Channeling and stress during fluid and suspension flow in self-affine fractures

Lo, Tak Shing; Koplik, Joel

doi:10.1103/physreve.89.023010

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…A similar preferential channeling effect has been found in previous experiments [48] and computational simulations [49][50][51]. This effect, however, has always been associated to an additional shear displacement between the upper and lower surface, which generates a heterogeneous aperture distribution throughout those fractures.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 81%

Flow through three-dimensional self-affine fractures

Seybold,

Carmona,

Filho

et al. 2020

Preprint

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We investigate through numerical simulations of the Navier-Stokes equations the influence of the surface roughness on the fluid flow through fracture joints. Using the Hurst exponent H to characterize the roughness of the self-affine surfaces that constitute the fracture, our analysis reveal the important interplay between geometry and inertia on the flow. Precisely, for low values of Reynolds numbers Re, we use Darcy's law to quantify the hydraulic resistance G of the fracture and show that its dependence on H can be explained in terms of a simple geometrical model for the tortuosity τ of the channel. At sufficiently high values of Re, when inertial effects become relevant, our results reveal that nonlinear corrections up to third-order to Darcy's law are aproximately proportional to H. These results imply that the resistance G to the flow follows a universal behavior by simply rescaling it in terms of the fracture resistivity and using an effective Reynolds number, namely, Re/H. Our results also reveal the presence of quasi-one-dimensional channeling, even considering the absence of shear displacement between upper and lower surfaces of the self-affine fracture.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 81%

Flow through three-dimensional self-affine fractures

Seybold,

Carmona,

Filho

et al. 2020

Preprint

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“…The fluid flow in the porous medium exerts both shear and normal stress on the solid walls, as shown numerically for a rough fracture [ Lo and Koplik , ]. Because of the complexity of the porous medium, additional complexity of the flow pattern exists and long‐range correlations in the stress distribution at the solid interface emerge.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Self‐similar distributions of fluid velocity and stress heterogeneity in a dissolving porous limestone

2017

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In a porous rock, the spatial distribution of the pore space induces a strong heterogeneity in fluid flow rates and in the stress distribution in the rock mass. If the rock microstructure evolves through time, for example, by dissolution, fluid flow and stress will evolve accordingly. Here we consider a core sample of porous limestone that has undergone several steps of dissolution. Based on 3‐D X‐ray tomography scans, we calculate numerically the coupled system of fluid flow in the pore space and stress in the solid. We determine how the flow field affects the stress distribution both at the pore wall surface and in the bulk of the solid matrix. We show that during dissolution, the heterogeneous stress evolves in a self‐similar manner as the porosity is increased. Conversely, the fluid velocity shows a stretched exponential distribution. The scalings of these common master distributions offer a unified description of the porosity evolution, pore flow, and the heterogeneity in stress for a rock with evolving microstructure. Moreover, the probability density functions of stress invariants (mechanical pressure or von Mises stress) display heavy tails toward large stresses. If these results can be extended to other kinds of rocks, they provide an additional explanation of the sensitivity to failure of porous rocks under slight changes of stress.

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“…This was anticipated to be of importance in reactive transport modelling since the nature and distribution of sites with high flow velocities are important when considering the deposition of vein material within fractures. Lo and Koplik (2014) considered flow within a single fracture and the stress exerted on the fracture walls by the flow. Lo This paper aims to address the flow behaviour of a single phase flow through 3D fracture networks.…”

Section: Numerical Modellingmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Exploration of Porosity-permeability Relationships in 3D Fracture Network Using the Lattice-Boltzmann Method

Archer¹

2014

Proceedings

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This paper explores the relationship of permeability to fracture aperature, density and mineralisation in synthetic dual porosity media. Fluid flow is simulated using the Lattice-Boltzmann method which allows for detailed fracture geometries to considered in 3D. The geometry of the matrix part of the media is built using a Voronoi based approach similar to the work in 2D by Newman and Yin (2013).Stress sensitivity can be an important phenomena in dual porosity media. Reductions in reservoir pressure as production proceeds cause decreases in porosity and consequentially decreases in permeability. This effect is explored by considering the impact of fracture compressibility.While it is not anticipated that full field modelling at this scale will be undertaken in the foreeable future, modelling such as this allows insight to defining appropriate REVs and into upscaling.

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Channeling and stress during fluid and suspension flow in self-affine fractures

Cited by 4 publications

References 24 publications

Flow through three-dimensional self-affine fractures

Flow through three-dimensional self-affine fractures

Self‐similar distributions of fluid velocity and stress heterogeneity in a dissolving porous limestone

An Exploration of Porosity-permeability Relationships in 3D Fracture Network Using the Lattice-Boltzmann Method

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