• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.321-333
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• 2023

Rock masses often contain natural fractures of varying sizes, and the size of the natural fractures may affect the propagation of hydraulic fractures. We conduct a series of triaxial hydraulic fracturing tests to investigate the effect of the pre-existing fracture size a on hydraulic fracture propagation. Experimental results show that the pre-existing fracture size impacts hydraulic fracture propagation. As the pre-existing fracture size increases, the hydraulic fracture propagates towards the pre-existing fracture tips, evidenced by the decreased distance between the final hydraulic fracture and the pre-existing fracture tips. Furthermore, the attracting effect of pre-existing fracture tips increases when the distance between the wellbore and the pre-existing fracture is short (L/D=2 or 4 in this study). With increased distance between the wellbore and the pre-existing fracture (L/D=6 in this study), the hydraulic fracture propagates to the middle of the pre-existing fracture rather than the tips, as the attracting effect of the pre-existing fracture diminishes.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.639-652
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• 2012

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.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.13-19
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• 2015

This paper presents a hydraulic fracture propagation model to describe propagation more realistically. In propagating the hydraulic fractures, we have used two criteria: maximum tangential stress to determine the fracture initiation angle and whether a hydraulic fracture intersects a natural fracture. The model was validated for the parameters relevant to fracture propagation, such as initiation angle and crossing ability through natural fracture. In order to check whether a hydraulic fracture crosses a natural fracture, the model results on crossing state excellently matched with the experimental data. In the sensitivity analysis for direction of maximum horizontal stress, frictional coefficient of fracture interface, and natural fracture orientation, the results show that hydraulic fracture intersects natural fracture, and then, propagated suitably with theoretical results according to fracture interaction criterion. In comparison of this model against vertical fracture approach, it was ascertained that there are discrepancies in fracture connectivity and stimulated reservoir volume.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2001.09a
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• pp.231-234
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• 2001

When constructing subsurface structures and/or wells, the precise estimates of hydraulic parameters must be obtained for operating safety and/or for developing necessary quantity of groundwater. Hydraulic conductivity is mainly subjected to the characteristics of fracture network in the fractured media such as fracture orientation and angle, fracture aperture and frequency, fracture length, interconnectivity of fractures, and filling material, feature of fracture plane. In this study we conducted water injection test at afferent depths on six boreholes drilled in granite of Mt. Geumjeong. hydraulic conductivity was calculated using Moye and Hvorslev methods. The relation between hydraulic conductivity and fracture frequency data obtained from acoustic televiewer and core log were analyzed. The result shows that the correlation between the hydraulic conductivity and the fracture frequency data obtained from acoustic televiewer is better than that with the core log.

• 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.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.279-294
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• 2001

When constructing subsurface structures and drilling wells, the precise hydraulic parameters must be obtained for operating safety and for developing enough quantity of groundwater, respectively. In this study we conducted water injection test at different depths on six boreholes drilled in the granite of Mt. Geumjeong. Hydraulic conductivity was calculated using Moye and Hvorslev methods. The relation between hydraulic conductivity and fracture frequency data obtained from acoustic televiewer and core log was analyzed. From the result, though the correlation coefficient between the hydraulic conductivity and the fracture frequency from acoustic televiewer data is higher than that between the hydraulic conductivity and the fracture frequency from core log data on most of the test holes, the correlation coefficient between the hydraulic conductivity and the fracture frequency from the televiewer data is lower than 0.5. This suggests that the hydraulic conductivity of granite in the study area is influenced not only by the fracture frequency but also by various factors of fracture network such as fracture aperture and length, interconnectivity of fractures, fracture orientation and angle, filling material and so on.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.43-53
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• 2006

Hydraulic fracturing is an important and abundant process in both industrial applications and natural environments. The formation of hydraulic fractures includes nucleation, growth, and termination in numerous rock types and stress regimes, at scales ranging from microns to many kilometers. As a result, fracture segmentation, commonly observed at all scales and in all geo-materials, contributes to this complexity in many ways. In particular, the mechanical interaction of fracture segments strongly affect almost all hydraulic fracturing processes. In this paper, the segmented fracture opening deformation in rock by hydraulic fracturing is quantified using boundary collocation method and is compared with non-interacting single fracture.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2005.04a
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• pp.284-287
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• 2005

The flow of groundwater in fractured medium is related to the geometric characteristics of the fracture system. And a fracture aperture and a fracture density are considered as important factor concerning the permeability. Data acquisition of the properties of fracture such as aperture and density is so difficult and has uncertainty. We also cannot know the fracture characteristics through the in-situ tests. We usually obtain the fracture information from a ultrasonic scan logging or borehole television indirectly. Using the deduced results, we can make the fracture system and simulate the groundwater flow and solute transport in the crystalline rock. This study aimed to analyze the correlation between the properties of fracture and hydraulic conductivities obtained at the same interval. The properties of fracture are examined by acoustic televiwer and hydraulic conductivities are obtained by constant Pressure injection test. The distributioin of fracture width and fracture frequency shows the log-normal probability plot. And, Results of correlation analysis explain that opened type fractures have proper relation with hydraulic conductivity. But, as though there are semi-opened type fractures or closed type fractures, those have the permeable structure.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.227-241
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• 1999

Groundwater flow in a fractured rock mass is related to the geometric characteristics of the fracture system. The objective of this study aims to analyze the probabilistic density function of fracture properties md their relations to the hydraulic conductivity in volcanic rocks of the northern Yosu area. Fracture characteristics were investigated by core logging and acoustic televiewer logging in four boreholes and the hydraulic conductivity was obtained from the constant pressure injection and fall-off tests. The 303 fractures were grouped into three sets by their orientation and three fracture types by the degree of opening in aperture. As a result of the study, the hydraulic conductivity in the test section intersected by open and semi-open fractures, conductive fractures, and set 1 fractures was very high, while closed fractures did rarely affect the hydraulic conductivity. It was recognized that the hydraulic conductivity in a fractured rock mass was preferentially affected by the aperture size of conductive fractures and fracture intersection frequency and size, secondly.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.251-265
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• 1995

One of the most important matters in stress measurement by hydraulic fracturing technique is the determination of the breakdown pressure, reopening pressure, and shut-in pressure, since these values are the basic input data for the calculation of the in-situ stress. The control of the fracture propagation is also important when the hydraulic fracturing technique is applied to the development of groundwater system, geothermal energy, oil, and natural gas. In this study, a laboratory scale hydraulic fracturing device was built and a series of model tests were conducted with cube blocks of Machon gabbro. A new method called 'flatjack method' was adopted to determine shut-in pressure. The initial stress calculated from the shut-in pressure measured by flatjack method showed much higher accuracy than the stress determined by the conventional method. The dependency of the direction of fracture propagation on the state of the initial stresses was measured by introducin g artificial slots in the borehole made by water jet system. Numerical modeling by BEM was also performed to simulate the fracture propagation process. Both results form numerical and laboratory tests showed good agreement. From this study which provides the extensive results on the determination of shut-in pressure and the control of fracture propagation which are the critical issue in the recent hydraulic fracturing, it is conclued that in-situ stress measurement and the control of fracture propagation could be achived more accurately.