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
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
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
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
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
Heterogeneity is an inherent component of rock and may be present in different forms including mineralheterogeneity, geometrical heterogeneity, weak grain boundaries and micro-defects. Microcracks areusually observed ...Heterogeneity is an inherent component of rock and may be present in different forms including mineralheterogeneity, geometrical heterogeneity, weak grain boundaries and micro-defects. Microcracks areusually observed in crystalline rocks in two forms： natural and stress-induced; the amount of stressinducedmicrocracking increases with depth and in-situ stress. Laboratory results indicate that thephysical properties of rocks such as strength, deformability, P-wave velocity and permeability areinfluenced by increase in microcrack intensity. In this study, the finite-discrete element method （FDEM）is used to model microcrack heterogeneity by introducing into a model sample sets of microcracks usingthe proposed micro discrete fracture network （mDFN） approach. The characteristics of the microcracksrequired to create mDFN models are obtained through image analyses of thin sections of Lac du Bonnetgranite adopted from published literature. A suite of two-dimensional laboratory tests including uniaxial,triaxial compression and Brazilian tests is simulated and the results are compared with laboratory data.The FDEM-mDFN models indicate that micro-heterogeneity has a profound influence on both the mechanicalbehavior and resultant fracture pattern. An increase in the microcrack intensity leads to areduction in the strength of the sample and changes the character of the rock strength envelope. Spallingand axial splitting dominate the failure mode at low confinement while shear failure is the dominantfailure mode at high confinement. Numerical results from simulated compression tests show thatmicrocracking reduces the cohesive component of strength alone, and the frictional strength componentremains unaffected. Results from simulated Brazilian tests show that the tensile strength is influenced bythe presence of microcracks, with a reduction in tensile strength as microcrack intensity increases. Theimportance of microcrack heterogeneity in reproducing a bi-linear or S-shape failure envelope and itseffects on the mechanisms leading to spalling damage near an underground opening are also discussed.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
Prediction of radon flux from the fractured zone of a propagating cave mine is basically associated with uncertainty and complexity. For instance, there is restricted access to these zones for field measure- ments, an...Prediction of radon flux from the fractured zone of a propagating cave mine is basically associated with uncertainty and complexity. For instance, there is restricted access to these zones for field measure- ments, and it is quite difficult to replicate the complex nature of both natural and induced fractures in these zones in laboratory studies. Hence, a technique for predicting radon flux from a fractured rock using a discrete fracture network （DFN） model is developed to address these difficulties. This model quantifies the contribution of fractures to the total radon flux, and estimates the fracture density from a measured radon flux considering the effects of advection, diffusion, as well as radon generation and decay. Radon generation and decay are classified as reaction processes. Therefore, the equation solved is termed as the advection-diffusion-reaction equation （ADRE）. Peclet number （Pe）, a conventional dimensionless parameter that indicates the ratio of mass transport by advection to diffusion, is used to classify the transport regimes. The results show that the proposed model effectively predicts radon flux from a fractured rock. An increase in fracture density for a rock sample with uniformly distributed radon generation rate can elevate radon flux significantly compared with another rock sample with an equivalent increase in radon generation rate. In addition to Pe, two other independent dimensionless parameters （derived for radon transport through fractures） significantly affect radon dimensionless flux. Findings provide insight into radon transport through fractured rocks and can be used to improve radon control measures for proactive mitigation.展开更多
Analyzing rock mass seepage using the discrete fracture network(DFN)flow model poses challenges when dealing with complex fracture networks.This paper presents a novel DFN flow model that incorporates the actual conne...Analyzing rock mass seepage using the discrete fracture network(DFN)flow model poses challenges when dealing with complex fracture networks.This paper presents a novel DFN flow model that incorporates the actual connections of large-scale fractures.Notably,this model efficiently manages over 20,000 fractures without necessitating adjustments to the DFN geometry.All geometric analyses,such as identifying connected fractures,dividing the two-dimensional domain into closed loops,triangulating arbitrary loops,and refining triangular elements,are fully automated.The analysis processes are comprehensively introduced,and core algorithms,along with their pseudo-codes,are outlined and explained to assist readers in their programming endeavors.The accuracy of geometric analyses is validated through topological graphs representing the connection relationships between fractures.In practical application,the proposed model is employed to assess the water-sealing effectiveness of an underground storage cavern project.The analysis results indicate that the existing design scheme can effectively prevent the stored oil from leaking in the presence of both dense and sparse fractures.Furthermore,following extensive modification and optimization,the scale and precision of model computation suggest that the proposed model and developed codes can meet the requirements of engineering applications.展开更多
