Abstract
Faults are common water conduits in coal mines, with variable permeability based upon the extent of cracks along the fault plane. In this study, three samples from a fault were obtained from a mining area in Southwest Shandong, China to determine the geometric characteristics, including crack density, fractal dimension, and crack connectivity. For microstructural analysis of fault rock specimens, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and plane-polarized light microscopy tests were used, and the geometric characteristics were calculated. A nonuniformity coefficient that considers the mineral composition is proposed to describe the micro-crack network of fault rocks. The results show that there is a significant positive correlation among three geometric characteristic parameters, and the nonuniformity coefficient is positively correlated with those parameters of the crack network. The crack extension forms of the three fault rock samples are different, which is related to the different fracture toughness of the mineral particles. The optical photomicrographs and SEM images show that crack networks are most developed in the samples with the least clay content. There is a negative correlation between clay content and the geometric parameters of the crack network, which may be related to the friction coefficient of clay.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bauer H, Schröckenfuchs TC, Decker K (2016) Hydrogeological properties of fault zones in a karstified carbonate aquifer (Northern Calcareous Alps, Austria). Hydrogeol J 24:1147–1170. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-016-1388-9
Benazzouz BK, Zaoui A (2012) A nanoscale simulation study of the elastic behaviour in kaolinite clay under pressure. Mater Chem Phys 132:880–888. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchemphys.2011.12.028
Bense VF, Person MA (2006) Faults as conduit-barrier systems to fluid flow in siliciclastic sedimentary aquifers. Water Resour Res 42:1–18. https://doi.org/10.1029/2005wr004480
Bense VF, Gleeson T, Loveless SE, Bour O, Scibek J (2013) Fault Zone Hydrogeology. Earth Sci Rev 127:171–192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2013.09.008
Bristow J (1960) Microcracks, and the static and dynamic elastic constants of annealed and heavily cold-worked metals. Briti J Appl Phys 11:81–85
Caine JS, Evans JP, Forster CB (1996) Fault zone architecture and permeability structure. Geology 24:1025–1028
Çiftçi NB, Giger SB, Clennell MB (2013) Three-dimensional structure of experimentally produced clay smears: Implications for fault seal analysis3-D structure of clay smears. AAPG Bull 97:733–757
Cooke AP, Fisher QJ, Michie EAH, Yielding G (2018) Investigating the controls on fault rock distribution in normal faulted shallow burial limestones, Malta, and the implications for fluid flow. J Struct Geol 114:22–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsg.2018.05.024
Crawford BR, Faulkner DR, Rutter EH (2008) Strength, porosity, and permeability development during hydrostatic and shear loading of synthetic quartz-clay fault gouge. J Geophys Res 113:1–14. https://doi.org/10.1029/2006jb004634
Donnelly L (2006) A review of coal mining induced fault reactivation in Great Britain. Q J Eng Geol Hydroge 39:5–50
Eichhubl P, D’Onfro PS, Aydin A, Waters J, McCarty DK (2005) Structure, petrophysics, and diagenesis of shale entrained along a normal fault at Black diamond mines, California—implications for fault seal. AAPG Bull 89:1113–1137
Gui H (2017) Impacts of Different Material Compositions on the Permeability of Fractured Fault Zone in Coal Measures. China University of mining and technology
Hamzehpour H, Mourzenko V, Thovert J-F, Adler P (2009) Percolation and permeability of networks of heterogeneous fractures. Phys Rev E 79:036302
Irwin GR (1957) Analysis of stresses and strains near the end of a crack traversing a plate. J Appl Mech 24:361–364
Jafari A, Babadagli T (2012) Estimation of equivalent fracture network permeability using fractal and statistical network properties. J Petrol Sci Eng 92–93:110–123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2012.06.007
Jiao CY, Hu Y, Xu X, Lu XB, Shen WJ, Hu XH (2018) Study on the effects of fracture on permeability with pore-fracture network model. Energ Explor Exploit 36:1556–1565. https://doi.org/10.1177/0144598718777115
Ke CR, Jiang JL, Ge XR, Xiao BL (2011) Numerical simulation on influence of heterogeneity on macroscopic fracture process of rock failure. Chin J Rock Mech Eng 30:4093–4098
Kim YS, Peacock DC, Sanderson DJ (2004) Fault damage zones. J Struct Geol 26:503–517
Kushch V, Shmegera S, Sevostianov I (2009) SIF statistics in micro cracked solid: effect of crack density, orientation and clustering. Int J Eng Sci 47:192–208
Lahiri S (2021) Estimating effective permeability using connectivity and branch length distribution of fracture network. J Struct Geol 146:1–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsg.2021.104314
Lan Hx, Martin CD, Hu B (2010) Effect of heterogeneity of brittle rock on micromechanical extensile behavior during compression loading. J Geophys Res 115:1–14. https://doi.org/10.1029/2009jb006496
Leung CTO, Zimmerman RW (2012) Estimating the hydraulic conductivity of two-dimensional fracture networks using network geometric properties. Transp Porous Med 93:777–797. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11242-012-9982-3
