Coupled hydro-mechanical effect of a fractured rock mass under high water pressure

Abstract

To explore the variation of permeability and deformation behaviors of a fractured rock mass in high water pressure, a high pressure permeability test (HPPT), including measuring sensors of pore water pressure and displacement of the rock mass, was designed according to the hydrogeological condition of Heimifeng pumped storage power station. With the assumption of radial water flow pattern in the rock mass during the HPPT, a theoretical formula was presented to estimate the coefficient of permeability of the rock mass using water pressures in injection and measuring boreholes. The variation in permeability of the rock mass with the injected water pressure was studied according to the suggested formula. By fitting the relationship between the coefficient of permeability and the injected water pressure, a mathematical expression was obtained and used in the numerical simulations. For a better understanding of the relationship between the pore water pressure and the displacement of the rock mass, a 3D numerical method based on a coupled hydro-mechanical theory was employed to simulate the response of the rock mass during the test. By comparison of the calculated and measured data of pore water pressure and displacement, the deformation behaviors of the rock mass were analyzed. It is shown that the variation of displacement in the fractured rock mass is caused by water flow passing through it under high water pressure, and the rock deformation during the test could be calculated by using the coupled hydro-mechanical model.