Hydrological characterization of variable-aperture fractures

Conference · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:6830858

Tsang, Y W; Tsang, C F

We have chosen a statistical description of a fracture with variable apertures by means of three parameters, two related to the aperture distribution: the mean aperture b, and the standard deviation {sigma}{sub b}, and one to the spatial arrangement of the apertures, the spatial correlation length {lambda}. Starting with a mathematical description of the geometry of the void space of real fractures, we use geostatistical method to generate a large number of realizations of these mathematical fractures, perform numerical flow and transport experiments on them with particular emphasis to correlate the fracture geometry parameters with observed measurable hydrological quantities. Based on these theoretical studies, we suggest methods to determine the basic parameters which characterize the fracture by means of flow measurements and tracer breakthrough curves. We advocate the need for this kind of hydrological measurements and interpretation, being more direct than geophysical measurements where the correspondence between observations and hydrological properties is still ambiguous. Currently we are applying our proposed methods to various laboratory and field data to test their validity and usefulness. 22 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/ER; DOE/RW
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 6830858
• Report Number(s): LBL-28759; CONF-900640--6; ON: DE90011603
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360603 -- Materials-- Properties
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000* -- Geosciences
APERTURES
CORRELATIONS
FAILURES
FLOW RATE
FLUID FLOW
FRACTURES
HYDROLOGY
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
OPENINGS
POROSITY