Abstract
A goal of subsurface geophysical monitoring is the detection and characterization of fracture alterations that affect the hydraulic integrity of a site. Achievement of this goal requires a link between the mechanical and hydraulic properties of a fracture. Here we present a scaling relationship between fluid flow and fracture-specific stiffness that approaches universality. Fracture-specific stiffness is a mechanical property dependent on fracture geometry that can be monitored remotely using seismic techniques. A Monte Carlo numerical approach demonstrates that a scaling relationship exists between flow and stiffness for fractures with strongly correlated aperture distributions, and continues to hold for fractures deformed by applied stress and by chemical erosion as well. This new scaling relationship provides a foundation for simulating changes in fracture behaviour as a function of stress or depth in the Earth and will aid risk assessment of the hydraulic integrity of subsurface sites.
Highlights
A goal of subsurface geophysical monitoring is the detection and characterization of fracture alterations that affect the hydraulic integrity of a site
In this study we demonstrate that a scaling relationship exists that accounts for spatial correlations in fracture aperture distributions and captures the behaviour of channelized flow within a fracture
The importance of fracture topology is evident in the unscaled flow–stiffness relationship (Fig. 3a) and demonstrates that void volume, aperture distributions, contact area and fracture length are all essential to the hydraulic and mechanical responses of a fracture
Summary
A goal of subsurface geophysical monitoring is the detection and characterization of fracture alterations that affect the hydraulic integrity of a site. A Monte Carlo numerical approach demonstrates that a scaling relationship exists between flow and stiffness for fractures with strongly correlated aperture distributions, and continues to hold for fractures deformed by applied stress and by chemical erosion as well This new scaling relationship provides a foundation for simulating changes in fracture behaviour as a function of stress or depth in the Earth and will aid risk assessment of the hydraulic integrity of subsurface sites. In this study we demonstrate that a scaling relationship exists that accounts for spatial correlations in fracture aperture distributions and captures the behaviour of channelized flow within a fracture This relationship can be used as a guide for incorporating the appropriate behaviour of fractures into continuum models of the subsurface where stresses vary with depth. This relationship provides a path forward to the ultimate goal of remotely monitoring fluid flow or relative fluid flow among fractures in the Earth’s subsurface
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