Browse > Article
http://dx.doi.org/10.5516/NET.02.2011.026

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)
Publication Information
Nuclear Engineering and Technology / v.44, no.6, 2012 , pp. 639-652 More about this Journal
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
Discrete Fracture Network; Correlation between Fracture Length and Aperture; Equivalent Hydraulic Conductivity; Representative Elementary Volume; Groundwater Inflow; KURT;
Citations & Related Records

Times Cited By Web Of Science : 0  (Related Records In Web of Science)
연도 인용수 순위
  • Reference
1 M. Wang, P. H. S. W. Kulatilake, J. Um and J. Narvaiz, "Estimation of REV size and three-dimensional hydraulic conductivity tensor for a fractured rock mass through a single well packer test and discrete fracture fluid flow modeling", International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences. vol. 39, no. 7, pp. 887-904 (2002).   DOI
2 S. Bang, S. Jeon and J. Yoon, "3D groundwater flow analysis around a tunnel using discontinuity network of rock mass", Proceedings of the ITA World Tunnelling Congress 2003, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, April 12-17, 2003.
3 S. D. Lee and H. K. Moon, "Hydro-mechanical modeling of tunnel excavation in fractured rock masses by a 3-D discrete fracture network approach", International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, vol. 41, no. 3, p. 482 (2004).   DOI
4 S. H. Bang and S. Jeon, "Development of fluid flow analysis program in 3-D discrete fracture network including consideration of its input parameters and hydraulic behaviour", Proceedings of the 4th Asian Rock Mechanics Symposium, Singapore, November 8-10, 2006.
5 A. W. Nordqvist, Y. W. Tsang, C. F. Tsang, B. Dverstorp and J. Andersson, "A variable aperture fracture network model for flow and transport in fractured rock at different scales", Proceedings of 2nd International Conference on Mechanics of Jointed and Faulted Rock, Vienna, Austria, April 10-14, 1995.
6 D. Stone, "Sub-surface fracture maps predicted from borehole data: An example from the Eye-Dashwa Pluton, Atikolan, Canada", International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences & Geomechanics Abstracts, vol. 21, no. 4, pp. 183-194 (1984).   DOI
7 J. M. Vermilye and C. H. Scholz, "Relation between vein length and aperture", Journal of Structural Geology, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 423-434 (1995).   DOI
8 J. R. De Dreuzy, P. Davy and O. Bour, "Hydraulic properties of two-dimensional random fracture network following a power law length distribution 2. Permeability of networks based on lognormal distribution of apertures", Water Resources Research. vol. 37, no. 8, pp. 2079-2095 (2001).   DOI
9 C. E. Renshaw and J. C. Park, "Effect of mechanical interactions on the scaling of fracture length and aperture", Nature. vol. 386, pp. 482-484 (1997).   DOI
10 J. D. Johnston and K. J. W. McCaffrey, "Fractal geometries of vein systems and the variation of scaling relationships with mechanism", Journal of Structural Geology. vol. 18, no. 2-3, pp. 349-358 (1996).   DOI
11 B. Y. Park, K. S. Kim, C. S. Kim, D. S. Bae and H. K. Lee, "Analysis of the pathway and travel times for groundwater in volcanic rock using 3D fracture network", Journal of Korean Society for Rock Mechanics. vol. 11, no. 1: 42-58 (2001).
12 W. Jeong, D. Bruel and Y. S. Cho, "Modeling the flow characteristics of a fractured medium overlaid by a sedimentary porous medium: Application to the borehole RCF 3 pumping test in Sellafield (UK)", Energy Sources, Part A, vol. 29, pp. 1097-1110 (2007).   DOI
13 A. Baghbanan and L. Jing, "Hydraulic properties of fractured rock masses with correlated fracture length and aperture", International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences. vol. 44, no. 5, pp. 704-719 (2007).   DOI
14 A. Baghbanan and L. Jing, "Stress effects on permeability in a fractured rock mass with correlated fracture length and aperture", International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, vol. 45, no. 8, pp. 1320-1334 (2008).   DOI
15 Y. W. Tsang and C. F. Tsang, "Channel model of flow through fractured media", Water Resources Research. vol. 23, no. 3, pp. 467-479 (1987).   DOI   ScienceOn
16 R. Fisher, "Dispersion on a sphere", Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, London, UK, 1953.
17 H. B. Baecher, H. H. Einstein and N. A. Lanney, "Statistical description of rock properties and sampling", Proceedings of the 18th U.S. Symposium on Rock Mechanics, Colorado, U.S., June 22-24, 1997.
18 D. Billaux, J. P. Chiles, K. Hestir and J. C. S. Long, "Three dimensional statistical modelling of a fractured rock mass - An example from the Fanay-Augeres Mine", International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences & Geomechanics Abstracts. vol. 26, no. 4, pp. 281-299 (1989).
19 S. D. Priest, Discontinuity analysis for rock engineering, Chapman & Hall, London (1993).
20 A. Kobayashi and R. Yamashita, "Numerical studies of fluid flow through channels on fracture plane", Proceedings of International Conference on Mechanics of Jointed and Faulted Rock, Vienna, Austria, April 18-20,1990.
21 K. B. Min, L. Jing and O. Stephansson, "Determining the equivalent permeability tensor for fractured rock masses using a stochastic REV approach: Method and application to the field data from Sellafield, UK", Hydrogeology Journal, vol. 12, pp. 497-510 (2004).   DOI
22 P. H. S. W. Kulatilake and B. B. Panda, "Effect of block size and joint geometry on jointed rock hydraulics and REV", Journal of Engineering Mechanics. vol. 126, no. 8, pp. 850-858 (2000).   DOI