Main Flow Direction in Rock Masses

Abstract

Aquifers, and aquifers in rock masses in particular, present a relevant heterogeneity in the study scale used to solve application problems (slope stability, road and tunnel construction, etc.). The presence of those heterogeneous features, often combined with a marked anisotropy of the medium, implies the need of a careful reconstruction of the hydrogeological structure, so to make the conceptual model acceptable and the forecast of the water flow reliable enough; usually, the waterflow is ruled by the orientation and the hydraulic features of the joints.