As the dominant seepage channel in rock masses,it is of great significance to study the influence of fracture roughness distribution on seepage and heat transfer in rock masses.In this paper,the fracture roughness dis...As the dominant seepage channel in rock masses,it is of great significance to study the influence of fracture roughness distribution on seepage and heat transfer in rock masses.In this paper,the fracture roughness distribution functions of the Bakhtiary dam site and Oskarshamn/Forsmark mountain were fitted using statistical methods.The COMSOL Multiphysics finite element software was utilized to analyze the effects of fracture roughness distribution types and empirical formulas for fracture hydraulic aperture on the seepage field and temperature field of rock masses.The results show that:(1)The fracture roughness at the Bakhtiary dam site and Oskarshamn/Forsmark mountain follows lognormal and normal distributions,respectively;(2)For rock masses with the same expected value and standard deviation of fracture roughness,the outflow from rock masses with lognormal distribution of fracture roughness is significantly larger than that of rock masses with normal distribution of fracture roughness;(3)The fracture hydraulic aperture,outflow,and cold front distance of the Li and Jiang model are significantly larger than those of the Barton model;(4)The outflow,hydraulic pressure distribution,and temperature distribution of the Barton model are more sensitive to the fracture roughness distribution type than those of the Li and Jiang model.展开更多
Deep underground excavations within hard rocks can result in damage to the surrounding rock mass mostly due to redistribution of stresses.Especially within rock masses with non-persistent joints,the role of the pre-ex...Deep underground excavations within hard rocks can result in damage to the surrounding rock mass mostly due to redistribution of stresses.Especially within rock masses with non-persistent joints,the role of the pre-existing joints in the damage evolution around the underground opening is of critical importance as they govern the fracturing mechanisms and influence the brittle responses of these hard rock masses under highly anisotropic in situ stresses.In this study,the main focus is the impact of joint network geometry,joint strength and applied field stresses on the rock mass behaviours and the evolution of excavation induced damage due to the loss of confinement as a tunnel face advances.Analysis of such a phenomenon was conducted using the finite-discrete element method(FDEM).The numerical model is initially calibrated in order to match the behaviour of the fracture-free,massive Lac du Bonnet granite during the excavation of the Underground Research Laboratory(URL)Test Tunnel,Canada.The influence of the pre-existing joints on the rock mass response during excavation is investigated by integrating discrete fracture networks(DFNs)of various characteristics into the numerical models under varying in situ stresses.The numerical results obtained highlight the significance of the pre-existing joints on the reduction of in situ rock mass strength and its capacity for extension with both factors controlling the brittle response of the material.Furthermore,the impact of spatial distribution of natural joints on the stability of an underground excavation is discussed,as well as the potentially minor influence of joint strength on the stress induced damage within joint systems of a non-persistent nature under specific conditions.Additionally,the in situ stress-joint network interaction is examined,revealing the complex fracturing mechanisms that may lead to uncontrolled fracture propagation that compromises the overall stability of an underground excavation.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
It is well known that the complicated channeling of fluid flow and heat transfer is strongly related with the intricate natural fracture system.However,it is still challenging to set up the fracture network model whic...It is well known that the complicated channeling of fluid flow and heat transfer is strongly related with the intricate natural fracture system.However,it is still challenging to set up the fracture network model which is strong heterogeneous.Compared with other methods(e.g.equivalent continuum model(ECM),discrete fracture model(DFM),and ECM-DFM),the fracture flow module in the COMSOL Multiphysics simulator is powerful in definition of fractures as the inner flow boundary existing in the porous media.Thus it is selected to simulate the fluid flow and heat transfer in the geothermal-developed fractured granite of Sanguliu area located at Liaodong Peninsula,Eastern China.The natural faults/fractures based on field investigation combined with the discrete fracture network(DFN)generated by the MATLAB are used to represent the two-dimensional geological model.Numerical results show that early thermal breakthrough occurs at the production well caused by quick flow of cold water along the highly connected fractures.Suitable hydraulic fracturing treatments with proper injection rates,locations,etc.can efficiently hinder the thermal breakthrough time in the natural fracture system.Large well spacing helps the long-term operation of geothermal production,but it is highly dependent on the geometrical morphology of the fracture network.The enhancement of reservoir properties at the near-well regions can also increase the geothermal production efficiency.The results in this study can provide references to achieve a sustainable geothermal exploitation in fractured granitic geothermal reservoirs or hot dry rocks at depth.展开更多
