There are millimeter, micron and nanometer scales of pores and fractures in coal to describe different scales of coal pores and fissures communicating path and to quantitatively characterize their permeability. Such i...There are millimeter, micron and nanometer scales of pores and fractures in coal to describe different scales of coal pores and fissures communicating path and to quantitatively characterize their permeability. Such information provides an important basis for studying coalbed methane output mechanism. The pores and fissures in a large number of coal samples were observed and counted by scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy. The probability distribution models of pore-fissure network were then established. Different scales of pore-fissures 2D network models were reconstructed by Monte Carlo method. The 2D seepage models were obtained through assignment zero method and using Matlab software. The effect of permeability on different scale pore-fractures network was obtained by two-dimensional seepage equation. Predicted permeability is compared with the measured ones. The results showed that the dominant order of different scale pore-fractures connected path from high to low is millimeter-sized fractures, seepage pores and micron-size fractures. The contribution of coal reservoir permeability from large to small is millimeter-size fractures, micron-size fractures and seepage pores. Different parameters in different scale pore-fractures are of different influence permeability.Reconstruction of different scale pore-fractures network can clearly display the connectivity of porefractures, which can provide a basis for selecting migration path and studying gas flow pattern.展开更多
Internal structural defects in engineering rock masses vary in size,exhibit complex shapes,and are unevenly distributed.Dominant fractures within a rock mass often play a critical to its mechanical behavior,directly a...Internal structural defects in engineering rock masses vary in size,exhibit complex shapes,and are unevenly distributed.Dominant fractures within a rock mass often play a critical to its mechanical behavior,directly affecting the macromechanical properties and failure modes.These fractures affect the instability and failure of the surrounding rock,significantlyimpacting the overall stability of engineering structures.Herein,sand-powder three-dimensional(3D)printing technology was used to prepare rock-like specimens with internal fracture networks.Triaxial compression testing,post-failure fracture mapping,and fractal dimension analysis of the fracture surfaces were conducted to investigate the effects of dominant fracture angles on the strength and deformation of rocks with internal fracture networks under triaxial stress.The results indicate that the dominant fracture angle has a pronounced effect on the mechanical behavior of rock.With increasing angle,both compressive strength and elastic modulus exhibit an initial decline followed by an increase.Moreover,higher confiningpressure significantlyimproves the compressive strength of fractured rock.This enhancement weakens as the confiningpressure further increases.Moreover,with increasing confiningpressure,the differences between the maximum and minimum values of elastic moduli and lateral strain ratios in fractured rock gradually decrease.Thus,the impact of the dominant fracture angle on rock mass deformation decreases with increasing confiningpressure.This research elucidates the effects of dominant fracture angles on the mechanical and failure properties of complex fractured rock masses and the influenceof the confiningpressure on these relationships.It provides valuable theoretical insights and practical guidance for stability analyses in engineering rock masses.展开更多
Fractures are typically characterized by roughness that significantlyaffects the mechanical and hydraulic characteristics of reservoirs.However,hydraulic fracturing mechanisms under the influenceof fracture morphology...Fractures are typically characterized by roughness that significantlyaffects the mechanical and hydraulic characteristics of reservoirs.However,hydraulic fracturing mechanisms under the influenceof fracture morphology remain largely unexplored.Leveraging the advantages of the finite-discrete element method(FDEM)for explicitly simulating fracture propagation and the strengths of the unifiedpipe model(UPM)for efficientlymodeling dual-permeability seepage,we propose a new hydromechanical(HM)coupling approach for modeling hydraulic fracturing.Validated against benchmark examples,the proposed FDEM-UPM model is further augmented by incorporating a Fourier-based methodology for reconstructing non-planar fractures,enabling quantitative analysis of hydraulic fracturing behavior within rough discrete fracture networks(DFNs).The FDEM-UPM model demonstrates computational advantages in accurately capturing transient hydraulic seepage phenomena,while the asynchronous time-stepping schemes between hydraulic and mechanical analyses substantially enhanced computational efficiencywithout compromising computational accuracy.Our results show that fracture morphology can affect both macroscopic fracture networks and microscopic interaction types between hydraulic fractures(HFs)and natural fractures(NFs).In an isotropic stress field,the initiation azimuth,propagation direction and microcracking mechanism are significantly influencedby fracture roughness.In an anisotropic stress field,HFs invariably propagate parallel to the direction of the maximum principal stress,reducing the overall complexity of the stimulated fracture networks.Additionally,stress concentration and perturbation attributed to fracture morphology tend to be compromised as the leak-off increases,while the breakdown and propagation pressures remain insensitive to fracture morphology.These findingsprovide new insights into the hydraulic fracturing mechanisms of fractured reservoirs containing complex rough DFNs.展开更多
The drag force of water flow through single fracture and the coupling characteristics of seepage and stress in single fracture surface are analyzed,and a three dimensional model of coupled unsteady seepage and stress ...The drag force of water flow through single fracture and the coupling characteristics of seepage and stress in single fracture surface are analyzed,and a three dimensional model of coupled unsteady seepage and stress fields is proposed.This model is used to the analysis of foundation rock mass of a high dam.If the coupling effects are considered,the changes of boundary heads have less influence on the inner head of rock mass,and the strong permeability of main fractures appears.If the coupling effects are not considered,the fractures distribution affects the inner head more greatly.When the upstream water head declines,the inner head of dam foundation slightly declines and the hydraulic gradient distribution becomes smoother.A bigger upstream water level declining velocity has a stronger lag effect,meanwhile the values of stress components change more greatly.Therefore the upstream water level declining velocity directly affects the stability of rock mass in dam foundation and we should take into account the above factors to make sure the safety of the dam during reservoir level fluctuation period.展开更多
Stress sensitivity is a very important index to understand the seepage characteristics of a reservoir.In this study,dedicated experiments and theoretical arguments based on the visualization of porous media are used t...Stress sensitivity is a very important index to understand the seepage characteristics of a reservoir.In this study,dedicated experiments and theoretical arguments based on the visualization of porous media are used to assess the effects of the fracture angle,spacing,and relevant elastic parameters on the principal value of the permeability tensor.The fracture apertures at different angles show different change rates,which influence the relative permeability for different sets of fractures.Furthermore,under the same pressure condition,the fractures with different angles show different degrees of deformation so that the principal value direction of permeability rotates.This phenomenon leads to a variation in the water seepage direction in typical water-injection applications,thereby hindering the expected exploitation effect of the original well network.Overall,the research findings in this paper can be used as guidance to improve the effectiveness of water injection exploitation in the oil field industry.展开更多
