Fluid Flow Behavior of Sheared Rough Fractures Subjected to Different Stress State

The hydraulic properties of fractures are greatly affected by the stress. Knowing the fluid flow behavior of fractures is of great importance to underground engineering construction and environmental safety. The main purpose of this paper is to study the fluid flow characteristics of rough fractures...

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Main Authors: Min Wang, Qifeng Guo, Pengfei Shan, Yakun Tian, Bing Dai
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-09-01
Series:Crystals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/11/9/1055
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author Min Wang
Qifeng Guo
Pengfei Shan
Yakun Tian
Bing Dai
author_facet Min Wang
Qifeng Guo
Pengfei Shan
Yakun Tian
Bing Dai
author_sort Min Wang
collection DOAJ
description The hydraulic properties of fractures are greatly affected by the stress. Knowing the fluid flow behavior of fractures is of great importance to underground engineering construction and environmental safety. The main purpose of this paper is to study the fluid flow characteristics of rough fractures under different stress states. First, rough fracture surfaces were generated by using the corrected successive random addition (SRA) algorithm. Then, the sheared fracture models subjected to different stress condition were obtained under the boundary condition of constant normal stiffness (CNS). Finally, the hydraulic characteristics of the three-dimensional rough rock fractures were analyzed by numerically solving the full Navier–Stokes equation. It has been found that (1) the aperture of fractures all obeys the Gaussian distribution. The dilatancy effect is gradually obvious and aperture becomes larger with the increase of shear displacement. (2) When the initial normal stress increases, the contact area of fracture becomes larger and the reverse flow can be observed around the contact area. (3) The relationship between hydraulic gradient and flowrate exhibits nonlinearity which can be described by the Forchheimer’s law. The linear coefficient <i>a</i> and the nonlinear coefficient <i>b</i> gradually decrease with the increase of shear displacement and finally stabilize. The values of <i>a</i> and <i>b</i> are reduced by 1–2 and 1–3 orders of magnitude respectively during the shear. The critical Reynolds number increases with the increase of shear displacement and decrease as the initial normal stress increases.
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spelling doaj.art-2e573da3ccba49389607dc9cf3737d572023-11-22T12:35:10ZengMDPI AGCrystals2073-43522021-09-01119105510.3390/cryst11091055Fluid Flow Behavior of Sheared Rough Fractures Subjected to Different Stress StateMin Wang0Qifeng Guo1Pengfei Shan2Yakun Tian3Bing Dai4School of Civil and Resource Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, ChinaSchool of Civil and Resource Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Coal Resources in Western China, Xi’an University of Science and Technology, Xi’an 710054, ChinaSchool of Resource Environment and Safety Engineering, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, ChinaSchool of Resource Environment and Safety Engineering, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, ChinaThe hydraulic properties of fractures are greatly affected by the stress. Knowing the fluid flow behavior of fractures is of great importance to underground engineering construction and environmental safety. The main purpose of this paper is to study the fluid flow characteristics of rough fractures under different stress states. First, rough fracture surfaces were generated by using the corrected successive random addition (SRA) algorithm. Then, the sheared fracture models subjected to different stress condition were obtained under the boundary condition of constant normal stiffness (CNS). Finally, the hydraulic characteristics of the three-dimensional rough rock fractures were analyzed by numerically solving the full Navier–Stokes equation. It has been found that (1) the aperture of fractures all obeys the Gaussian distribution. The dilatancy effect is gradually obvious and aperture becomes larger with the increase of shear displacement. (2) When the initial normal stress increases, the contact area of fracture becomes larger and the reverse flow can be observed around the contact area. (3) The relationship between hydraulic gradient and flowrate exhibits nonlinearity which can be described by the Forchheimer’s law. The linear coefficient <i>a</i> and the nonlinear coefficient <i>b</i> gradually decrease with the increase of shear displacement and finally stabilize. The values of <i>a</i> and <i>b</i> are reduced by 1–2 and 1–3 orders of magnitude respectively during the shear. The critical Reynolds number increases with the increase of shear displacement and decrease as the initial normal stress increases.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/11/9/1055rough fracturestress stateCNS boundary conditionflow characteristics
spellingShingle Min Wang
Qifeng Guo
Pengfei Shan
Yakun Tian
Bing Dai
Fluid Flow Behavior of Sheared Rough Fractures Subjected to Different Stress State
Crystals
rough fracture
stress state
CNS boundary condition
flow characteristics
title Fluid Flow Behavior of Sheared Rough Fractures Subjected to Different Stress State
title_full Fluid Flow Behavior of Sheared Rough Fractures Subjected to Different Stress State
title_fullStr Fluid Flow Behavior of Sheared Rough Fractures Subjected to Different Stress State
title_full_unstemmed Fluid Flow Behavior of Sheared Rough Fractures Subjected to Different Stress State
title_short Fluid Flow Behavior of Sheared Rough Fractures Subjected to Different Stress State
title_sort fluid flow behavior of sheared rough fractures subjected to different stress state
topic rough fracture
stress state
CNS boundary condition
flow characteristics
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/11/9/1055
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AT pengfeishan fluidflowbehaviorofshearedroughfracturessubjectedtodifferentstressstate
AT yakuntian fluidflowbehaviorofshearedroughfracturessubjectedtodifferentstressstate
AT bingdai fluidflowbehaviorofshearedroughfracturessubjectedtodifferentstressstate