Borehole instability in naturally fractured rocks poses significant challenges to drilling.Drilling mud invades the surrounding formations through natural fractures under the difference between the wellbore pressure(P...Borehole instability in naturally fractured rocks poses significant challenges to drilling.Drilling mud invades the surrounding formations through natural fractures under the difference between the wellbore pressure(P w)and pore pressure(P p)during drilling,which may cause wellbore instability.However,the weakening of fracture strength due to mud intrusion is not considered in most existing borehole stability analyses,which may yield significant errors and misleading predictions.In addition,only limited factors were analyzed,and the fracture distribution was oversimplified.In this paper,the impacts of mud intrusion and associated fracture strength weakening on borehole stability in fractured rocks under both isotropic and anisotropic stress states are investigated using a coupled DEM(distinct element method)and DFN(discrete fracture network)method.It provides estimates of the effect of fracture strength weakening,wellbore pressure,in situ stresses,and sealing efficiency on borehole stability.The results show that mud intrusion and weakening of fracture strength can damage the borehole.This is demonstrated by the large displacement around the borehole,shear displacement on natural fractures,and the generation of fracture at shear limit.Mud intrusion reduces the shear strength of the fracture surface and leads to shear failure,which explains that the increase in mud weight may worsen borehole stability during overbalanced drilling in fractured formations.A higher in situ stress anisotropy exerts a significant influence on the mechanism of shear failure distribution around the wellbore.Moreover,the effect of sealing natural fractures on maintaining borehole stability is verified in this study,and the increase in sealing efficiency reduces the radial invasion distance of drilling mud.This study provides a directly quantitative prediction method of borehole instability in naturally fractured formations,which can consider the discrete fracture network,mud intrusion,and associated weakening of fracture strength.The information provided by the numerical approach(e.g.displacement around the borehole,shear displacement on fracture,and fracture at shear limit)is helpful for managing wellbore stability and designing wellbore-strengthening operations.展开更多
In this paper,a viscoelasticity-plastic damage constitutive equation for naturally fractured shale is deduced,coupling nonlinear tensile-shear mixed fracture mode.Dynamic perforation-erosion on fluid re-distribution a...In this paper,a viscoelasticity-plastic damage constitutive equation for naturally fractured shale is deduced,coupling nonlinear tensile-shear mixed fracture mode.Dynamic perforation-erosion on fluid re-distribution among multi-clusters are considered as well.DFN-FEM(discrete fracture network combined with finite element method)was developed to simulate the multi-cluster complex fractures propagation within temporary plugging fracturing(TPF).Numerical results are matched with field injection and micro-seismic monitoring data.Based on geomechanical characteristics of Weiyuan deep shale gas reservoir in Sichuan Basin,SW China,a multi-cluster complex fractures propagation model is built for TPF.To study complex fractures propagation and the permeability-enhanced region evolution,intersecting and competition mechanisms between the fractures before and after TPF treatment are revealed.Simulation results show that:fracture from middle cluster is restricted by the fractures from side-clusters,and side-clusters plugging is benefit for multi fractures propagation in uniformity;optimized TPF timing should be delayed within a higher density or strike of natural fractures;Within a reservoir-featured natural fractures distribution,optimized TPF timing for most clustered method is 2/3 of total fluid injection time as the optimal plugging time under different clustering modes.展开更多
The transmission of seismic waves in a particular region may influence the hydraulic properties of a rock mass, including permeability, which is one of the most important. To determine the effect of a seismic wave on ...The transmission of seismic waves in a particular region may influence the hydraulic properties of a rock mass, including permeability, which is one of the most important. To determine the effect of a seismic wave on the hydraulic behavior of a fractured rock mass, systematic numerical modeling was conducted. A number of discrete fracture network（DFN） models with a size of 20 m × 20 m were used as geometrical bases, and a discrete element method（DEM） was employed as a numerical simulation tool. Three different boundary conditions without（Type Ⅰ） and with static（Type Ⅱ） and dynamic（Type Ⅲ） loading were performed on the models, and then their permeability was calculated. The results showed that permeability in Type Ⅲ models was respectively 62.7% and 44.2% higher than in Type I and Type Ⅱ models. This study indicates that seismic waves can affect deep earth, and, according to the results, seismic waves increase the permeability and change the flow rate patterns in a fractured rock mass.展开更多
Anisotropy of the strength and deformation behaviors of fractured rock masses is a crucial issue for design and stability assessments of rock engineering structures, due mainly to the non-uniform and non- regular geom...Anisotropy of the strength and deformation behaviors of fractured rock masses is a crucial issue for design and stability assessments of rock engineering structures, due mainly to the non-uniform and non- regular geometries of the fracture systems. However, no adequate efforts have been made to study this issue due to the current practical impossibility of laboratory tests with samples of large volumes con- taining many fractures, and the difficulty for controlling reliable initial and boundary conditions for large-scale in situ tests. Therefore, a reliable numerical predicting approach for evaluating anisotropy of fractured rock masses is needed. The objective of this study is to systematically investigate anisotropy of strength and deformability of fractured rocks, which has not been conducted in the past, using a nu- merical modeling method. A series of realistic two-dimensional （2D） discrete fracture network （DFN） models were established based on site investigation data, which were then loaded in different directions, using the code UDEC of discrete element method （DEM）, with changing confining pressures. Numerical results show that strength envelopes and elastic deformability parameters of tested numerical models are significantly anisotropic, and vary with changing axial loading and confining pressures. The results indicate that for design and safety assessments of rock engineering projects, the directional variations of strength and deformability of the fractured rock mass concerned must be treated properly with respect to the directions of in situ stresses. Traditional practice for simply positioning axial orientation of tunnels in association with principal stress directions only may not be adequate for safety requirements. Outstanding issues of the present study and su^zestions for future study are also oresented.展开更多