When hydraulic fractures intersect with natural fractures,the geometry and complexity of a fracture network are determined by the initiation and propagation pattern which is affected by a number of factors.Based on th...When hydraulic fractures intersect with natural fractures,the geometry and complexity of a fracture network are determined by the initiation and propagation pattern which is affected by a number of factors.Based on the fracture mechanics,the criterion for initiation and propagation of a fracture was introduced to analyze the tendency of a propagating angle and factors affecting propagating pressure.On this basis,a mathematic model with a complex fracture network was established to investigate how the fracture network form changes with different parameters,including rock mechanics,in-situ stress distribution,fracture properties,and frac treatment parameters.The solving process of this model was accelerated by classifying the calculation nodes on the extending direction of the fracture by equal pressure gradients,and solving the geometrical parameters prior to the iteration fitting flow distribution.With the initiation and propagation criterion as the bases for the propagation of branch fractures,this method decreased the iteration times through eliminating the fitting of the fracture length in conventional 3D fracture simulation.The simulation results indicated that the formation with abundant natural fractures and smaller in-situ stress difference is sufficient conditions for fracture network development.If the pressure in the hydraulic fractures can be kept at a high level by temporary sealing or diversion,the branch fractures will propagate further with minor curvature radius,thus enlarging the reservoir stimulation area.The simulated shape of fracture network can be well matched with the field microseismic mapping in data point range and distribution density,validating the accuracy of this model.展开更多
Discrete fracture network(DFN)commonly existing in natural rock masses plays an important role in geological complexity which can influence rock fracturing behaviour during fluid injection.This paper simulated the hyd...Discrete fracture network(DFN)commonly existing in natural rock masses plays an important role in geological complexity which can influence rock fracturing behaviour during fluid injection.This paper simulated the hydraulic fracturing process in lab-scale coal samples with DFNs and the induced seismic activities by the discrete element method(DEM).The effects of DFNs on hydraulic fracturing,induced seismicity and elastic property changes have been concluded.Denser DFNs can comprehensively decrease the peak injection pressure and injection duration.The proportion of strong seismic events increases first and then decreases with increasing DFN density.In addition,the relative modulus of the rock mass is derived innovatively from breakdown pressure,breakdown fracture length and the related initiation time.Increasing DFN densities among large(35–60 degrees)and small(0–30 degrees)fracture dip angles show opposite evolution trends in relative modulus.The transitional point(dip angle)for the opposite trends is also proportionally affected by the friction angle of the rock mass.The modelling results have much practical meaning to infer the density and geometry of pre-existing fractures and the elastic property of rock mass in the field,simply based on the hydraulic fracturing and induced seismicity monitoring data.展开更多
Prepulse combined hydraulic fracturing facilitates the development of fracture networks by integrating prepulse hydraulic loading with conventional hydraulic fracturing.The formation mechanisms of fracture networks be...Prepulse combined hydraulic fracturing facilitates the development of fracture networks by integrating prepulse hydraulic loading with conventional hydraulic fracturing.The formation mechanisms of fracture networks between hydraulic and pre-existing fractures under different prepulse loading parameters remain unclear.This research investigates the impact of prepulse loading parameters,including the prepulse loading number ratio(C),prepulse loading stress ratio(S),and prepulse loading frequency(f),on the formation of fracture networks between hydraulic and pre-existing fractures,using both experimental and numerical methods.The results suggest that low prepulse loading stress ratios and high prepulse loading number ratios are advantageous loading modes.Multiple hydraulic fractures are generated in the specimen under the advantageous loading modes,facilitating the development of a complex fracture network.Fatigue damage occurs in the specimen at the prepulse loading stage.The high water pressure at the secondary conventional hydraulic fracturing promotes the growth of hydraulic fractures along the damage zones.This allows the hydraulic fractures to propagate deeply and interact with pre-existing fractures.Under advantageous loading conditions,multiple hydraulic fractures can extend to pre-existing fractures,and these hydraulic fractures penetrate or propagate along pre-existing fractures.Especially when the approach angle is large,the damage range in the specimen during the prepulse loading stage increases,resulting in the formation of more hydraulic fractures.展开更多
Wellbore breakout is one of the critical issues in drilling due to the fact that the related problems result in additional costs and impact the drilling scheme severely.However,the majority of such wellbore breakout a...Wellbore breakout is one of the critical issues in drilling due to the fact that the related problems result in additional costs and impact the drilling scheme severely.However,the majority of such wellbore breakout analyses were based on continuum mechanics.In addition to failure in intact rocks,wellbore breakouts can also be initiated along natural discontinuities,e.g.weak planes and fractures.Furthermore,the conventional models in wellbore breakouts with uniform distribution fractures could not reflect the real drilling situation.This paper presents a fully coupled hydro-mechanical model of the SB-X well in the Tarim Basin,China for evaluating wellbore breakouts in heavily fractured rocks under anisotropic stress states using the distinct element method(DEM)and the discrete fracture network(DFN).The developed model was validated against caliper log measurement,and its stability study was carried out by stress and displacement analyses.A parametric study was performed to investigate the effects of the characteristics of fracture distribution(orientation and length)on borehole stability by sensitivity studies.Simulation results demonstrate that the increase of the standard deviation of orientation when the fracture direction aligns parallel or perpendicular to the principal stress direction aggravates borehole instability.Moreover,an elevation in the average fracture length causes the borehole failure to change from the direction of the minimum in-situ horizontal principal stress(i.e.the direction of wellbore breakouts)towards alternative directions,ultimately leading to the whole wellbore failure.These findings provide theoretical insights for predicting wellbore breakouts in heavily fractured rocks.展开更多
Microseismic data shows that some unconventional reservoirs comprise well-developed natural fractures and complex hydraulic fracture networks.It is neither practical nor advantageous to simulate a huge number of natur...Microseismic data shows that some unconventional reservoirs comprise well-developed natural fractures and complex hydraulic fracture networks.It is neither practical nor advantageous to simulate a huge number of natural and hydraulic fractures with numerical models.Given that the conventional dual-porosity models are not applicable to the highly discrete natural fractures,the paper develops a semianalytical well testing model for horizontal wells with hydraulic fracture networks and randomly-distributed discretely natural fractures.The proposed model has the capability to analyze the pressure behaviors by considering complex fracture networks and isolated natural fractures rapidly and efficiently.The model includes diffusivity equations in three domains:(1)matrix,(2)discretely natural fractures,and(3)hydraulic fracture networks.The pressure transient solution of these diffusivity equations is obtained by using Laplace transforms and super-position principle.We verify the presented model by performing a case study with a numerical simulator for complex natural fractures.It is found that there are some interestingflow behaviors for fracture-network horizontal well with discretely natural fractures like bilinearflow,“V-shape”caused byfluid supply,pseudo boundary-dominatedflow,impact of natural fractures,etc.The pseudo boundary-dominatedflow provides us the information about how large the area covered by hydraulic fracture networks.The impact of natural fracture shows the pa-rameters of natural fractures.This work provides a good understanding of transient pressure behaviors in unconventional reservoirs and guidelines for the producer optimizefield development and well economics.展开更多
Accurate prediction of hydraulic fracture propagation is vital for Enhanced Geothermal System(EGS)design.We study the first hydraulic fracturing job at the GR1 well in the Gonghe Basin using field data,where the overa...Accurate prediction of hydraulic fracture propagation is vital for Enhanced Geothermal System(EGS)design.We study the first hydraulic fracturing job at the GR1 well in the Gonghe Basin using field data,where the overall direction of hydraulic fractures does not show a delineated shape parallel to the maximum principal stress orientation.A field-scale numerical model based on the distinct element method is set up to carry out a fully coupled hydromechanical simulation,with the explicit representation of natural fractures via the discrete fracture network(DFN)approach.The effects of injection parameters and in situ stress on hydraulic fracture patterns are then quantitatively assessed.The study reveals that shear-induced deformation primarily governs the fracturing morphology in the GR1 well,driven by smaller injection rates and viscosities that promote massive activation of natural fractures,ultimately dominating the direction of hydraulic fracturing.Furthermore,the increase of in situ differential stress may promote shear damage of natural fracture surfaces,with the exact influence pattern depending on the combination of specific discontinuity properties and in situ stress state.Finally,we provide recommendations for EGS fracturing based on the influence characteristics of multiple parameters.This study can serve as an effective basis and reference for the design and optimization of EGS in the Gonghe basin and other sites.展开更多
