the potential to significantly improve our understanding of climatic change during the glacial–interglacial periods of the Quaternary. In this study, the permeability of a well-preserved and continuous loess–paleosol sequence in the South Jingyang Plateau was investigated. Weathering intensity was inferred using a series of climate proxies including grain-size distribution, magnetic susceptibility and mineralogy. The results of laboratory tests showed that the average saturated hydraulic conductivity of loess layers is higher than that of paleosol layers. Also, clear differences between loess and paleosol were found in terms of depth variations of the vertical and horizontal saturated hydraulic conductivities. Differences in loess–paleosol were also found for other proxies for pedogenic weathering [i.e. clay content, sand content, Kd value (ratio of coarse silt to clay), magnetic susceptibility, dolomite content and the ratios of hornblende/illite and hornblende/chlorite]. Our results showed a high permeability of loess layers associated with weak pedogenic weathering during cold/dry paleoclimatic conditions in glacial stages. On the contrary, paleosol layers developed in a warm/humid climate during the interglacial stages experienced strong pedogenic weathering that resulted in lower permeability. Based on these results, we construct a connection between Quaternary climate change theory and the modern hydrological system. This provides a scientific basis for investigating the distribution and pollution of groundwater resources in the local region. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Soil detachment by overland flow on steep cropland in the subtropical region of China

Accurate prediction of soil detachment capacity is fundamental to establish process-based erosion models and improve soil loss assessment. Few studies were conducted to reveal the mechanism of detachment process for yellow soil on steep cropland in the subtropical region of China using field experiments. This study was performed to determine soil detachment characteristics and explore the relationships between soil detachment capacity (D _c) and flow rate, slope gradient, mean velocity, shear stress, stream power and unit stream power. Field experiments were conducted on intact soil with flow rates ranging from 0.2 × 10⁻³ to 0.5 × 10⁻³ m⁻³ s⁻¹ and slope gradients varying from 8.8 to 42.4%. The results showed the following. (a) D _c of yellow soil was smaller than other soils because of its high clay content. (b) D _c was more susceptible to flow than to slope gradient. Power functions were derived to depict the relationship between D _c and the flow rate and slope gradient (R² = 0.91). (c) D _c was better simulated by power functions of the stream power (R² = 0.83) than functions of the shear stress or the unit stream power. (d) Considering its accuracy, simplicity and accessibility, the power function based on flow rate and slope gradient is recommended to predict D _c of yellow soil in the field. The results of this study provide useful support for revealing soil detachment mechanism and developing process-based soil erosion models for the subtropical region of China.     

Evolution of pore structure and hydraulic conductivity of randomly distributed soluble particle mixture

The plane strain behavior of particulate mixtures containing soluble particles was investigated by conducting both laboratory tests and numerical analysis. To perform the laboratory experiments, soluble mixtures were prepared using photoelastic disks and ice disks with diameters in the ratios (D_{ice disk}/D_{photoelastic disk}) of 0.5 and 0.7, and the evolution of the force chain and pore structure was monitored during the dissolution of the ice disks. Subsequently, numerical analysis was conducted by using the 2‐dimensional discrete element method for the soluble mixtures, and it was compared with the experimental results. Additionally, parametric studies were implemented by varying the particle size ratios between the soluble and non‐soluble particles and the volumetric fraction of the soluble particles. The results of the laboratory experiments and numerical analysis demonstrate that (1) after the dissolution of the soluble particles, the pore fabric of the specimens changed, resulting in a force chain changes, local void increases, and coordination number decreases; (2) the effects of soluble particles on the macro‐behaviors of the mixtures could be divided into 3 zones based on the particle size ratios between the soluble and non‐soluble particles and volumetric fraction of soluble particles. These zones were as follows: (Zone 1)—with a small total soluble volume, slight decrease in the in situ lateral pressure (K₀), and minor increase in the hydraulic conductivity (k); (Zone 2)—with a moderate soluble particle; the dissolution generated a honey‐comb particle structure; (Zone 3)—the total soluble volume was very large, and the high volumetric fraction of the dissolving particle collapsed the pore structure, decreasing in the in situ lateral pressure (K₀) but increasing the hydraulic conductivity (k). The horizontal stress returned to almost the original level, and the internal arching formation increased significantly with the hydraulic conductivity (k).     

Simulation and statistical modelling approaches to investigate hydrologic regime transformations following Eastern hemlock decline

Ecohydrological processes occurring at or near the Earth's surface are strongly influenced by Eastern hemlock [EH; Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carrière], a foundation tree species of eastern North American forests. EH populations are currently threatened by the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA; Adelges tsugae Annand). HWA HWA populations have been expanding rapidly throughout the EH's range. Catchment-scale research examining the hydrological consequences of HWA infestation is lacking, and plot-scale studies remain conflicted in their findings. Given the complex relationships between canopy interception, unsaturated and saturated groundwater storage, and root water uptake, it is not immediately clear how EH loss will affect the hydrologic cycle. We investigated the impact of EH mortality on stream discharge characteristics across a regional sample of catchments utilizing both simulation and statistical modelling approaches. We first examined the relationship between various catchment characteristics, including EH health, and three hydrological variables through regression analysis. We then employed a non-parametric statistical test to evaluate differences in hydrologic regime trends between non-infested and infested catchments. Finally, we calibrated a physically based hydrologic model and considered differences in optimal model parameter values and simulated overland runoff between non-infested and infested catchments. HWA presence modified several ecohydrological characteristics and precipitation partitioning between groundwater flows and surface runoff, potentially driving higher stream flashiness and overland flow, lower baseflow contributions and catchment storage, shorter flow-path lengths, and variable source area dilation at infested sites. Our results suggest that EH decline will augment flooding potential associated with the increasing frequency and intensity of Atlantic Basin tropical cyclone events. Further, our physically based simulation provides more determinate results than regression analysis, indicating that a purely statistical methodology, commonly utilized in studying the relationship between landcover characteristics and hydrologic regime, neglects dynamic physical ecohydrologic relationships.     

