Abstract
Fracture intersections are the main components of fracture networks with significant effects on the distribution of flow velocity and fluid pressure near the intersection. A nonlinear flow model for fracture intersections correlating to geometric parameters of two-dimensional fracture intersections was proposed, which was applicable to different flow patterns in fracture intersections. A total of 68 fracture intersection models were established and simulated. By fitting these calculated results, regression functions in terms of each kind of geometric parameter were obtained to determine nonlinear coefficients. Through independent and comprehensive analysis of the influence of geometric parameters on flow characteristics, the quantitative relationships between the nonlinear coefficients of the fracture intersection flow model and multiple geometric parameters, such as the intersecting angle (θ), aperture (e), and roughness, were obtained. The parametric expressions of nonlinear flow models were verified by flow experiments of typical fracture intersections and simulated cases with complicated combinations of geometric parameters. It was proven that the parametric expressions of nonlinear flow models were capable of describing the nonlinear flow through fracture intersections. The results of this study show that fracture intersections have an obvious influence on the flow characteristics of different flow paths, which indicates that the influence of fracture intersections can enhance the hydraulic heterogeneity of fractured rock and need to be considered in the flow analysis of fracture networks.
Highlights
-
A nonlinear flow model for fracture intersections of two-dimensional fracture intersections was proposed.
-
Quantitative relationships between the nonlinear coefficients and geometric parameters of the fracture intersections were obtained.
-
Flow experiments of typical fracture intersections were carried out.
-
The parametric expressions of nonlinear flow models were verified by flow experiments and simulations of complicated cases.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- A :
-
Linear coefficient
- B :
-
Nonlinear coefficient
- e :
-
Fracture aperture
- g :
-
Gravity acceleration
- i, j :
-
Number of fracture branch
- J :
-
Hydraulic gradient
- JRC:
-
Joint roughness coefficient
- l :
-
Length of the fracture
- P :
-
Water pressure
- ΔP :
-
Pressure drop
- Q :
-
Flow rate
- Re:
-
Reynolds number
- R r :
-
Influence scale of intersections
- w :
-
Width of fracture
- β :
-
Non-Darcy parameter
- δ e :
-
Aperture ratio
- θ :
-
Intersecting angle
- μ :
-
Dynamic viscosity
- ρ :
-
Fluid density
References
Barton N, Choubey V (1977) The shear strength of rock joints in theory and practice. Rock Mech 10:1–54
Belem T, Homand-Etienne F, Souley M (2000) Quantitative parameters for rock joint surface roughness. Rock Mech Rock Eng 33:217–242
Berkowitz B (1994) Mass transfer at fracture intersections: an evaluation of mixing models. Water Resour Res 30:1765–1773
Berkowitz B (2002) Characterizing flow and transport in fractured geological media: a review. Adv Water Resour 25:861–884. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0309-1708(02)00042-8
Chen YF, Zhou JQ, Hu SH, Hu R, Zhou CB (2015) Evaluation of Forchheimer equation coefficients for non-Darcy flow in deformable rough-walled fractures. J Hydrol 529:993–1006. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2015.09.021
Fan LF, Wang HD, Wu ZJ, Zhao SH (2019) Effects of angle patterns at fracture intersections on fluid flow nonlinearity and outlet flow rate distribution at high Reynolds numbers. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2019.104136
Hu Y, Mao G, Cheng W, Zhang J (2010) Theoretical and experimental study on flow distribution at fracture intersections. J Hydraul Res 43:321–327. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221680509500126
Huang N, Jiang Y, Liu R, Li B (2019) Experimental and numerical studies of the hydraulic properties of three-dimensional fracture networks with spatially distributed apertures. Rock Mech Rock Eng 52:4731–4746. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-019-01869-7
Iwai K (1976) Fundamental studies of fluid flow through a single fracture. Ph D thesis, California University, Berkeley. https://doi.org/10.1016/0148-9062(79)90543-6
Javadi M, Sharifzadeh M, Shahriar K, Mitani Y (2014) Critical Reynolds number for nonlinear flow through rough-walled fractures: the role of shear processes. Water Resour Res 50:1789–1804. https://doi.org/10.1002/2013wr014610
Jing L, Stephansson O (2007) Fundamentals of discrete element methods for rock engineering—theory and applications. Elsevier, Amsterdam
Johnson J, Brown S, Stockman H (2006) Fluid flow and mixing in rough-walled fracture intersections. J Geophys Res 111:B12206. https://doi.org/10.1029/2005jb004087
Konzuk JS, Kueper BH (2004) Evaluation of cubic law based models describing single-phase flow through a rough-walled fracture. Water Resour Res 40(2):W02402. https://doi.org/10.1029/2003wr002356
Kosakowski G, Berkowitz B (1999) Flow pattern variability in natural fracture intersections. Geophys Res Lett 26:1765–1768. https://doi.org/10.1029/1999gl900344
Li B, Liu R, Jiang Y (2016) Influences of hydraulic gradient, surface roughness, intersecting angle, and scale effect on nonlinear flow behavior at single fracture intersections. J Hydrol 538:440–453. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2016.04.053
Liu H, Qiao L, Wang S, Li W, Liu J, Wang Z (2021a) Quantifying the containment efficiency of underground water-sealed oil storage caverns: method and case study. Tunn Undergr Space Technol. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tust.2020.103797