In order to identify the development characteristics of fracture network in tight conglomerate reservoir of Mahu after hydraulic fracturing,a hydraulic fracturing test site was set up in the second and third members o...In order to identify the development characteristics of fracture network in tight conglomerate reservoir of Mahu after hydraulic fracturing,a hydraulic fracturing test site was set up in the second and third members of Triassic Baikouquan Formation(T1b2 and T1b3)in Ma-131 well area,which learned from the successful experience of hydraulic fracturing test sites in North America(HFTS-1).Twelve horizontal wells and a high-angle coring well MaJ02 were drilled.The orientation,connection,propagation law and major controlling factors of hydraulic fractures were analyzed by comparing results of CT scans,imaging logs,direct observation of cores from Well MaJ02,and combined with tracer monitoring data.Results indicate that:(1)Two types of fractures have developed by hydraulic fracturing,i.e.tensile fractures and shear fractures.Tensile fractures are approximately parallel to the direction of the maximum horizontal principal stress,and propagate less than 50 m from perforation clusters.Shear fractures are distributed among tensile fractures and mainly in the strike-slip mode due to the induced stress field among tensile fractures,and some of them are in conjugated pairs.Overall,tensile fractures alternate with shear fractures,with shear fractures dominated and activated after tensile ones.(2)Tracer monitoring results indicate that communication between wells was prevalent in the early stage of production,and the static pressure in the fracture gradually decreased and the connectivity between wells reduced as production progressed.(3)Density of hydraulic fractures is mainly affected by the lithology and fracturing parameters,which is smaller in the mudstone than the conglomerate.Larger fracturing scale and smaller cluster spacing lead to a higher fracture density,which are important directions to improve the well productivity.展开更多
In the concurrent extraction of coal and gas,the quantitative assessment of evolving characteristics in mining-induced fracture networks and mining-enhanced permeability within coal seams serves as the cornerstone for...In the concurrent extraction of coal and gas,the quantitative assessment of evolving characteristics in mining-induced fracture networks and mining-enhanced permeability within coal seams serves as the cornerstone for effective gas extraction.However,representing mining-induced fracture networks from a three-dimensional(3D)sight and developing a comprehensive model to evaluate the anisotropic mining-enhanced permeability characteristics still pose significant challenges.In this investigation,a field experiment was undertaken to systematically monitor the evolution of borehole fractures in the coal mass ahead of the mining face at the Pingdingshan Coal Mining Group in China.Using the testing data of borehole fracture,the mining-induced fracture network at varying distances from the mining face was reconstructed through a statistical reconstruction method.Additionally,utilizing fractal theory,a model for the permeability enhancement rate(PER)induced by mining was established.This model was employed to quantitatively depict the anisotropic evolution patterns of PER as the mining face advanced.The research conclusions are as follows:(1)The progression of the mining-induced fracture network can be classified into the stage of rapid growth,the stage of stable growth,and the stage of weak impact;(2)The PER of mining-induced fracture network exhibited a typical progression that can be characterized with slow growth,rapid growth and significant decline;(3)The anisotropic mining-enhanced permeability of the reconstructed mining-induced fracture networks were significant.The peak PER in the vertical direction of the coal seam is 6.86 times and 4446.38 times greater than the direction perpendicular to the vertical thickness and the direction parallel to the advancement of the mining face,respectively.This investigatione provides a viable approach and methodology for quantitatively assessing the anisotropic PER of fracture networks induced during mining,in the concurrent exploitation of coal and gas.展开更多
Underground engineering in extreme environments necessitates understanding rock mechanical behavior under coupled high-temperature and dynamic loading conditions.This study presents an innovative multi-scale cross-pla...Underground engineering in extreme environments necessitates understanding rock mechanical behavior under coupled high-temperature and dynamic loading conditions.This study presents an innovative multi-scale cross-platform PFC-FDEM coupling methodology that bridges microscopic thermal damage mechanisms with macroscopic dynamic fracture responses.The breakthrough coupling framework introduces:(1)bidirectional information transfer protocols enabling seamless integration between PFC’s particle-scale thermal damage characterization and FDEM’s continuum-scale fracture propagation,(2)multi-physics mapping algorithms that preserve crack network geometric invariants during scale transitions,and(3)cross-platform cohesive zone implementations for accurate SHTB dynamic loading simulation.The coupled approach reveals distinct three-stage crack evolution characteristics with temperature-dependent density following an exponential model.High-temperature exposure significantly reduces dynamic strength ratio(60%at 800℃)and diminishes strain-rate sensitivity,with dynamic increase factor decreasing from 1.0 to 2.2(25℃)to 1.0-1.3(800℃).Critically,the coupling methodology captures fundamental energy redistribution mechanisms:thermal crack networks alter elastic energy proportion from 75%to 35%while increasing fracture energy from 5%to 30%.Numerical predictions demonstrate excellent experimental agreement(±8%peak stress-strain errors),validating the PFC-FDEM coupling accuracy.This integrated framework provides essential computational tools for predicting complex thermal-mechanical rock behavior in underground engineering applications.展开更多
Fractures are critical to subsurface activities such as oil and gas extraction,geothermal energy production,and carbon storage.Hydraulic fracturing,a technique that enhances fluid production,creates complex fracture n...Fractures are critical to subsurface activities such as oil and gas extraction,geothermal energy production,and carbon storage.Hydraulic fracturing,a technique that enhances fluid production,creates complex fracture networks within rock formations containing natural discontinuities.Accurately distinguishing between hydraulically induced fractures and pre-existing discontinuities is essential for understanding hydraulic fracture mechanisms.However,this remains challenging due to the interconnected nature of fractures in three-dimensional(3D)space.Manual segmentation,while adaptive,is both labor-intensive and subjective,making it impractical for large-scale 3D datasets.This study introduces a deep learning-based progressive cross-sectional segmentation method to automate the classification of 3D fracture volumes.The proposed method was applied to a 3D hydraulic fracture network in a Montney cube sample,successfully segmenting natural fractures,parted bedding planes,and hydraulic fractures with minimal user intervention.The automated approach achieves a 99.6%reduction in manual image processing workload while maintaining high segmentation accuracy,with test accuracy exceeding 98%and F1-score over 84%.This approach generalizes well to Brazilian disc samples with different fracture patterns,achieving consistently high accuracy in distinguishing between bedding and non-bedding fractures.This automated fracture segmentation method offers an effective tool for enhanced quantitative characterization of fracture networks,which would contribute to a deeper understanding of hydraulic fracturing processes.展开更多