Seismic rehabilitation performance of steel side plate moment connections

Moment connections in an existing steel building located in Kaohsiung, Taiwan were rehabilitated to satisfy seismic requirements based on the 2005 AISC seismic provisions. Construction of the building was ceased in 1996 due to financial difficulties and was recommenced in 2007 with enhanced connection performance. Steel moment connections in the existing building were constructed by groove welding the beam flanges and bolting the beam web to the column. Four moment connections, two from the existing steel building, were cyclically tested. A non‐rehabilitated moment connection with bolted web‐welded flanges was tested as a benchmark. Three moment connections rehabilitated by welding full‐depth side plates between the column face and beam flange inner side were tested to validate the rehabilitation performance. Test results revealed that (1) the non‐rehabilitated existing moment connection made by in situ welding process prior to 1996 had similar deformation capacity as contemporary connection specimens made by laboratory welding process, (2) all rehabilitated moment connections exhibited excellent performance, exceeding a 4% drift without fractures of beam flange groove‐welded joints, and (3) presence of the full‐depth side plates effectively reduced beam flange tensile strain near the column face by almost half compared with the non‐rehabilitated moment connection. The connection specimens were also modeled using the non‐linear finite element computer program ABAQUS to further confirm the effectiveness of the side plate in transferring beam moments to the column and to investigate potential sources of connection failure. A design procedure was made based on experimental and analytical studies. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Controls on at‐a‐station hydraulic geometry in steep headwater streams,Colorado, USA

Detailed hydraulic measurements were made in nine step‐pool, five cascade and one plane‐bed reach in Fraser Experimental Forest, Colorado to better understand at‐a‐station hydraulic geometry (AHG) relations in these channel types. Average values for AHG exponents, m (0·49), f (0·39), and b (0·16), were well within the range found by other researchers working in steep gradient channels. A principal component analysis (PCA) was used to compare the combined variations in all three exponents against five potential control variables: wood, D₈₄, grain‐size distribution (σ), coefficient of variation of pool volume, average roughness‐area (projected wetted area) and bed gradient. The gradient and average roughness‐area were found to be significantly related to the PCA axis scores, indicating that both driving and resisting forces influence the rates of change of velocity, depth and width with discharge. Further analysis of the exponents showed that reaches with m > b + f are most likely dominated by grain resistance and reaches below this value (m < b + f) are dominated by form resistance. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

半刚接框架-非加劲钢板墙体系抗震试验研究

半刚接钢框架-内填非加劲薄钢板剪力墙结构是一种新型结构形式,它弥补了传统抗弯钢框架侧向刚度不足的缺点,为采用更加经济的半刚性节点提供了可能,目前国内外对该新型结构体系性能研究属刚起步阶段,因此对该结构体系的研究具有重要的理论和实际意义。文中对一榀两层单跨梁柱平齐端板连接半刚性框架-内填非加劲薄钢板剪力墙结构进行了低周往复循环加载拟静力试验,在试验中,试件破坏过程缓慢,钢板墙拉力带充分发育,试验得出的滞回环饱满,表明该新型结构体系具有优异的抗震性能,从而为今后对该新型结构体系做更深入的分析研究打下了良好基础。     

Inundation flow velocity of tsunami on land

An estimation of tsunami inundation flow velocity is one of the most challenging issues among tsunami research. Based on field data of inundation depth and inundation flow velocity u estimated using Bernoulli's theorem and inundation depth, fundamental characteristics of the relationship between inundation flow velocity and inundation depth are examined. Fundamental characteristics of the velocity coefficient where g is gravitational acceleration, h_f and h_r are inundation depths at the front and the back of structures such as a rectangular building with vertical walls, respectively) implicitly included in the relationship are examined through hydraulic experiments. As a result, C_v = 0.6 is recommended as its simple and practical value. It is confirmed through these examinations that the Froude number, defined by where , ranges 0.7–2.0, and when C_v = 0.6 is adopted this Froude number ranges 0.42–1.2. By using the relationship and C_v = 0.6, two simple and practical relationships are presented for two cases where inundation flow velocity exerts the largest or the smallest fluid force on structures. These relationships can be used to roughly grasp the practical side of tsunami damage, and estimate fluid force acting on individual structures, moving velocity and collision force of floating objects and sediment transport such as boulder and sand. Fundamental characteristics of the waterline (tsunami trace) distribution around/on the typical object model (square pillar, corn and column) are also examined through steady flow experiments, and it is confirmed that the maximum and the minimum values of h_f/h₀ in the full type model of the square pillar are almost the same as those of h_f/h_r obtained by field surveys where h₀ is uniform flow depth. It is also confirmed that h_r ? h₀ when the Froude number, defined by where u₀ is uniform flow velocity, is much less than 1.0. Using a newly defined velocity coefficient, tsunami inundation flow velocity on land can be estimated practically and would be useful for checking proposed sediment transport models that are now being developed by tsunami geologists.