The generation method of three-dimensional fractal discrete fracture network(FDFN)based on multiplicative cascade process was developed.The complex multi-scale fracture system in shale after fracturing was characteriz...The generation method of three-dimensional fractal discrete fracture network(FDFN)based on multiplicative cascade process was developed.The complex multi-scale fracture system in shale after fracturing was characterized by coupling the artificial fracture model and the natural fracture model.Based on an assisted history matching(AHM)using multiple-proxy-based Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm(MCMC),an embedded discrete fracture modeling(EDFM)incorporated with reservoir simulator was used to predict productivity of shale gas well.When using the natural fracture generation method,the distribution of natural fracture network can be controlled by fractal parameters,and the natural fracture network generated coupling with artificial fractures can characterize the complex system of different-scale fractures in shale after fracturing.The EDFM,with fewer grids and less computation time consumption,can characterize the attributes of natural fractures and artificial fractures flexibly,and simulate the details of mass transfer between matrix cells and fractures while reducing computation significantly.The combination of AMH and EDFM can lower the uncertainty of reservoir and fracture parameters,and realize effective inversion of key reservoir and fracture parameters and the productivity forecast of shale gas wells.Application demonstrates the results from the proposed productivity prediction model integrating FDFN,EDFM and AHM have high credibility.展开更多
This study takes a fractured rock mass in the Datengxia Hydropower Station,China as an example to analyze the size effects and determine the representative elementary sizes.A novel method considering geometric paramet...This study takes a fractured rock mass in the Datengxia Hydropower Station,China as an example to analyze the size effects and determine the representative elementary sizes.A novel method considering geometric parameter distributions is proposed in this work.The proposed method can quickly and simply determine the size effects and representative elementary sizes.Specifically,geometric parameter distributions,including fracture frequency,size and orientation,are generated on the basis of the Bernoulli trial and Monte Carlo simulation.The distributions are assessed using the coefficient of variation(CV),and the acceptable variations for CV(5%,10%and 20%)are used to determine representative elementary sizes.Generally,the representative element of rock masses is the representative elementary volume(REV).The present study extends the representative element to other dimensions,i.e.representative elementary length(REL)and representative elementary area(REA)for one and two dimensions,respectively.REL and REA are useful in studying the size effects of one-(1D)and twodimensional(2D)characteristics of rock masses.The relationships among multi-dimensional representative elementary sizes are established.The representative elementary sizes reduce with the increase in the dimensions,and REA and REV can be deduced by REL.Therefore,the proposed method can quickly and simply determine REL and further estimate REA and REV,which considerably improves the efficiency of rock mass analysis.展开更多
Reliable estimation of deformation and failure behaviors of fractured rock mass is important for practical engineering design.This study proposes a multi-domain equivalent method for fracture network to estimate the d...Reliable estimation of deformation and failure behaviors of fractured rock mass is important for practical engineering design.This study proposes a multi-domain equivalent method for fracture network to estimate the deformation properties of complex fractured rock mass.It comprehends both the advantages of the discrete fracture network model and the equivalent continuum model to capture the features of discontinuities explicitly while reducing computational intensity.The complex fracture network is stochastically split into a number of subfracture networks according to the domain,length or angle.An analytical solution is derived to infer theoretically the relationship between the elastic moduli of the original complex fractured rock mass and the split subfractured rock masses by introducing a correction term based on the deformation superposition principle.Numerical simulations are conducted to determine the elastic moduli of split subfractured rock masses using universal distinct element code(UDEC),while the elastic modulus of the original model is estimated based on the currently proposed analytical relationship.The results show that the estimation accuracy with the current domainbased splitting model is far superior compared to those with the other two splitting models.Thus,the estimation method of elastic modulus of complex fractured rock mass based on domain splitting mode of fracture network is identified as the multi-domain equivalent method proposed in this paper.The reliability of this method is evaluated,and its high computational efficiency is demonstrated through exemplification with regard to different geometric configurations for stochastically artificial discrete fracture network.The proposed multi-domain equivalent method constructs the theoretical framework except for the regression analysis hypothesis compared to the density-reduced model equivalent method.展开更多
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.