The goal of this research is to develop mine-scale discrete fracture network(DFN)models in which the influence of the spatial heterogeneity of fracture distributions may be investigated on the rock wedge stability of ...The goal of this research is to develop mine-scale discrete fracture network(DFN)models in which the influence of the spatial heterogeneity of fracture distributions may be investigated on the rock wedge stability of an open pit slope.For this purpose,spatially conditioned DFN models were developed for the pit walls at Tasiast mine using comprehensive structural data from the mine.Using Sequential Gaussian Simulation(SGS),volumetric fracture intensities(P32)were modeled across the entire mine site in the form of 3D block models.The simulated P32 block models were used as the input constraints for conditional DFN fracture generation,where the DFN grid dimension is the same as the SGS 3D blocks.The spatially constrained DFN models were further calibrated using aerial fracture intensities(P21)data from the pit walls,obtained by a survey of the pit walls using an unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)and measured traces of joints from 3D point cloud data.The final DFN model is expected to honor the fracture intensities gathered through different means with optimal model accuracy.Finally,bench-scale and interramp scale rock wedge slope stability analyses were conducted using the calibrated conditional DFN models.This work proves the significance of conditioned DFN models in rock wedge stability analysis.Such models provide detailed information regarding rock wedge stability so that site monitoring and prevention plans can be conducted with higher efficiency.展开更多
Natural fracture data from one of the Carboniferous shale masses in the eastern Qaidam Basin were used to establish a stochastic model of a discrete fracture network and to perform discrete element simulation research...Natural fracture data from one of the Carboniferous shale masses in the eastern Qaidam Basin were used to establish a stochastic model of a discrete fracture network and to perform discrete element simulation research on the size efect and mechanical parameters of shale.Analytical solutions of fctitious joints in transversely isotropic media were derived,which made it possible for the proposed numerical model to simulate the bedding and natural fractures in shale masses.The results indicate that there are two main factors infuencing the representative elementary volume(REV)size of a shale mass.The frst and most decisive factor is the presence of natural fractures in the block itself.The second is the anisotropy ratio:the greater the anisotropy is,the larger the REV.The bedding angle has little infuence on the REV size,whereas it has a certain infuence on the mechanical parameters of the rock mass.When the bedding angle approaches the average orientation of the natural fractures,the mechanical parameters of the shale blocks decrease greatly.The REV representing the mechanical properties of the Carboniferous shale masses in the eastern Qaidam Basin were comprehensively identifed by considering the infuence of bedding and natural fractures.When the numerical model size is larger than the REV,the fractured rock mass discontinuities can be transformed into equivalent continuities,which provides a method for simulating shale with natural fractures and bedding to analyze the stability of a borehole wall in shale.展开更多
Since natural fractures are often non-equidimensional,the circular disc model still has great limitations.By contrast,the elliptical disc model is more applicable to representing natural fractures,especially for slend...Since natural fractures are often non-equidimensional,the circular disc model still has great limitations.By contrast,the elliptical disc model is more applicable to representing natural fractures,especially for slender ones.This paper developed a universal elliptical disc(UED)model by incorporating the center point,size,and azimuth of fractures as variables.Specifically,with respect to the azimuth of elliptical fractures in three-dimensional(3D)space,we proposed a paradigm to construct its probability density function(PDF)by coupling the orientation and rotation angle of long axis based on three coordinate transformations.To illustrate the construction process of the PDF of the fracture azimuth,we took the orientation following the Fisher distribution and the rotation angle following Von Mises distribution as an example.A rock slope is used to show the use of the developed UED model,and the 3D DFNs for the slope rock mass are generated by Monte Carlo simulation.In addition,the DFNs for the rock mass are also generated based on the existing circular disc model and non-universal elliptical disc model.The comparison results from the three models clearly illustrate the superiority of the UED model over the existing circular and non-universal elliptical disc models.展开更多
Structure plane is one of the important factors affecting the stability and failure mode of rock mass engineering.Rock mass structure characterization is the basic work of rock mechanics research and the important con...Structure plane is one of the important factors affecting the stability and failure mode of rock mass engineering.Rock mass structure characterization is the basic work of rock mechanics research and the important content of numerical simulation.A new 3-dimensional rough discrete fracture network(RDFN3D)model and its modeling method based on the Weierstrass-Mandelbrot(W-M)function were presented in this paper.The RDFN3D model,which improves and unifies the modelling methods for the complex structural planes,has been realized.The influence of fractal dimension,amplitude,and surface precision on the modeling parameters of RDFN3D was discussed.The reasonable W-M parameters suitable for the roughness coefficient of JRC were proposed,and the relationship between the mathematical model and the joint characterization was established.The RDFN3D together with the smooth 3-dimensional discrete fracture network(DFN3D)models were successfully exported to the drawing exchange format,which will provide a wide application in numerous numerical simulation codes including both the continuous and discontinuous methods.The numerical models were discussed using the COMSOL Multiphysics code and the 3-dimensional particle flow code,respectively.The reliability of the RDFN3D model was preliminarily discussed and analyzed.The roughness and spatial connectivity of the fracture networks have a dominant effect on the fluid flow patterns.The research results can provide a new geological model and analysis model for numerical simulation and engineering analysis of jointed rock mass.展开更多
Fractured reservoirs are an important target for oil and gas exploration in the Tarim Basin and the prediction of this type of reservoir is challenging.Due to the complicated fracture system in the Tarim Basin,the con...Fractured reservoirs are an important target for oil and gas exploration in the Tarim Basin and the prediction of this type of reservoir is challenging.Due to the complicated fracture system in the Tarim Basin,the conventional AVO inversion method based on HTI theory to predict fracture development will result in some errors.Thus,an integrated research concept for fractured reservoir prediction is put forward in this paper.Seismic modeling plays a bridging role in this concept,and the establishment of an anisotropic fracture model by Discrete Fracture Network （DFN） is the key part.Because the fracture system in the Tarim Basin shows complex anisotropic characteristics,it is vital to build an effective anisotropic model.Based on geological,well logging and seismic data,an effective anisotropic model of complex fracture systems can be set up with the DFN method.The effective elastic coefficients,and the input data for seismic modeling can be calculated.Then seismic modeling based on this model is performed,and the seismic response characteristics are analyzed.The modeling results can be used in the following AVO inversion for fracture detection.展开更多
基金in major projects of Henan Province University Science and Technology Innovation Talent Support Program of China (No. 15HASTIT050)Funding Scheme for Henan Province the Young Key Teachers (No. 2013GGJS-049) of ChinaScience and Technology Department of Henan Province of China (No. 142102210050)
文摘There are millimeter, micron and nanometer scales of pores and fractures in coal to describe different scales of coal pores and fissures communicating path and to quantitatively characterize their permeability. Such information provides an important basis for studying coalbed methane output mechanism. The pores and fissures in a large number of coal samples were observed and counted by scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy. The probability distribution models of pore-fissure network were then established. Different scales of pore-fissures 2D network models were reconstructed by Monte Carlo method. The 2D seepage models were obtained through assignment zero method and using Matlab software. The effect of permeability on different scale pore-fractures network was obtained by two-dimensional seepage equation. Predicted permeability is compared with the measured ones. The results showed that the dominant order of different scale pore-fractures connected path from high to low is millimeter-sized fractures, seepage pores and micron-size fractures. The contribution of coal reservoir permeability from large to small is millimeter-size fractures, micron-size fractures and seepage pores. Different parameters in different scale pore-fractures are of different influence permeability.Reconstruction of different scale pore-fractures network can clearly display the connectivity of porefractures, which can provide a basis for selecting migration path and studying gas flow pattern.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program Young Scientist Project(Grant No.2024YFC2911000)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.52474103)the Major Basic Research Project of the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province(Grant No.ZR2024ZD22).
