Lubrication theory analysis of the permeability of rough-walled fractures

Conference · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:6182023

Zimmerman, R W; Kumar, S; Bodvarsson, G S

The flow of a fluid between the rough surfaces of a rock fracture is very complex, due to the tortuous paths followed by the fluid particles. Exact analytical modeling of these flows is made difficult by the irregular geometry of rock fracture surfaces, while full three-dimensional numerical simulations of these flows are as yet still impractical. To overcome the difficulties of working with the three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations, the simpler Reynolds lubrication equation has sometimes been used to model flow in fractures. This paper focuses on two aspects of lubrication theory. First, lubrication theory is applied to two simplified aperture profiles, sinusoidal and sawtooth, and analytical expressions are found for the permeabilities. These results are then compared with numerical results obtained by solving the lubrication equation for fractures with random surfaces. Secondly, the validity of the lubrication equations for modeling flow in rough fractures is studied by examining higher-order perturbation solutions, as well as numerical solutions, to the Navier-Stokes equations for flow in fractures with sinusoidally-varying apertures. 22 refs., 6 figs.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USGS; USDOE, Washington, DC (USA); Geological Survey, Reston, VA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 6182023
• Report Number(s): LBL-30181; CONF-910435-54; ON: DE91009080; TRN: 91-009474
• Resource Relation: Conference: American Nuclear Society (ANS) international high level radioactive waste management conference, Las Vegas, NV (USA), 28 Apr - 3 May 1991
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
58 GEOSCIENCES
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
FLOW MODELS
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
FLOW RATE
FLUID FLOW
FLUID MECHANICS
NAVIER-STOKES EQUATIONS
PERMEABILITY
RESERVOIR PRESSURE
ROCK-FLUID INTERACTIONS
ROUGHNESS
SURFACE PROPERTIES
EQUATIONS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MECHANICS
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
052002* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage
540210 - Environment
Terrestrial- Basic Studies- (1990-)
580000 - Geosciences