Li W, Zhao H, Wu HJ, Wang L, Sun WF, Ling X (2020) A novel approach of two-dimensional representation of rock fracture network characterization and connectivity analysis. J Petrol Sci Eng 184:1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2019.106507
Li L (2015) Permeability of microcracked porous solids with random crack networks. Doctoral Dissertation, Tsinghua University
Liang ZZ, Xing H, Wang SY, Williams DJ, Tang CA (2012) A three-dimensional numerical investigation of the fracture of rock specimens containing a pre-existing surface flaw. Comput Geotech 45:19–33
Litorowicz A (2006) Identification and quantification of cracks in concrete by optical fluorescent microscopy. Cem Concr Res 36:1508–1515. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2006.05.011
Liu XW, Liu QS, Liu JP, Wei L (2016) Experimental study on mechanism for fracture network initiation under complex stress conditions. Chin J Rock Mech Eng 35:3662–3670. https://doi.org/10.13722/j.cnki.jrme.2015.1544
Lupini J, Skinner A, Vaughan P (1981) The drained residual strength of cohesive soils. Geotechnique 31:181–213
Luu VN, Murakami K, Samouh H, Maruyama I, Ohkubo T, Tom PP, Chen L, Kano S, Yang H, Abe H, Suzuki K, Suzuki M (2021) Changes in properties of alpha-quartz and feldspars under 3 MeV Si-ion irradiation. J Nucl Mater 545:1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2020.152734
Mac MJ, Yio MHN, Desbois G, Casanova I, Wong HS, Buenfeld NR (2021) 3D imaging techniques for characterising microcracks in cement-based materials. Cem Concr Res 140:1–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconres.2020.106309
Mandelbrot BB (1982) The fractal geometry of nature. WH freeman, New York
Miao TJ, Yu BM, Duan YG, Fang QT (2015) A fractal analysis of permeability for fractured rocks. Int J Heat Mass Transfer 81:75–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2014.10.010
Nikkhah AJ, Salahi E, Razavi M (2017) Application of thermochemistry and X-ray semi-quantitative phase analysis in forsterite powder synthesis by solid state reaction of magnesium oxide and Mg-Chlorite. T Indian Ceram Soc 76:189–195. https://doi.org/10.1080/0371750x.2017.1327372
Pei Y, Paton DA, Knipe RJ, Wu K (2015) A review of fault sealing behaviour and its evaluation in siliciclastic rocks. Earth-Sci Rev 150:121–138
Robinson PC (1983) Connectivity of fracture systems-a percolation theory approach. J Phys a: Math Gen 16:605
Saevik PN, Nixon CW (2017) Inclusion of topological measurements into analytic estimates of effective permeability in fractured media. Water Resour Res 53:9424–9443. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017wr020943
Sanderson DJ, Nixon CW (2018) Topology, connectivity and percolation in fracture networks. J Struct Geol 115:167–177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsg.2018.07.011
Sperrevik S, Færseth RB, Gabrielsen RH (2000) Experiments on clay smear formation along faults. Petrol Geosci 6:113–123
TerHeege J, Wassing B, Orlic B, Giger S, Clennell M (2013) Constraints on the sealing capacity of faults with clay smears from discrete element models validated by laboratory experiments. Rock Mech Rock Eng 46:465–478
Valentini L, Perugini D, Poli G (2007) The ‘small-world’ nature of fracture/conduit networks: possible implications for disequilibrium transport of magmas beneath mid-ocean ridges. J Volcanol Geoth Res 159:355–365. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2006.08.002
Verberne BA, He CR, Spiers CJ (2010) Frictional properties of sedimentary rocks and natural fault gouge from the longmen Shan fault zone, Sichuan, China. B Seismol Soc Am 100:2767–2790
Vrolijk PJ, Urai JL, Kettermann M (2016) Clay smear: review of mechanisms and applications. J Struct Geol 86:95–152
Walker RJ, Holdsworth RE, Armitage PJ, Faulkner DR (2013) Fault zone permeability structure evolution in basalts. Geology 41:59–62. https://doi.org/10.1130/g33508.1
Xia HC, Wu AQ, Lu B, Xu DD (2021) Influence mechanism of heterogeneity on mechanical properties of rock materials. J Yangtze River Sci Res Inst 38:103–109
Yang SQ, Dai YH, Han LJ, Jin ZQ (2009) Experimental study on mechanical behavior of brittle marble samples containing different flaws under uniaxial compression. Eng Fract Mech 76:1833–1845
Zhang GP, Wei ZX, Ferrell RE (2009) Elastic modulus and hardness of muscovite and rectorite determined by nanoindentation. Appl Clay Sci 43:271–281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2008.08.010
Zhang YB, Xu YD, Liu XX, Yao XL, Wang S, Liang P, Sun L, Tian BZ (2021) Quantitative characterization and mesoscopic study of propagation and evolution of three-dimensional rock fractures based on CT. Rock Soil Mech 42:2659–2671. https://doi.org/10.16285/j.rsm.2021.0339
Zhong ZB, Deng RG, Sun Y, Fu XM, Lv L (2017) Geometric characterization of natural crack network in rhyolite. Chin J Rock Mech Eng 36:167–174. https://doi.org/10.13722/j.cnki.jrme.2015.1730
Zhou CS, Li KF, Pang XY (2011) Effect of crack density and connectivity on the permeability of microcracked solids. Mech Mater 43:969–978
Acknowledgements
The research was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41877240, 41672280).
Funding
National Natural Science Foundation of China, 41877240, Zhibin Liu, 41672280, Zhibin Liu.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no known competing interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Yu, H., Liu, Z., Zhang, Y. et al. Quantification analysis of geometric characteristics of micro crack network on fault rock surface. Environ Earth Sci 81, 474 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-022-10599-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-022-10599-z