文摘Internal structural defects in engineering rock masses vary in size,exhibit complex shapes,and are unevenly distributed.Dominant fractures within a rock mass often play a critical to its mechanical behavior,directly affecting the macromechanical properties and failure modes.These fractures affect the instability and failure of the surrounding rock,significantlyimpacting the overall stability of engineering structures.Herein,sand-powder three-dimensional(3D)printing technology was used to prepare rock-like specimens with internal fracture networks.Triaxial compression testing,post-failure fracture mapping,and fractal dimension analysis of the fracture surfaces were conducted to investigate the effects of dominant fracture angles on the strength and deformation of rocks with internal fracture networks under triaxial stress.The results indicate that the dominant fracture angle has a pronounced effect on the mechanical behavior of rock.With increasing angle,both compressive strength and elastic modulus exhibit an initial decline followed by an increase.Moreover,higher confiningpressure significantlyimproves the compressive strength of fractured rock.This enhancement weakens as the confiningpressure further increases.Moreover,with increasing confiningpressure,the differences between the maximum and minimum values of elastic moduli and lateral strain ratios in fractured rock gradually decrease.Thus,the impact of the dominant fracture angle on rock mass deformation decreases with increasing confiningpressure.This research elucidates the effects of dominant fracture angles on the mechanical and failure properties of complex fractured rock masses and the influenceof the confiningpressure on these relationships.It provides valuable theoretical insights and practical guidance for stability analyses in engineering rock masses.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.52574103 and 42277150).
文摘Fractures are typically characterized by roughness that significantlyaffects the mechanical and hydraulic characteristics of reservoirs.However,hydraulic fracturing mechanisms under the influenceof fracture morphology remain largely unexplored.Leveraging the advantages of the finite-discrete element method(FDEM)for explicitly simulating fracture propagation and the strengths of the unifiedpipe model(UPM)for efficientlymodeling dual-permeability seepage,we propose a new hydromechanical(HM)coupling approach for modeling hydraulic fracturing.Validated against benchmark examples,the proposed FDEM-UPM model is further augmented by incorporating a Fourier-based methodology for reconstructing non-planar fractures,enabling quantitative analysis of hydraulic fracturing behavior within rough discrete fracture networks(DFNs).The FDEM-UPM model demonstrates computational advantages in accurately capturing transient hydraulic seepage phenomena,while the asynchronous time-stepping schemes between hydraulic and mechanical analyses substantially enhanced computational efficiencywithout compromising computational accuracy.Our results show that fracture morphology can affect both macroscopic fracture networks and microscopic interaction types between hydraulic fractures(HFs)and natural fractures(NFs).In an isotropic stress field,the initiation azimuth,propagation direction and microcracking mechanism are significantly influencedby fracture roughness.In an anisotropic stress field,HFs invariably propagate parallel to the direction of the maximum principal stress,reducing the overall complexity of the stimulated fracture networks.Additionally,stress concentration and perturbation attributed to fracture morphology tend to be compromised as the leak-off increases,while the breakdown and propagation pressures remain insensitive to fracture morphology.These findingsprovide new insights into the hydraulic fracturing mechanisms of fractured reservoirs containing complex rough DFNs.
基金supported by the Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China(Grant No.20096118110007)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.10202015 and 50579092)+1 种基金the Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University (Grant No.NCET-05-0679)the Project sponsored by Hubei Provincial Science and Technology Department(HBSTD)(Grant No.2004ABB012)
文摘The drag force of water flow through single fracture and the coupling characteristics of seepage and stress in single fracture surface are analyzed,and a three dimensional model of coupled unsteady seepage and stress fields is proposed.This model is used to the analysis of foundation rock mass of a high dam.If the coupling effects are considered,the changes of boundary heads have less influence on the inner head of rock mass,and the strong permeability of main fractures appears.If the coupling effects are not considered,the fractures distribution affects the inner head more greatly.When the upstream water head declines,the inner head of dam foundation slightly declines and the hydraulic gradient distribution becomes smoother.A bigger upstream water level declining velocity has a stronger lag effect,meanwhile the values of stress components change more greatly.Therefore the upstream water level declining velocity directly affects the stability of rock mass in dam foundation and we should take into account the above factors to make sure the safety of the dam during reservoir level fluctuation period.
基金This work is financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation Project(No.51374222)National Major Project(No.2017ZX05032004-002)+2 种基金the National Key Basic Research&Development Program(No.2015CB250905)CNPC’s Major Scientific and Technological Project(No.2017E-0405)SINOPEC Major Scientific Research Project(No.P18049-1).
文摘Stress sensitivity is a very important index to understand the seepage characteristics of a reservoir.In this study,dedicated experiments and theoretical arguments based on the visualization of porous media are used to assess the effects of the fracture angle,spacing,and relevant elastic parameters on the principal value of the permeability tensor.The fracture apertures at different angles show different change rates,which influence the relative permeability for different sets of fractures.Furthermore,under the same pressure condition,the fractures with different angles show different degrees of deformation so that the principal value direction of permeability rotates.This phenomenon leads to a variation in the water seepage direction in typical water-injection applications,thereby hindering the expected exploitation effect of the original well network.Overall,the research findings in this paper can be used as guidance to improve the effectiveness of water injection exploitation in the oil field industry.
