FRACTAL CHARACTERIZATION ON THREE-DIMENSIONAL FRACTUR TORTUOSITY IN COAL BASED ON CT SCANNING

Abstract

This paper proposed a method for the fractal characterization of the three-dimensional (3D) fracture tortuosity ([Formula: see text] in coal based on CT scanning experiment. The methodology was deduced in detail, and the values of [Formula: see text] of four coal samples were calculated by the rigorous derivation equation established by Feng and Yu. The values of [Formula: see text] by the proposed method fit the relation of [Formula: see text] versus the fractal dimension for 3D fracture number [Formula: see text], and the relation of [Formula: see text] versus the 3D fracture porosity, indicating the rationality and accuracy of the proposed method on estimation of the [Formula: see text]. The results show that the proposed [Formula: see text] can comprehensively character the fractal characteristics of fractures tortuosity in 3D space. It is worth to further study for establishing an analytical fractal equation for fluid mass transfer in 3D fractures of porous media based on the [Formula: see text].