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Title: An international model comparison study of controlled fault activation experiments in argillaceous claystone at the Mont Terri Laboratory

Abstract

We present results from an international model comparison study involving a series of controlled fault activation experiments in Opalinus Clay at the Mont Terri Laboratory, Switzerland. The fault activation experiments were conducted in situ by water injection at variable pressure from boreholes targeting different parts of the Main Fault crossing several tunnels and galleries of the Mont Terri Laboratory. The model simulations focused on (1) an experiment activating a discontinuity (fracture or minor fault) within the damage zone of the main fault, and (2) an experiment activating discontinuities close to the core of the Main Fault. The experimental data consist of coupled hydraulic and mechanical responses monitored at an injection borehole and a monitoring borehole located a few meters away. After overcoming several modeling issues along with necessary model developments, a reasonably good agreement was achieved between the modeling results and the field observations. The fault activation experiments displayed an abrupt flow rate increase associated with a sudden fracture opening and rupture propagation after the injection pressure reached above the estimated normal stress on the fracture. This was followed by an abrupt flow rate decrease, indicating hydraulic closing, once the injection pressure decreases to an estimated 1–2 MPa below themore » stress normal to the opened fracture. The models were able to capture this abrupt hydromechanical behavior, including an observed dominant opening behavior along with the rupture propagation, while the spatial extent of the shear rupture and the quantity of peak injection flow were the most challenging to predict.« less

Authors:
; ; ; ; ORCiD logo; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC); Andra; BGR/UFZ; CNSC; ENSI; JAEA; IRSN; KAERI; NWMO; RWM; SÚRAO; SSM; Taipower
OSTI Identifier:
1681080
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1810077
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC02-05CH11231
Resource Type:
Published Article
Journal Name:
International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Name: International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences Journal Volume: 136 Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 1365-1609
Publisher:
Elsevier
Country of Publication:
United Kingdom
Language:
English
Subject:
42 ENGINEERING; 58 GEOSCIENCES; 12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES; Fault activation; modeling; water injection; stress; shear; opening; aperture; shale

Citation Formats

Rutqvist, Jonny, Graupner, Bastian, Guglielmi, Yves, Kim, Taehyun, Maßmann, Jobst, Nguyen, Thanh Son, Park, Jung-Wook, Shiu, Wenjie, Urpi, Luca, Yoon, Jeoung Seok, Ziefle, Gesa, and Birkholzer, Jens. An international model comparison study of controlled fault activation experiments in argillaceous claystone at the Mont Terri Laboratory. United Kingdom: N. p., 2020. Web. doi:10.1016/j.ijrmms.2020.104505.
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Rutqvist, Jonny, Graupner, Bastian, Guglielmi, Yves, Kim, Taehyun, Maßmann, Jobst, Nguyen, Thanh Son, Park, Jung-Wook, Shiu, Wenjie, Urpi, Luca, Yoon, Jeoung Seok, Ziefle, Gesa, & Birkholzer, Jens. An international model comparison study of controlled fault activation experiments in argillaceous claystone at the Mont Terri Laboratory. United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2020.104505
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Rutqvist, Jonny, Graupner, Bastian, Guglielmi, Yves, Kim, Taehyun, Maßmann, Jobst, Nguyen, Thanh Son, Park, Jung-Wook, Shiu, Wenjie, Urpi, Luca, Yoon, Jeoung Seok, Ziefle, Gesa, and Birkholzer, Jens. Tue . "An international model comparison study of controlled fault activation experiments in argillaceous claystone at the Mont Terri Laboratory". United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2020.104505.
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@article{osti_1681080,
title = {An international model comparison study of controlled fault activation experiments in argillaceous claystone at the Mont Terri Laboratory},
author = {Rutqvist, Jonny and Graupner, Bastian and Guglielmi, Yves and Kim, Taehyun and Maßmann, Jobst and Nguyen, Thanh Son and Park, Jung-Wook and Shiu, Wenjie and Urpi, Luca and Yoon, Jeoung Seok and Ziefle, Gesa and Birkholzer, Jens},
abstractNote = {We present results from an international model comparison study involving a series of controlled fault activation experiments in Opalinus Clay at the Mont Terri Laboratory, Switzerland. The fault activation experiments were conducted in situ by water injection at variable pressure from boreholes targeting different parts of the Main Fault crossing several tunnels and galleries of the Mont Terri Laboratory. The model simulations focused on (1) an experiment activating a discontinuity (fracture or minor fault) within the damage zone of the main fault, and (2) an experiment activating discontinuities close to the core of the Main Fault. The experimental data consist of coupled hydraulic and mechanical responses monitored at an injection borehole and a monitoring borehole located a few meters away. After overcoming several modeling issues along with necessary model developments, a reasonably good agreement was achieved between the modeling results and the field observations. The fault activation experiments displayed an abrupt flow rate increase associated with a sudden fracture opening and rupture propagation after the injection pressure reached above the estimated normal stress on the fracture. This was followed by an abrupt flow rate decrease, indicating hydraulic closing, once the injection pressure decreases to an estimated 1–2 MPa below the stress normal to the opened fracture. The models were able to capture this abrupt hydromechanical behavior, including an observed dominant opening behavior along with the rupture propagation, while the spatial extent of the shear rupture and the quantity of peak injection flow were the most challenging to predict.},
doi = {10.1016/j.ijrmms.2020.104505},
journal = {International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences},
number = C,
volume = 136,
place = {United Kingdom},
year = {Tue Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 2020},
month = {Tue Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 2020}
}
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