Characterizing the Impacts of Multi-Scale Heterogeneity on Solute Transport in Fracture Networks

Sweeney, Matthew Ryan; Hyman, Jeffrey De'Haven; O’Malley, Daniel; Estrada Santos, Javier Andres; Carey, James William; Stauffer, Philip H.; Viswanathan, Hari S.

doi:10.1029/2023gl104958

Title: Characterizing the Impacts of Multi-Scale Heterogeneity on Solute Transport in Fracture Networks

Journal Article · 31 October 2023 · Geophysical Research Letters

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2023gl104958 · OSTI ID:2337657

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Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Center for Nonlinear Studies (CNLS)

We model flow and transport in fracture networks with varying degrees of fracture-to-fracture aperture heterogeneity and network intensity to show how changes in these properties can cause the emergence of anomalous flow and transport behavior. If fracture-to-fracture aperture heterogeneity is increased in sparse networks, velocity fluctuations inhibit high flow rates and solute transport can be delayed. Surprisingly, transport can be slowed even in cases where hydraulic aperture is monotonically increased. As the intensity of the networks is increased, more connected pathways allow for particles to bypass these effects. There exists transition behavior where with relatively few connected pathways in a network, first arrival times of particles are not heavily affected by fracture-to-fracture aperture heterogeneity, but the scaling behavior of the tails is strongly influenced. These results reinforce the importance of considering multi-scale effects in fractured systems and can inform flow and transport processes in both natural and engineered fractured systems.

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Research Organization:: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

Grant/Contract Number:: 89233218CNA000001

OSTI ID:: 2337657

Report Number(s):: LA-UR-23-25773

Journal Information:: Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 50, Issue 21; ISSN 0094-8276

Publisher:: American Geophysical Union (AGU)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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