Nuclear Engineering and Technology

Korean Nuclear Society (한국원자력학회)
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MODELING THE HYDRAULIC CHARACTERISTICS OF A FRACTURED ROCK MASS WITH CORRELATED FRACTURE LENGTH AND APERTURE: APPLICATION IN THE UNDERGROUND RESEARCH TUNNEL AT KAERI

  • Bang, Sang-Hyuk (Department of Energy Systems Engineering, Seoul National University) ;
  • Jeon, Seok-Won (Department of Energy Systems Engineering, Seoul National University) ;
  • Kwon, Sang-Ki (Department of Energy Resources Engineering, Inha University)
  • Received : 2011.05.13
  • Accepted : 2011.11.01
  • Published : 2012.08.25
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Abstract

A three-dimensional discrete fracture network model was developed in order to simulate the hydraulic characteristics of a granitic rock mass at Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) Underground Research Tunnel (KURT). The model used a three-dimensional discrete fracture network (DFN), assuming a correlation between the length and aperture of the fractures, and a trapezoid flow path in the fractures. These assumptions that previous studies have not considered could make the developed model more practical and reasonable. The geologic and hydraulic data of the fractures were obtained in the rock mass at the KURT. Then, these data were applied to the developed fracture discrete network model. The model was applied in estimating the representative elementary volume (REV), the equivalent hydraulic conductivity tensors, and the amount of groundwater inflow into the tunnel. The developed discrete fracture network model can determine the REV size for the rock mass with respect to the hydraulic behavior and estimate the groundwater flow into the tunnel at the KURT. Therefore, the assumptions that the fracture length is correlated to the fracture aperture and the flow in a fracture occurs in a trapezoid shape appear to be effective in the DFN analysis used to estimate the hydraulic behavior of the fractured rock mass.

Keywords

References

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