• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.503-512
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• 1995

Groundwater flow in fracture networks is simulated using a discrete fracture (DF) model which assume that groundwater flows only through the fracture network. This assumption is available if the permeability of rock matrix is very low. It is almost impossible to describe fracture networks perfectly, so a stochastic approach is used. The stochastic approach assumes that the characteristic parameters in fracture network have special distribution patterns. The stochastic model generates fracture networks with some characteristic parameters. The finite element method is used to compute fracture flows. One-dimensional line element is the element type of the finite elements. The simulation results are shown by dominant flow paths in the fracture network. The dominant flow path can be found from the simulated groundwater flow field. The model developed in this study provides the tool to estimate the influences of characteristic parameters on groundwater flow in fracture networks. The influences of some characteristic parameters on the frcture flow are estimated by the Monte Carlo simulation based on 30 realizations.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.15-28
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• 2020

In this study, a procedure was introduced to estimate strength and deformation modulus of the 3-D discrete fracture network(DFN) systems using the distinct element method(DEM). Fracture entities were treated as non-persistent square planes in the DFN systems. Systematically generated fictitious fractures having similar mechanical characteristics of intact rock were combined with non-persistent real fractures to create polyhedral blocks in the analysis domain. Strength and deformation modulus for 10 m cube domain of various deterministic and stochastic 3-D DFN systems were estimated using the DEM to explore the applicability of suggested method and to examine the effect of fracture geometry on strength and deformability of DFN systems. The suggested procedures were found to effective in estimating anisotropic strength and deformability of the 3-D DFN systems.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.100-108
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• 2017

As a measure of the combined effect of fracture geometry, the fabric tensor parameters could quantify the status of the connected fluid flow paths in discrete fracture network (DFN). The correlation analysis between fabric tensor parameters and hydraulic properties of the 2-D DFN was performed in this study. It is found that there exists a strong nonlinear relationship between the directional conductivity and the fabric tensor component estimated in the direction normal to the direction of hydraulic conductivity. The circular radial plots without significant variation of the first invariant ($F_0$) of fabric tensor for different sized 2-D DFN block are a necessary condition for treating representative element volume (REV) of a fractured rock mass. The relative error (ER) between the numerically calculated directional hydraulic conductivity and the theoretical directional hydraulic conductivity decreases with the increase in $F_0$. A strong functional relation seems to exist between the $F_0$ and the average block hydraulic conductivity.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.271-285
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• 2020

In this study, a numerical experiment related to the stress-strain analysis was performed on 3-D discrete fracture network(DFN) systems based on the distinct element method to evaluate the effect of joint geometry on deformability of jointed rock masses. Using one or two joint sets with deterministic orientation, a total of 12 3-D DFN blocks having 10m cube domain were generated with different joint density and size distribution. Directional deformation modulus of the DFN cube blocks were estimated along the axis directions of 3-D cartesian coordinate. In addition, deviatoric stress directions were chosen at every 30° of trend and plunge in 3-D for some DFN blocks to examine the variability of directional deformation modulus with respect to joint geometry. The directional deformation modulus of the DFN block were found to reduce with the increase of joint size distribution. The increase in joint density was less likely to have a significant effect on directional deformation modulus of the DFN block in case of the effect of rock bridges was relatively large because of short joint size distribution. It, however, was evaluated that the longer the joint size, the increase in the joint density had a more significant effect on the anisotropic deformation modulus of the DFN block. The variation of the anisotropic deformation modulus according to the variations in joint density and size distribution was highly dependent on the number of joint sets and their orientation in the DFN block. Finally, this study addressed a numerical procedure for stress-strain analysis of jointed rock masses considering joint geometry and discussed a methodology for practical application at the field scale.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.61-71
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• 2017