文摘When hydraulic fractures intersect with natural fractures,the geometry and complexity of a fracture network are determined by the initiation and propagation pattern which is affected by a number of factors.Based on the fracture mechanics,the criterion for initiation and propagation of a fracture was introduced to analyze the tendency of a propagating angle and factors affecting propagating pressure.On this basis,a mathematic model with a complex fracture network was established to investigate how the fracture network form changes with different parameters,including rock mechanics,in-situ stress distribution,fracture properties,and frac treatment parameters.The solving process of this model was accelerated by classifying the calculation nodes on the extending direction of the fracture by equal pressure gradients,and solving the geometrical parameters prior to the iteration fitting flow distribution.With the initiation and propagation criterion as the bases for the propagation of branch fractures,this method decreased the iteration times through eliminating the fitting of the fracture length in conventional 3D fracture simulation.The simulation results indicated that the formation with abundant natural fractures and smaller in-situ stress difference is sufficient conditions for fracture network development.If the pressure in the hydraulic fractures can be kept at a high level by temporary sealing or diversion,the branch fractures will propagate further with minor curvature radius,thus enlarging the reservoir stimulation area.The simulated shape of fracture network can be well matched with the field microseismic mapping in data point range and distribution density,validating the accuracy of this model.
基金Australian Research Council Linkage Program(LP200301404)for sponsoring this researchthe financial support provided by the State Key Laboratory of Geohazard Prevention and Geoenvironment Protection(Chengdu University of Technology,SKLGP2021K002)National Natural Science Foundation of China(52374101,32111530138).
文摘Discrete fracture network(DFN)commonly existing in natural rock masses plays an important role in geological complexity which can influence rock fracturing behaviour during fluid injection.This paper simulated the hydraulic fracturing process in lab-scale coal samples with DFNs and the induced seismic activities by the discrete element method(DEM).The effects of DFNs on hydraulic fracturing,induced seismicity and elastic property changes have been concluded.Denser DFNs can comprehensively decrease the peak injection pressure and injection duration.The proportion of strong seismic events increases first and then decreases with increasing DFN density.In addition,the relative modulus of the rock mass is derived innovatively from breakdown pressure,breakdown fracture length and the related initiation time.Increasing DFN densities among large(35–60 degrees)and small(0–30 degrees)fracture dip angles show opposite evolution trends in relative modulus.The transitional point(dip angle)for the opposite trends is also proportionally affected by the friction angle of the rock mass.The modelling results have much practical meaning to infer the density and geometry of pre-existing fractures and the elastic property of rock mass in the field,simply based on the hydraulic fracturing and induced seismicity monitoring data.
基金financially supported by,the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(Grant No.2023QN1064)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Grant No.2023M733772)Jiangsu Funding Program for Excellent Postdoctoral Talent(Grant No.2023ZB847)。
文摘Prepulse combined hydraulic fracturing facilitates the development of fracture networks by integrating prepulse hydraulic loading with conventional hydraulic fracturing.The formation mechanisms of fracture networks between hydraulic and pre-existing fractures under different prepulse loading parameters remain unclear.This research investigates the impact of prepulse loading parameters,including the prepulse loading number ratio(C),prepulse loading stress ratio(S),and prepulse loading frequency(f),on the formation of fracture networks between hydraulic and pre-existing fractures,using both experimental and numerical methods.The results suggest that low prepulse loading stress ratios and high prepulse loading number ratios are advantageous loading modes.Multiple hydraulic fractures are generated in the specimen under the advantageous loading modes,facilitating the development of a complex fracture network.Fatigue damage occurs in the specimen at the prepulse loading stage.The high water pressure at the secondary conventional hydraulic fracturing promotes the growth of hydraulic fractures along the damage zones.This allows the hydraulic fractures to propagate deeply and interact with pre-existing fractures.Under advantageous loading conditions,multiple hydraulic fractures can extend to pre-existing fractures,and these hydraulic fractures penetrate or propagate along pre-existing fractures.Especially when the approach angle is large,the damage range in the specimen during the prepulse loading stage increases,resulting in the formation of more hydraulic fractures.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.52074312 and 52211530097)CNPC Science and Technology Innovation Foundation(Grant No.2021DQ02-0505).
文摘Wellbore breakout is one of the critical issues in drilling due to the fact that the related problems result in additional costs and impact the drilling scheme severely.However,the majority of such wellbore breakout analyses were based on continuum mechanics.In addition to failure in intact rocks,wellbore breakouts can also be initiated along natural discontinuities,e.g.weak planes and fractures.Furthermore,the conventional models in wellbore breakouts with uniform distribution fractures could not reflect the real drilling situation.This paper presents a fully coupled hydro-mechanical model of the SB-X well in the Tarim Basin,China for evaluating wellbore breakouts in heavily fractured rocks under anisotropic stress states using the distinct element method(DEM)and the discrete fracture network(DFN).The developed model was validated against caliper log measurement,and its stability study was carried out by stress and displacement analyses.A parametric study was performed to investigate the effects of the characteristics of fracture distribution(orientation and length)on borehole stability by sensitivity studies.Simulation results demonstrate that the increase of the standard deviation of orientation when the fracture direction aligns parallel or perpendicular to the principal stress direction aggravates borehole instability.Moreover,an elevation in the average fracture length causes the borehole failure to change from the direction of the minimum in-situ horizontal principal stress(i.e.the direction of wellbore breakouts)towards alternative directions,ultimately leading to the whole wellbore failure.These findings provide theoretical insights for predicting wellbore breakouts in heavily fractured rocks.
基金supported by National Key S&T Special Projects(2016ZX05047-004 and 2016ZX05030)National Natural Science Foundation of China(U1762210)+1 种基金Beijing Natural Science Foundation(3204052)Post-doctoral Program for Innovation Talents(BX20180380).
文摘Microseismic data shows that some unconventional reservoirs comprise well-developed natural fractures and complex hydraulic fracture networks.It is neither practical nor advantageous to simulate a huge number of natural and hydraulic fractures with numerical models.Given that the conventional dual-porosity models are not applicable to the highly discrete natural fractures,the paper develops a semianalytical well testing model for horizontal wells with hydraulic fracture networks and randomly-distributed discretely natural fractures.The proposed model has the capability to analyze the pressure behaviors by considering complex fracture networks and isolated natural fractures rapidly and efficiently.The model includes diffusivity equations in three domains:(1)matrix,(2)discretely natural fractures,and(3)hydraulic fracture networks.The pressure transient solution of these diffusivity equations is obtained by using Laplace transforms and super-position principle.We verify the presented model by performing a case study with a numerical simulator for complex natural fractures.It is found that there are some interestingflow behaviors for fracture-network horizontal well with discretely natural fractures like bilinearflow,“V-shape”caused byfluid supply,pseudo boundary-dominatedflow,impact of natural fractures,etc.The pseudo boundary-dominatedflow provides us the information about how large the area covered by hydraulic fracture networks.The impact of natural fracture shows the pa-rameters of natural fractures.This work provides a good understanding of transient pressure behaviors in unconventional reservoirs and guidelines for the producer optimizefield development and well economics.
基金support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.42320104003,42177175,and 42077247)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities.