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.
文摘Heterogeneity is an inherent component of rock and may be present in different forms including mineralheterogeneity, geometrical heterogeneity, weak grain boundaries and micro-defects. Microcracks areusually observed in crystalline rocks in two forms： natural and stress-induced; the amount of stressinducedmicrocracking increases with depth and in-situ stress. Laboratory results indicate that thephysical properties of rocks such as strength, deformability, P-wave velocity and permeability areinfluenced by increase in microcrack intensity. In this study, the finite-discrete element method （FDEM）is used to model microcrack heterogeneity by introducing into a model sample sets of microcracks usingthe proposed micro discrete fracture network （mDFN） approach. The characteristics of the microcracksrequired to create mDFN models are obtained through image analyses of thin sections of Lac du Bonnetgranite adopted from published literature. A suite of two-dimensional laboratory tests including uniaxial,triaxial compression and Brazilian tests is simulated and the results are compared with laboratory data.The FDEM-mDFN models indicate that micro-heterogeneity has a profound influence on both the mechanicalbehavior and resultant fracture pattern. An increase in the microcrack intensity leads to areduction in the strength of the sample and changes the character of the rock strength envelope. Spallingand axial splitting dominate the failure mode at low confinement while shear failure is the dominantfailure mode at high confinement. Numerical results from simulated compression tests show thatmicrocracking reduces the cohesive component of strength alone, and the frictional strength componentremains unaffected. Results from simulated Brazilian tests show that the tensile strength is influenced bythe presence of microcracks, with a reduction in tensile strength as microcrack intensity increases. Theimportance of microcrack heterogeneity in reproducing a bi-linear or S-shape failure envelope and itseffects on the mechanisms leading to spalling damage near an underground opening are also discussed.
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the financial support from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health(NIOSH)(200-2014-59613)for conducting this research
文摘Prediction of radon flux from the fractured zone of a propagating cave mine is basically associated with uncertainty and complexity. For instance, there is restricted access to these zones for field measure- ments, and it is quite difficult to replicate the complex nature of both natural and induced fractures in these zones in laboratory studies. Hence, a technique for predicting radon flux from a fractured rock using a discrete fracture network （DFN） model is developed to address these difficulties. This model quantifies the contribution of fractures to the total radon flux, and estimates the fracture density from a measured radon flux considering the effects of advection, diffusion, as well as radon generation and decay. Radon generation and decay are classified as reaction processes. Therefore, the equation solved is termed as the advection-diffusion-reaction equation （ADRE）. Peclet number （Pe）, a conventional dimensionless parameter that indicates the ratio of mass transport by advection to diffusion, is used to classify the transport regimes. The results show that the proposed model effectively predicts radon flux from a fractured rock. An increase in fracture density for a rock sample with uniformly distributed radon generation rate can elevate radon flux significantly compared with another rock sample with an equivalent increase in radon generation rate. In addition to Pe, two other independent dimensionless parameters （derived for radon transport through fractures） significantly affect radon dimensionless flux. Findings provide insight into radon transport through fractured rocks and can be used to improve radon control measures for proactive mitigation.
基金sponsored by the General Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.52079129 and 52209148)the Hubei Provincial General Fund,China(Grant No.2023AFB567)。
文摘Analyzing rock mass seepage using the discrete fracture network(DFN)flow model poses challenges when dealing with complex fracture networks.This paper presents a novel DFN flow model that incorporates the actual connections of large-scale fractures.Notably,this model efficiently manages over 20,000 fractures without necessitating adjustments to the DFN geometry.All geometric analyses,such as identifying connected fractures,dividing the two-dimensional domain into closed loops,triangulating arbitrary loops,and refining triangular elements,are fully automated.The analysis processes are comprehensively introduced,and core algorithms,along with their pseudo-codes,are outlined and explained to assist readers in their programming endeavors.The accuracy of geometric analyses is validated through topological graphs representing the connection relationships between fractures.In practical application,the proposed model is employed to assess the water-sealing effectiveness of an underground storage cavern project.The analysis results indicate that the existing design scheme can effectively prevent the stored oil from leaking in the presence of both dense and sparse fractures.Furthermore,following extensive modification and optimization,the scale and precision of model computation suggest that the proposed model and developed codes can meet the requirements of engineering applications.