The effects of joint density and size distribution on the hydrogeologic characteristics of jointed rock masses are addressed through numerical experiments based on the 2-D DFN (discrete fracture network) fluid flow analysis. Using two joint sets, a total of 51 2-D joint network system were generated with various joint density and size distribution. Twelve fluid flow directions were chosen every $30^{\circ}$ starting at $0^{\circ}$, and total of 612 $20m{\times}20m$ DFN blocks were prepared to calculate the directional block conductivity. Also, the theoretical block conductivity, principal conductivity tensor and average block conductivity for each generated joint network system were determined. The directional block conductivity and chance for the equivalent continuum behavior of the 2-D DFN system were found to increase with the increase of joint density or size distribution. However, the anisotropy of block hydraulic conductivity increases with the increase of density discrepancy between the joint sets, and the chance for the equivalent continuum behavior were found to decrease. The smaller the intersection angle of the two joint sets, the more the equivalent continuum behavior were affected by the change of joint density and size distribution. Even though the intersection angle is small enough that it is difficult to have equivalent continuum behavior, the chance for anisotropic equivalent continuum behavior increases as joint density or size distribution increases.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.81-90
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• 2019

In this study, the effects of fracture tensor component and first invariant on block hydraulic behaviors are evaluated in the 2-D DFN(discrete fracture network) systems. A series of regression analysis is performed between connected fracture tensor components and block hydraulic conductivities estimated at every $30^{\circ}$ hydraulic gradient directions for a total of 36 DFN systems having various joint density and size distribution. The directional block hydraulic conductivity seems to have strong relation with the fracture tensor component estimated in direction perpendicular to it. It is found that an equivalent continuum approach could be acceptable for the 2-D DFN systems under condition that the first invariant of fracture tensor is more than 2.0~2.5. The first invariant of fracture tensor seems highly correlated with average block hydraulic conductivity and can be used to evaluate hydraulic characteristics of the 2-D DFN systems. Also, a possibility of upscaling using the first invariant of fracture tensor for the DFN system is addressed through this study.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.66-81
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• 2021

The effects of directional fracture tensor components and first invariant of fracture tensor on deformation moduli and shear moduli of fractured rock masses is analyzed based on regression analysis performed between 3-D fracture tensor parameters and deformability of DFN blocks. Using one or two deterministic joint sets, a total of 224 3-D discrete fracture network (DFN) cube blocks were generated with various configurations of deterministic density and probabilistic size distribution. The fracture tensor parameters were calculated for each generated DFN systems. Also, deformability moduli with respect to three perpendicular direction of the DFN cube blocks were estimated based on distinct element method. The larger the first invariant of fracture tensor, the smaller the values for the deformability moduli of the DFN blocks. These deformability properties present an asymptotic pattern above the certain threshold. It is found that power-law function describes the relationship between the directional deformability moduli and the corresponding fracture tensor components estimated in same direction.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Rock Mechanics Conference
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• 2000.09a
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• pp.129-137
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• 2000

This paper presents groundwater flow characteristics in discontinuous rock mass using fracture network program(NAPSAC) by statistical approach. Equivalent permeability coefficients are estimated from borehole data around Mabuk test tunnel site and fracture map on the arch of the tunnel. The reliability of fracture network model is obtained from determination of input data for statistical fracture network analysis from the real data(data of fracture network, data of hydraulic tests). The variation of permeability and mean anisotropic permeability coefficients are calculated from the realized model by increasing the size. As a result of analysis, a strong anisotropy of permeability is observed according to the direction of the fracture sets around the test tunnel.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.378-386
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• 2000

This paper presents groundwater flow characteristics in discontinuous rock mass using fracture network program(NAPSAC) by statistical approach. Equivalent permeability coefficients are estimated from borehole data around Mabuk test tunnel site and fracture map on the arch of the tunnel. The reliability of fracture network model is obtained from determination of input data for statistical fracture network analysis from the real data(data of fracture network, data of hydraulic tests). The variation of permeability and mean anisotropic permeability coefficients are calculated from the realized model by increasing the size. As a result of analysis, a strong anisotropy of permeability is observed according to the direction of the fracture sets around the test tunnel.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.283-292
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• 2016

A computer program code was developed to estimate hydraulic behavior of the 2-D connected pipe network system, and implemented to evaluate the effect of joint aperture on hydraulic parameters of fractured rock masses through numerical experiments. A total of 216 stochastic 2-D DFN(discrete fracture network) blocks of $20m{\times}20m$ were prepared using two joint sets with fixed input parameters of joint orientation, frequency and size distribution. Two different cases of joint aperture variation are considered in this study. The hydraulic parameters were estimated for generated 2-D DFN blocks. The hydraulic anisotropy and the chance for equivalent continuum behavior of the DFN system were found to depend on the variability of joint aperture.