Abstract
Accurate analysis of the flow field in fracture networks is crucial for many geotechnical engineering projects. A numerical method for modeling nonlinear flow in fracture networks was proposed by converting the nonlinear water head losses into equivalent fracture length increases. The fracture network is regarded as a combination of single fractures and fracture intersections. Nonlinear flow models of single fractures and fracture intersections had been established, respectively. Based on nonlinear flow models, the equivalent fracture length increases representing nonlinear water head losses were calculated as the ratio of the nonlinear term to the linear term in flow models multiplied by the initial fracture length. Then, an equivalent fracture length-based numerical method for modeling nonlinear flow in two-dimension (2D) fracture networks were proposed, with simultaneously considering the effects of both single fractures and fracture intersections. And the corresponding numerical calculation program for modeling nonlinear flow was developed and verified. Based on the proposed numerical method, typical characteristics of nonlinear flow in fracture networks were analyzed, which indicated that the equivalent permeability coefficient and flow distribution were influenced obviously by the nonlinear flow in single fractures and fracture intersections.
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