Liu J, Wang Z, Qiao L, Li W, Yang J (2021b) Transition from linear to nonlinear flow in single rough fractures: effect of fracture roughness. Hydrogeol J. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-020-02297-6
Liu R, Li B, Jiang Y (2016) Critical hydraulic gradient for nonlinear flow through rock fracture networks: the roles of aperture, surface roughness, and number of intersections. Adv Water Resour 88:53–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2015.12.002
National Research Council (1996) Rock fractures and fluid flow contemporary understanding and applications. National Academy Press, Washington
Park Y-J, Lee K-K, Berkowitz B (2001) Effects of junction transfer characteristics on transport in fracture networks. Water Resour Res 37:909–923. https://doi.org/10.1029/2000wr900365
Park Y-J, Lee K-K, Kosakowski G, Berkowitz B (2003) Transport behavior in three-dimensional fracture intersections. Water Resour Res. https://doi.org/10.1029/2002wr001801
Peacock DCP, Sanderson DJ, Rotevatn A (2018) Relationships between fractures. J Struct Geol 106:41–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsg.2017.11.010
Rong G, Cheng L, He R, Quan J, Tan J (2021) Investigation of critical non-linear flow behavior for fractures with different degrees of fractal roughness. Comput Geotech. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2021.104065
Rumynin VG, Sindalovskiy LN, Nikulenkov AM, Leskova PG (2020) Effect of anisotropy and depth-dependent hydraulic conductivity on concentration curve response to nonpoint-source pollution. J Hydrol. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2020.125319
Shih TH, Liou WW, Shabbir A, Yang Z, Zhu J (1995) A new k–ε eddy viscosity model for high Reynolds number turbulent flows. Comput Fluids 24(3):227–238. https://doi.org/10.1016/0045-7930(94)00032-T
Su B, Zhan M, Guo X (1997) Experimental study on fluid flow in crossed fractures. J Hydraul Eng 5:1–6. https://doi.org/10.13243/j.cnki.slxb ((in Chinese))
Tian K (1986) The hydraulic properties of crossing-flow in an intersected fracture. Acta Geol Sin 2:202–214
Wang Z, Li W, Bi L, Qiao L, Liu R, Liu J (2018a) Estimation of the REV size and equivalent permeability coefficient of fractured rock masses with an emphasis on comparing the radial and unidirectional flow configurations. Rock Mech Rock Eng 51:1457–1471. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-018-1422-4
Wang Z, Li W, Qiao L, Liu J, Yang J (2018b) Hydraulic properties of fractured rock mass with correlated fracture length and aperture in both radial and unidirectional flow configurations. Comput Geotech 104:167–184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2018.08.017
Wilcox DC (1998) Turbulence Modeling for CFD, 2nd edn. DCW Industries, California
Wilson CR, Witherspoon PA (1976) Flow interference effects at fracture intersections. Water Resour Res 12:120–104
Wu ZJ, Fan LF, Zhao SH (2018) Effects of Hydraulic Gradient Intersecting Angle Aperture and Fracture Length on the Nonlinearity of Fluid Flow in Smooth Intersecting Fractures: An Experimental Investigation. Geofluids 2018:1–14. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/9352608
Xiong F, Wei W, Xu C, Jiang Q (2020) Experimental and numerical investigation on nonlinear flow behaviour through three dimensional fracture intersections and fracture networks. Comput Geotech. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2020.103446
Yin Q, Jing H, Ma G, Su H, Liu R (2018) Investigating the roles of included angle and loading condition on the critical hydraulic gradient of real rock fracture networks. Rock Mech Rock Eng 51:3167–3177. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-018-1526-x
Zhang Z, Nemcik J (2013) Fluid flow regimes and nonlinear flow characteristics in deformable rock fractures. J Hydrol 477:139–151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2012.11.024
Zhou J-Q, Hu S-H, Fang S, Chen Y-F, Zhou C-B (2015) Nonlinear flow behavior at low Reynolds numbers through rough-walled fractures subjected to normal compressive loading. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 80:202–218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2015.09.027
Zhu HG, Yi C, Jiang YD, Xie HP, Yang MZ (2015) Effect of fractures cross connection on fluid flow characteristics of mining-induced rock. J China Univ Min Technol 44:24–28. https://doi.org/10.1324/j.cnki.jcumt.000283 ((in Chinese))
Zimmerman RW, Al-Yaarubi A, Pain CC, Grattoni CA (2004) Non-linear regimes of fluid flow in rock fractures. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2003.12.045
Zou L, Jing L, Cvetkovic V (2017) Modeling of flow and mixing in 3D rough-walled rock fracture intersections. Adv Water Resour 107:1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2017.06.003
Funding
This study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract Nos. 51779045, 51579141 and 42177157, the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities under contract Nos. N180104022, N2001026 and N2101020, Liao Ning Revitalization Talents Program under contract No. XLYC1807029 and Liaoning Natural Science Foundation under contract No. 2019-YQ-02.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Liu, J., Wang, Z., Qiao, L. et al. Nonlinear Flow Model for Rock Fracture Intersections: The Roles of the Intersecting Angle, Aperture and Fracture Roughness. Rock Mech Rock Eng 55, 2385–2405 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-022-02784-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-022-02784-0