基金College Students Innovation and Entrepreneurship Project of Guangzhou Railway Polytechnic(2025CXCY015)。
文摘As the dominant seepage channel in rock masses,it is of great significance to study the influence of fracture roughness distribution on seepage and heat transfer in rock masses.In this paper,the fracture roughness distribution functions of the Bakhtiary dam site and Oskarshamn/Forsmark mountain were fitted using statistical methods.The COMSOL Multiphysics finite element software was utilized to analyze the effects of fracture roughness distribution types and empirical formulas for fracture hydraulic aperture on the seepage field and temperature field of rock masses.The results show that:(1)The fracture roughness at the Bakhtiary dam site and Oskarshamn/Forsmark mountain follows lognormal and normal distributions,respectively;(2)For rock masses with the same expected value and standard deviation of fracture roughness,the outflow from rock masses with lognormal distribution of fracture roughness is significantly larger than that of rock masses with normal distribution of fracture roughness;(3)The fracture hydraulic aperture,outflow,and cold front distance of the Li and Jiang model are significantly larger than those of the Barton model;(4)The outflow,hydraulic pressure distribution,and temperature distribution of the Barton model are more sensitive to the fracture roughness distribution type than those of the Li and Jiang model.
基金the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canadathe Ministry of National Defensethe RMC Green Team for providing the funding and the resources
文摘Deep underground excavations within hard rocks can result in damage to the surrounding rock mass mostly due to redistribution of stresses.Especially within rock masses with non-persistent joints,the role of the pre-existing joints in the damage evolution around the underground opening is of critical importance as they govern the fracturing mechanisms and influence the brittle responses of these hard rock masses under highly anisotropic in situ stresses.In this study,the main focus is the impact of joint network geometry,joint strength and applied field stresses on the rock mass behaviours and the evolution of excavation induced damage due to the loss of confinement as a tunnel face advances.Analysis of such a phenomenon was conducted using the finite-discrete element method(FDEM).The numerical model is initially calibrated in order to match the behaviour of the fracture-free,massive Lac du Bonnet granite during the excavation of the Underground Research Laboratory(URL)Test Tunnel,Canada.The influence of the pre-existing joints on the rock mass response during excavation is investigated by integrating discrete fracture networks(DFNs)of various characteristics into the numerical models under varying in situ stresses.The numerical results obtained highlight the significance of the pre-existing joints on the reduction of in situ rock mass strength and its capacity for extension with both factors controlling the brittle response of the material.Furthermore,the impact of spatial distribution of natural joints on the stability of an underground excavation is discussed,as well as the potentially minor influence of joint strength on the stress induced damage within joint systems of a non-persistent nature under specific conditions.Additionally,the in situ stress-joint network interaction is examined,revealing the complex fracturing mechanisms that may lead to uncontrolled fracture propagation that compromises the overall stability of an underground excavation.
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financial support from the projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)(Grant Nos.51809259,51774056,and 51774095)the CAS Pioneer Hundred Talents Program in China。
文摘It is well known that the complicated channeling of fluid flow and heat transfer is strongly related with the intricate natural fracture system.However,it is still challenging to set up the fracture network model which is strong heterogeneous.Compared with other methods(e.g.equivalent continuum model(ECM),discrete fracture model(DFM),and ECM-DFM),the fracture flow module in the COMSOL Multiphysics simulator is powerful in definition of fractures as the inner flow boundary existing in the porous media.Thus it is selected to simulate the fluid flow and heat transfer in the geothermal-developed fractured granite of Sanguliu area located at Liaodong Peninsula,Eastern China.The natural faults/fractures based on field investigation combined with the discrete fracture network(DFN)generated by the MATLAB are used to represent the two-dimensional geological model.Numerical results show that early thermal breakthrough occurs at the production well caused by quick flow of cold water along the highly connected fractures.Suitable hydraulic fracturing treatments with proper injection rates,locations,etc.can efficiently hinder the thermal breakthrough time in the natural fracture system.Large well spacing helps the long-term operation of geothermal production,but it is highly dependent on the geometrical morphology of the fracture network.The enhancement of reservoir properties at the near-well regions can also increase the geothermal production efficiency.The results in this study can provide references to achieve a sustainable geothermal exploitation in fractured granitic geothermal reservoirs or hot dry rocks at depth.