文摘Accurate prediction of hydraulic fracture propagation is vital for Enhanced Geothermal System(EGS)design.We study the first hydraulic fracturing job at the GR1 well in the Gonghe Basin using field data,where the overall direction of hydraulic fractures does not show a delineated shape parallel to the maximum principal stress orientation.A field-scale numerical model based on the distinct element method is set up to carry out a fully coupled hydromechanical simulation,with the explicit representation of natural fractures via the discrete fracture network(DFN)approach.The effects of injection parameters and in situ stress on hydraulic fracture patterns are then quantitatively assessed.The study reveals that shear-induced deformation primarily governs the fracturing morphology in the GR1 well,driven by smaller injection rates and viscosities that promote massive activation of natural fractures,ultimately dominating the direction of hydraulic fracturing.Furthermore,the increase of in situ differential stress may promote shear damage of natural fracture surfaces,with the exact influence pattern depending on the combination of specific discontinuity properties and in situ stress state.Finally,we provide recommendations for EGS fracturing based on the influence characteristics of multiple parameters.This study can serve as an effective basis and reference for the design and optimization of EGS in the Gonghe basin and other sites.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(52274051)CNPC-China University of Petroleum(Beijing)Strategic Cooperative Project(ZLZX2020-01).
文摘In order to identify the development characteristics of fracture network in tight conglomerate reservoir of Mahu after hydraulic fracturing,a hydraulic fracturing test site was set up in the second and third members of Triassic Baikouquan Formation(T1b2 and T1b3)in Ma-131 well area,which learned from the successful experience of hydraulic fracturing test sites in North America(HFTS-1).Twelve horizontal wells and a high-angle coring well MaJ02 were drilled.The orientation,connection,propagation law and major controlling factors of hydraulic fractures were analyzed by comparing results of CT scans,imaging logs,direct observation of cores from Well MaJ02,and combined with tracer monitoring data.Results indicate that:(1)Two types of fractures have developed by hydraulic fracturing,i.e.tensile fractures and shear fractures.Tensile fractures are approximately parallel to the direction of the maximum horizontal principal stress,and propagate less than 50 m from perforation clusters.Shear fractures are distributed among tensile fractures and mainly in the strike-slip mode due to the induced stress field among tensile fractures,and some of them are in conjugated pairs.Overall,tensile fractures alternate with shear fractures,with shear fractures dominated and activated after tensile ones.(2)Tracer monitoring results indicate that communication between wells was prevalent in the early stage of production,and the static pressure in the fracture gradually decreased and the connectivity between wells reduced as production progressed.(3)Density of hydraulic fractures is mainly affected by the lithology and fracturing parameters,which is smaller in the mudstone than the conglomerate.Larger fracturing scale and smaller cluster spacing lead to a higher fracture density,which are important directions to improve the well productivity.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.42377143)Sichuan Natural Science Foundation (Grant No.2024NSFSC0097)the Open Fund of State Key Laboratory of Coal Mining and Clean Utilization,China (Grant No.2021-CMCU-KFZD001).
文摘In the concurrent extraction of coal and gas,the quantitative assessment of evolving characteristics in mining-induced fracture networks and mining-enhanced permeability within coal seams serves as the cornerstone for effective gas extraction.However,representing mining-induced fracture networks from a three-dimensional(3D)sight and developing a comprehensive model to evaluate the anisotropic mining-enhanced permeability characteristics still pose significant challenges.In this investigation,a field experiment was undertaken to systematically monitor the evolution of borehole fractures in the coal mass ahead of the mining face at the Pingdingshan Coal Mining Group in China.Using the testing data of borehole fracture,the mining-induced fracture network at varying distances from the mining face was reconstructed through a statistical reconstruction method.Additionally,utilizing fractal theory,a model for the permeability enhancement rate(PER)induced by mining was established.This model was employed to quantitatively depict the anisotropic evolution patterns of PER as the mining face advanced.The research conclusions are as follows:(1)The progression of the mining-induced fracture network can be classified into the stage of rapid growth,the stage of stable growth,and the stage of weak impact;(2)The PER of mining-induced fracture network exhibited a typical progression that can be characterized with slow growth,rapid growth and significant decline;(3)The anisotropic mining-enhanced permeability of the reconstructed mining-induced fracture networks were significant.The peak PER in the vertical direction of the coal seam is 6.86 times and 4446.38 times greater than the direction perpendicular to the vertical thickness and the direction parallel to the advancement of the mining face,respectively.This investigatione provides a viable approach and methodology for quantitatively assessing the anisotropic PER of fracture networks induced during mining,in the concurrent exploitation of coal and gas.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundations of China(Nos.12272411 and 42007259)the State Key Laboratory for GeoMechanics and Deep Underground Engineering,the China University of Mining&Technology(No.SKLGDUEK2207)the Department of Science and Technology of Shaanxi Province(Nos.2022KXJ-107 and 2022JC-LHJJ-16).
文摘Underground engineering in extreme environments necessitates understanding rock mechanical behavior under coupled high-temperature and dynamic loading conditions.This study presents an innovative multi-scale cross-platform PFC-FDEM coupling methodology that bridges microscopic thermal damage mechanisms with macroscopic dynamic fracture responses.The breakthrough coupling framework introduces:(1)bidirectional information transfer protocols enabling seamless integration between PFC’s particle-scale thermal damage characterization and FDEM’s continuum-scale fracture propagation,(2)multi-physics mapping algorithms that preserve crack network geometric invariants during scale transitions,and(3)cross-platform cohesive zone implementations for accurate SHTB dynamic loading simulation.The coupled approach reveals distinct three-stage crack evolution characteristics with temperature-dependent density following an exponential model.High-temperature exposure significantly reduces dynamic strength ratio(60%at 800℃)and diminishes strain-rate sensitivity,with dynamic increase factor decreasing from 1.0 to 2.2(25℃)to 1.0-1.3(800℃).Critically,the coupling methodology captures fundamental energy redistribution mechanisms:thermal crack networks alter elastic energy proportion from 75%to 35%while increasing fracture energy from 5%to 30%.Numerical predictions demonstrate excellent experimental agreement(±8%peak stress-strain errors),validating the PFC-FDEM coupling accuracy.This integrated framework provides essential computational tools for predicting complex thermal-mechanical rock behavior in underground engineering applications.
基金supported through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada(NSERC)Discovery Grants 341275,CRDPJ 543894-19NSERC/Energi Simulation Industrial Research Chair program.
文摘Fractures are critical to subsurface activities such as oil and gas extraction,geothermal energy production,and carbon storage.Hydraulic fracturing,a technique that enhances fluid production,creates complex fracture networks within rock formations containing natural discontinuities.Accurately distinguishing between hydraulically induced fractures and pre-existing discontinuities is essential for understanding hydraulic fracture mechanisms.However,this remains challenging due to the interconnected nature of fractures in three-dimensional(3D)space.Manual segmentation,while adaptive,is both labor-intensive and subjective,making it impractical for large-scale 3D datasets.This study introduces a deep learning-based progressive cross-sectional segmentation method to automate the classification of 3D fracture volumes.The proposed method was applied to a 3D hydraulic fracture network in a Montney cube sample,successfully segmenting natural fractures,parted bedding planes,and hydraulic fractures with minimal user intervention.The automated approach achieves a 99.6%reduction in manual image processing workload while maintaining high segmentation accuracy,with test accuracy exceeding 98%and F1-score over 84%.This approach generalizes well to Brazilian disc samples with different fracture patterns,achieving consistently high accuracy in distinguishing between bedding and non-bedding fractures.This automated fracture segmentation method offers an effective tool for enhanced quantitative characterization of fracture networks,which would contribute to a deeper understanding of hydraulic fracturing processes.
