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Title: Advancing graph-based algorithms for predicting flow and transport in fractured rock

Journal Article · · Water Resources Research
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2017WR022368· OSTI ID:1463552

Discrete fracture network (DFN) models are a powerful alternative to continuum models for subsurface flow and transport simulations because they explicitly include fracture geometry and network topology, thereby allowing for better characterization of the latter's influence on flow and transport through fractured media. Recent advances in high performance computing have opened the door for flow and transport simulations in large explicit three-dimensional DFN, but this increase in model fidelity and system size comes at a huge computational cost because of the large number of mesh elements required to represent thousands of fractures (with sizes that can range several orders of magnitude, from mm to km). In most subsurface applications, fracture characteristics are only known statistically and numerous realizations are needed to bound uncertainty in flow and transport in the system, thereby exacerbating the computational burden. blackGraphs provide a simple and elegant way to characterize, query, and interrogate fracture network connectivity. We propose a DFN model reduction framework where various graph-representations are used in conjunction with high-fidelity DFN simulations to increase computational efficiency while retaining accuracy of key quantities of interest. The appropriate choice of a graph-representation, namely, which attributes of the DFN are to be represented as nodes and which ones as edges connecting those nodes, depends on the relevant scientific questions. We demonstrate that the proposed DFN model reduction framework provides an efficient means for DFN modeling through both system reduction of the DFN using graph-based properties and combining DFN and graph-based flow and transport simulations.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program
Grant/Contract Number:
AC52-06NA25396
OSTI ID:
1463552
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-17-30945
Journal Information:
Water Resources Research, Vol. 54, Issue 9; ISSN 0043-1397
Publisher:
American Geophysical Union (AGU)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 34 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (5)

Robust system size reduction of discrete fracture networks: a multi-fidelity method that preserves transport characteristics journal September 2018
Model reduction for fractured porous media: a machine learning approach for identifying main flow pathways journal March 2019
Minimum Hydraulic Resistance Uncertainty and the Development of a Connectivity‐Based Iterative Sampling Strategy journal July 2019
Particle-Based Workflow for Modeling Uncertainty of Reactive Transport in 3D Discrete Fracture Networks journal November 2019
Stress‐Induced Anomalous Transport in Natural Fracture Networks text January 2019

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