基金financially 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Borehole instability in naturally fractured rocks poses significant challenges to drilling.Drilling mud invades the surrounding formations through natural fractures under the difference between the wellbore pressure(P w)and pore pressure(P p)during drilling,which may cause wellbore instability.However,the weakening of fracture strength due to mud intrusion is not considered in most existing borehole stability analyses,which may yield significant errors and misleading predictions.In addition,only limited factors were analyzed,and the fracture distribution was oversimplified.In this paper,the impacts of mud intrusion and associated fracture strength weakening on borehole stability in fractured rocks under both isotropic and anisotropic stress states are investigated using a coupled DEM(distinct element method)and DFN(discrete fracture network)method.It provides estimates of the effect of fracture strength weakening,wellbore pressure,in situ stresses,and sealing efficiency on borehole stability.The results show that mud intrusion and weakening of fracture strength can damage the borehole.This is demonstrated by the large displacement around the borehole,shear displacement on natural fractures,and the generation of fracture at shear limit.Mud intrusion reduces the shear strength of the fracture surface and leads to shear failure,which explains that the increase in mud weight may worsen borehole stability during overbalanced drilling in fractured formations.A higher in situ stress anisotropy exerts a significant influence on the mechanism of shear failure distribution around the wellbore.Moreover,the effect of sealing natural fractures on maintaining borehole stability is verified in this study,and the increase in sealing efficiency reduces the radial invasion distance of drilling mud.This study provides a directly quantitative prediction method of borehole instability in naturally fractured formations,which can consider the discrete fracture network,mud intrusion,and associated weakening of fracture strength.The information provided by the numerical approach(e.g.displacement around the borehole,shear displacement on fracture,and fracture at shear limit)is helpful for managing wellbore stability and designing wellbore-strengthening operations.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(52192622,52204005,U20A20265)Sichuan Outstanding Young Scientific and Technological Talents Project(2022JDJQ0007).
文摘In this paper,a viscoelasticity-plastic damage constitutive equation for naturally fractured shale is deduced,coupling nonlinear tensile-shear mixed fracture mode.Dynamic perforation-erosion on fluid re-distribution among multi-clusters are considered as well.DFN-FEM(discrete fracture network combined with finite element method)was developed to simulate the multi-cluster complex fractures propagation within temporary plugging fracturing(TPF).Numerical results are matched with field injection and micro-seismic monitoring data.Based on geomechanical characteristics of Weiyuan deep shale gas reservoir in Sichuan Basin,SW China,a multi-cluster complex fractures propagation model is built for TPF.To study complex fractures propagation and the permeability-enhanced region evolution,intersecting and competition mechanisms between the fractures before and after TPF treatment are revealed.Simulation results show that:fracture from middle cluster is restricted by the fractures from side-clusters,and side-clusters plugging is benefit for multi fractures propagation in uniformity;optimized TPF timing should be delayed within a higher density or strike of natural fractures;Within a reservoir-featured natural fractures distribution,optimized TPF timing for most clustered method is 2/3 of total fluid injection time as the optimal plugging time under different clustering modes.
文摘The transmission of seismic waves in a particular region may influence the hydraulic properties of a rock mass, including permeability, which is one of the most important. To determine the effect of a seismic wave on the hydraulic behavior of a fractured rock mass, systematic numerical modeling was conducted. A number of discrete fracture network（DFN） models with a size of 20 m × 20 m were used as geometrical bases, and a discrete element method（DEM） was employed as a numerical simulation tool. Three different boundary conditions without（Type Ⅰ） and with static（Type Ⅱ） and dynamic（Type Ⅲ） loading were performed on the models, and then their permeability was calculated. The results showed that permeability in Type Ⅲ models was respectively 62.7% and 44.2% higher than in Type I and Type Ⅱ models. This study indicates that seismic waves can affect deep earth, and, according to the results, seismic waves increase the permeability and change the flow rate patterns in a fractured rock mass.
文摘Anisotropy of the strength and deformation behaviors of fractured rock masses is a crucial issue for design and stability assessments of rock engineering structures, due mainly to the non-uniform and non- regular geometries of the fracture systems. However, no adequate efforts have been made to study this issue due to the current practical impossibility of laboratory tests with samples of large volumes con- taining many fractures, and the difficulty for controlling reliable initial and boundary conditions for large-scale in situ tests. Therefore, a reliable numerical predicting approach for evaluating anisotropy of fractured rock masses is needed. The objective of this study is to systematically investigate anisotropy of strength and deformability of fractured rocks, which has not been conducted in the past, using a nu- merical modeling method. A series of realistic two-dimensional （2D） discrete fracture network （DFN） models were established based on site investigation data, which were then loaded in different directions, using the code UDEC of discrete element method （DEM）, with changing confining pressures. Numerical results show that strength envelopes and elastic deformability parameters of tested numerical models are significantly anisotropic, and vary with changing axial loading and confining pressures. The results indicate that for design and safety assessments of rock engineering projects, the directional variations of strength and deformability of the fractured rock mass concerned must be treated properly with respect to the directions of in situ stresses. Traditional practice for simply positioning axial orientation of tunnels in association with principal stress directions only may not be adequate for safety requirements. Outstanding issues of the present study and su^zestions for future study are also oresented.