基金Kinross Gold and MITACS for their financial support(Grant No.FR42880).
文摘The goal of this research is to develop mine-scale discrete fracture network(DFN)models in which the influence of the spatial heterogeneity of fracture distributions may be investigated on the rock wedge stability of an open pit slope.For this purpose,spatially conditioned DFN models were developed for the pit walls at Tasiast mine using comprehensive structural data from the mine.Using Sequential Gaussian Simulation(SGS),volumetric fracture intensities(P32)were modeled across the entire mine site in the form of 3D block models.The simulated P32 block models were used as the input constraints for conditional DFN fracture generation,where the DFN grid dimension is the same as the SGS 3D blocks.The spatially constrained DFN models were further calibrated using aerial fracture intensities(P21)data from the pit walls,obtained by a survey of the pit walls using an unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)and measured traces of joints from 3D point cloud data.The final DFN model is expected to honor the fracture intensities gathered through different means with optimal model accuracy.Finally,bench-scale and interramp scale rock wedge slope stability analyses were conducted using the calibrated conditional DFN models.This work proves the significance of conditioned DFN models in rock wedge stability analysis.Such models provide detailed information regarding rock wedge stability so that site monitoring and prevention plans can be conducted with higher efficiency.
基金support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51604275)the Key Laboratory of Urban Under Ground Engineering of Ministry of Education(TUE2018-01)+1 种基金Yue Qi Young Scholar Project of China University of Mining&Technology,Beijingthe Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(2016QL02).
文摘Natural fracture data from one of the Carboniferous shale masses in the eastern Qaidam Basin were used to establish a stochastic model of a discrete fracture network and to perform discrete element simulation research on the size efect and mechanical parameters of shale.Analytical solutions of fctitious joints in transversely isotropic media were derived,which made it possible for the proposed numerical model to simulate the bedding and natural fractures in shale masses.The results indicate that there are two main factors infuencing the representative elementary volume(REV)size of a shale mass.The frst and most decisive factor is the presence of natural fractures in the block itself.The second is the anisotropy ratio:the greater the anisotropy is,the larger the REV.The bedding angle has little infuence on the REV size,whereas it has a certain infuence on the mechanical parameters of the rock mass.When the bedding angle approaches the average orientation of the natural fractures,the mechanical parameters of the shale blocks decrease greatly.The REV representing the mechanical properties of the Carboniferous shale masses in the eastern Qaidam Basin were comprehensively identifed by considering the infuence of bedding and natural fractures.When the numerical model size is larger than the REV,the fractured rock mass discontinuities can be transformed into equivalent continuities,which provides a method for simulating shale with natural fractures and bedding to analyze the stability of a borehole wall in shale.
基金funded by the National Natural Science s of China(No.41972264)the Key R&D Project of Zhejiang Province(No.2021C03159)the Field Scientific Observation&Research Station of Geological Hazard in Zhejiang,Ministry of Natural Resources,China(No.ZJDZGCZ-2021)。
文摘Since natural fractures are often non-equidimensional,the circular disc model still has great limitations.By contrast,the elliptical disc model is more applicable to representing natural fractures,especially for slender ones.This paper developed a universal elliptical disc(UED)model by incorporating the center point,size,and azimuth of fractures as variables.Specifically,with respect to the azimuth of elliptical fractures in three-dimensional(3D)space,we proposed a paradigm to construct its probability density function(PDF)by coupling the orientation and rotation angle of long axis based on three coordinate transformations.To illustrate the construction process of the PDF of the fracture azimuth,we took the orientation following the Fisher distribution and the rotation angle following Von Mises distribution as an example.A rock slope is used to show the use of the developed UED model,and the 3D DFNs for the slope rock mass are generated by Monte Carlo simulation.In addition,the DFNs for the rock mass are also generated based on the existing circular disc model and non-universal elliptical disc model.The comparison results from the three models clearly illustrate the superiority of the UED model over the existing circular and non-universal elliptical disc models.
基金This work was financially supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2021YFC2900500)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52074020 and 42202306)+2 种基金the Open Fund of State Key Laboratory of Water Resource Protection and Utilization in Coal Mining(No.WPUKFJJ2019-06)the Interdisciplinary Research Project for Young Teachers of USTB(Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities)(No.FRF-IDRY-21001)the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province,China(No.BK20200993).
文摘Structure plane is one of the important factors affecting the stability and failure mode of rock mass engineering.Rock mass structure characterization is the basic work of rock mechanics research and the important content of numerical simulation.A new 3-dimensional rough discrete fracture network(RDFN3D)model and its modeling method based on the Weierstrass-Mandelbrot(W-M)function were presented in this paper.The RDFN3D model,which improves and unifies the modelling methods for the complex structural planes,has been realized.The influence of fractal dimension,amplitude,and surface precision on the modeling parameters of RDFN3D was discussed.The reasonable W-M parameters suitable for the roughness coefficient of JRC were proposed,and the relationship between the mathematical model and the joint characterization was established.The RDFN3D together with the smooth 3-dimensional discrete fracture network(DFN3D)models were successfully exported to the drawing exchange format,which will provide a wide application in numerous numerical simulation codes including both the continuous and discontinuous methods.The numerical models were discussed using the COMSOL Multiphysics code and the 3-dimensional particle flow code,respectively.The reliability of the RDFN3D model was preliminarily discussed and analyzed.The roughness and spatial connectivity of the fracture networks have a dominant effect on the fluid flow patterns.The research results can provide a new geological model and analysis model for numerical simulation and engineering analysis of jointed rock mass.
基金co-supported by the National Basic Research Program of China(Grant No.2011CB201103)the National Science and Technology Major Project(GrantNo.2011ZX05004003)
文摘Fractured reservoirs are an important target for oil and gas exploration in the Tarim Basin and the prediction of this type of reservoir is challenging.Due to the complicated fracture system in the Tarim Basin,the conventional AVO inversion method based on HTI theory to predict fracture development will result in some errors.Thus,an integrated research concept for fractured reservoir prediction is put forward in this paper.Seismic modeling plays a bridging role in this concept,and the establishment of an anisotropic fracture model by Discrete Fracture Network （DFN） is the key part.Because the fracture system in the Tarim Basin shows complex anisotropic characteristics,it is vital to build an effective anisotropic model.Based on geological,well logging and seismic data,an effective anisotropic model of complex fracture systems can be set up with the DFN method.The effective elastic coefficients,and the input data for seismic modeling can be calculated.Then seismic modeling based on this model is performed,and the seismic response characteristics are analyzed.The modeling results can be used in the following AVO inversion for fracture detection.
