Abstract
Fractal dimension (FD) is a critical parameter in the characterization of a rock fracture network system. This parameter represents the distribution pattern of fractures in rock media. Moreover, it can be used for the modeling of fracture networks when the spatial distribution of fractures is described by the distribution of power law. The main objective of this research is to propose an automatic method to determine the rock mass FD in MATLAB using digital image processing techniques. This method not only accelerates analysis and reduces human error, but also eliminates the access limitation to a rock face. In the proposed method, the intensity of image brightness is corrected using the histogram equalization process and applying smoothing filters to the image followed by revealing the edges using the Canny edge detection algorithm. In the next step, FD is calculated in the program using the box-counting method, which is applied randomly to the pixels detected as fractures. This algorithm was implemented in different geological images to calculate their FDs. The FD of the images was determined using a simple Canny edge detection algorithm, a manual calculation method, and an indirect approach based on spectral decay rate. The results showed that the proposed method is a reliable and fast approach for calculating FD in fractured geological media.
Highlights
Manual/conventional measuring of the geometry of rock mass discontinuities is often a slow and tedious procedure
Rock mass discontinuities are identified and some geometric parameters of discontinuities are obtained based on the differences between the gray level of the discontinuities and the intact rock
This paper proposed an automatic and efficient method in order to determine the rock mass Fractal dimension (FD) using digital image processing techniques
Summary
Manual/conventional measuring of the geometry of rock mass discontinuities is often a slow and tedious procedure. Digital image processing techniques (DIPTs) have high efficiency in this field The advantages of these methods are higher levels of safety, quickness, and accessibility to all joints and less error in data collection compared to manual methods. Obtaining information on a rock mass fractures network system (FNS) is an important requirement for an optimal design in rock engineering and mechanical behavior of a rock mass One of these parameters is the fractal dimension (FD) of the FNS. The structural geology phenomenon FD can be determined using the box-counting method (Figure 1). In this method, a square with a length of unity is considered as the base network of fractal structure. Nine examples of fractures network systems (FNS) in geological outcrops
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