基金Supported by the National Science and Technology Major Project(2017ZX05063-005)Science and Technology Development Project of PetroChina Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development(YGJ2019-12-04)。
文摘The generation method of three-dimensional fractal discrete fracture network(FDFN)based on multiplicative cascade process was developed.The complex multi-scale fracture system in shale after fracturing was characterized by coupling the artificial fracture model and the natural fracture model.Based on an assisted history matching(AHM)using multiple-proxy-based Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm(MCMC),an embedded discrete fracture modeling(EDFM)incorporated with reservoir simulator was used to predict productivity of shale gas well.When using the natural fracture generation method,the distribution of natural fracture network can be controlled by fractal parameters,and the natural fracture network generated coupling with artificial fractures can characterize the complex system of different-scale fractures in shale after fracturing.The EDFM,with fewer grids and less computation time consumption,can characterize the attributes of natural fractures and artificial fractures flexibly,and simulate the details of mass transfer between matrix cells and fractures while reducing computation significantly.The combination of AMH and EDFM can lower the uncertainty of reservoir and fracture parameters,and realize effective inversion of key reservoir and fracture parameters and the productivity forecast of shale gas wells.Application demonstrates the results from the proposed productivity prediction model integrating FDFN,EDFM and AHM have high credibility.
文摘This study takes a fractured rock mass in the Datengxia Hydropower Station,China as an example to analyze the size effects and determine the representative elementary sizes.A novel method considering geometric parameter distributions is proposed in this work.The proposed method can quickly and simply determine the size effects and representative elementary sizes.Specifically,geometric parameter distributions,including fracture frequency,size and orientation,are generated on the basis of the Bernoulli trial and Monte Carlo simulation.The distributions are assessed using the coefficient of variation(CV),and the acceptable variations for CV(5%,10%and 20%)are used to determine representative elementary sizes.Generally,the representative element of rock masses is the representative elementary volume(REV).The present study extends the representative element to other dimensions,i.e.representative elementary length(REL)and representative elementary area(REA)for one and two dimensions,respectively.REL and REA are useful in studying the size effects of one-(1D)and twodimensional(2D)characteristics of rock masses.The relationships among multi-dimensional representative elementary sizes are established.The representative elementary sizes reduce with the increase in the dimensions,and REA and REV can be deduced by REL.Therefore,the proposed method can quickly and simply determine REL and further estimate REA and REV,which considerably improves the efficiency of rock mass analysis.
基金financial support by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.52008152,U1965204,52061160367,U2067203 and 52008153)Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province of China(Grant No.E2021202087)Hebei Department of Human Resource(Grant No.E2020050015)。
文摘Reliable estimation of deformation and failure behaviors of fractured rock mass is important for practical engineering design.This study proposes a multi-domain equivalent method for fracture network to estimate the deformation properties of complex fractured rock mass.It comprehends both the advantages of the discrete fracture network model and the equivalent continuum model to capture the features of discontinuities explicitly while reducing computational intensity.The complex fracture network is stochastically split into a number of subfracture networks according to the domain,length or angle.An analytical solution is derived to infer theoretically the relationship between the elastic moduli of the original complex fractured rock mass and the split subfractured rock masses by introducing a correction term based on the deformation superposition principle.Numerical simulations are conducted to determine the elastic moduli of split subfractured rock masses using universal distinct element code(UDEC),while the elastic modulus of the original model is estimated based on the currently proposed analytical relationship.The results show that the estimation accuracy with the current domainbased splitting model is far superior compared to those with the other two splitting models.Thus,the estimation method of elastic modulus of complex fractured rock mass based on domain splitting mode of fracture network is identified as the multi-domain equivalent method proposed in this paper.The reliability of this method is evaluated,and its high computational efficiency is demonstrated through exemplification with regard to different geometric configurations for stochastically artificial discrete fracture network.The proposed multi-domain equivalent method constructs the theoretical framework except for the regression analysis hypothesis compared to the density-reduced model equivalent method.
