Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

An experimental study of single and two-phase fluid flow through fractured granite specimens

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Triaxial tests on the two-phase flow of air and water through fractured granite specimens were performed to discover whether the two-phase fluid flow within rock fractures was laminar or turbulent. The two-phase flow characterization was carried out based on the macroscopic two-phase steady state flow model and the homogeneous steady state flow model. Rock specimens with a single natural fracture (joint roughness coefficient, JRC < 10) were tested using two-phase, high pressure triaxial rig. Experimental results show that the estimated Reynolds numbers for various inlet fluid pressures are well below 1000. The findings of this study reveal that both single and two-phase flow through rock fractures (JRC < 10) can be characterized as laminar flows at moderate inlet fluid pressures. However, for single-phase air flow, an increase in inlet air pressures may result in the formation of turbulent flow.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Brown SR (1987) Fluid flow through rock joints: effects of surface roughness. J Geophys Res 92(B2):1337–1347

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gangi AF (1978) Variation of whole and fractured porous rocks permeability with confining pressure. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 15:249–257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Itasca Consulting Group (1996) User’s manuals: version 3.0, vol 1, 2 and 3. UDEC-Universal Distinct Element Code, USA

  • Iwai K (1976) Fundamental studies of fluid flow though a single fracture. PhD thesis, University of California, Berkeley

  • Lomize G (1951) Fluid flow in fissured formation (in Russian). Moskva-Leningrad

  • Louis CA (1976) Introduction à l’hydraulique des roches. PhD thesis, Paris

  • Olsson R (1998) Mechanical and hydromechanical behaviour of hard rock joints a laboratory study. PhD thesis, Chalmers University of Technology

  • Ranjith PG (2000) Analytical and experimental modeling of coupled water and air flow through rock joints. PhD thesis, University of Wollongong, Australia

  • Ranjith PG, Choi Sk, Fourar M (2006) Characterization of two-phase flow in a single rock joint. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 43:216–223

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schrauf TW, Evans DD (1986) Laboratory studies of gas flow through a single natural fracture. Water Resour Res 22:1038–1050

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Street RL, Gary ZW, John KV (1996) Elementary fluid mechanics, 7th edn. Wiley, New York, p 757

    Google Scholar 

  • Tsang YW (1984) The effect of tortuosity on fluid flow through a single fracture. Water Resour Res 20:1209–1215

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsang YW, Witherspoon PA (1981) Hydro-mechanical behavior of a deformable rock fracture subjected to normal stress. J Geophys Res 86(B10):9287–9298

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Witherspoon PA, Wang JSY, Iwai K, Gale JE (1980) Validity of cubic law for fluid flow in a deformable rock fracture. Water Resour Res 16(6):1016–1024

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zimmerman RW, Bodvarsson GS (1996) Hydraulic conductivity of rock fractures. Transport in porous media, vol 23. Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp 1–30

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rock Mechanics, Monash University, Bld. 60, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia

    P. G. Ranjith

Authors
  1. P. G. Ranjith
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. G. Ranjith.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ranjith, P.G. An experimental study of single and two-phase fluid flow through fractured granite specimens. Environ Earth Sci 59, 1389–1395 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-009-0124-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-009-0124-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation