• Title/Summary/Keyword: fracture permeability

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Development of Triaxial Cells Operable with In Situ X-ray CT for Hydro-Mechanical Laboratory Testing of Rocks (원위치 X-ray CT 촬영이 가능한 암석의 수리-역학 실험용 삼축셀 개발)

  • Zhuang, Li;Yeom, Sun;Shin, Hyu-Soung
    • Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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    • v.36 no.9
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    • pp.45-55
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    • 2020
  • X-ray computed tomography (CT) is very useful for the quantitative evaluation of internal structures, particularly defects in rock samples, such as pores and fractures. In situ CT allows 3D imaging of a sample subjected to various external treatments such as loading and therefore enables observation of changes that occur during the loading process. We reviewed state-of-the-art of in situ CT applications for geomaterials. Two triaxial cells made using relatively low density but high strength materials were developed aimed at in situ CT scanning during hydro-mechanical laboratory testing of rocks. Preliminary results for in situ CT imaging of granite and sandstone samples with diameters ranging from 25 mm to 50 mm show a resolution range of 34~105 ㎛ per pixel pitch, indicating the feasibility of in situ CT observations for internal structural changes in rocks at the micrometer scale. Potassium iodide solution was found to improve the image contrast, and can be used as an injection fluid for hydro-mechanical testing combined with in situ CT scanning.

An experimental study on the hydraulic fracturing of radial horizontal wells

  • Yan, Chuanliang;Ren, Xu;Cheng, Yuanfang;Zhao, Kai;Deng, Fucheng;Liang, Qimin;Zhang, Jincheng;Li, Yang;Li, Qingchao
    • Geomechanics and Engineering
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    • v.17 no.6
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    • pp.535-541
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    • 2019
  • Combining the radial well drilling and hydraulic fracturing technique, the production capacity of the reservoirs with low-permeability can be improved effectively. Due to the existence of radial holes, the stress around the well is redistributed, and the initiation and propagation of hydraulic fractures are different with those in traditional hydraulic fracturing. Therefore, it is necessary to study the influences of radial horizontal wells on hydraulic fracturing. The laboratory experiment was conducted to simulate the hydraulic fracturing on the physical model with radial holes. The experimental results showed that, compared with the borehole without radial holes, the sample with radial hole in the direction of maximum horizontal stress was fractured with significantly lower pressure. As the angle between direction of the horizontal hole and the maximum horizontal stress increased, the breakdown pressure grew. While when the radial hole was drilled towards the direction of the minimum horizontal stress, the breakdown pressure increased to that needed in the borehole without radial holes. When the angle between the radial hole and the maximum horizontal stress increase, the pressure required to propagate the fractures grew apparently, and the fracture become complex. Meanwhile, the deeper the radial hole drilled, the less the pressure was needed for fracturing.

A Study on the Field Application of Automatic Grouting System (자동화 그라우팅 기법의 현장적용성에 관한 연구)

  • Do, Jongnam;Park, Junghwan;Choi, Dongchan;Chun, Byungsik
    • Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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    • v.13 no.1
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    • pp.63-74
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    • 2012
  • In Korea, grouting has been mostly designed and constructed by experiences without expert knowledge and theoretical study. So there are a lot of problems related to the quality and safty of grouting. Therefor, in this paper the quality management skills and method were discussed through out by using the auto-grouting method and field test of grouting for the construction. Through the limit water injection test of the soil, it make the optimum injection pressure and injection speed of grouting, and through the lugeon test of the rock, it make assess the permeability of before and after grouting. In order to prevent the hydraulic fracture of soil and break away from the grouts if it apply four kinds of mode of grouting stop criteria, injection effects can be improved. From the above characteristcs designers evalute the fitness values of injection pressure(p), injection speed(q) and grouting penetration time(t). So far, to record and manage pressure(p) and speed(q) of grouting autographic devices such as intergation flow-meter usually record data in a roll of paper. Intergration flow-meter can record grouting flow quantity exactly, but the recorded pressures differ from the any basis such as intitial, intermediate and final point. Therefore, it has been argued that is a need of reliable method to describe the connection between the pressure recorded by an intergration flow-meter and the special properties of the grouting target ground. auto-grouting method can describe the reliable connection between the grouting pressure and the special properties of the grouting target ground. So, in this paper by using auto-grouting method, it is expected that to secure basis of quality control techniques construction.

Classification of Ground Subsidence Factors for Prediction of Ground Subsidence Risk (GSR) (굴착공사 중 지반함몰 위험예측을 위한 지반함몰인자 분류)

  • Park, Jin Young;Jang, Eugene;Kim, Hak Joon;Ihm, Myeong Hyeok
    • The Journal of Engineering Geology
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    • v.27 no.2
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    • pp.153-164
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    • 2017
  • The geological factors for causing ground subsidence are very diverse. It can be affected by any geological or extrinsic influences, and even within the same geological factor, the soil depression impact factor can be determined by different physical properties. As a result of reviewing a large number of papers and case histories, it can be seen that there are seven categories of ground subsidence factors. The depth and thickness of the overburden can affect the subsidence depending on the existence of the cavity, whereas the depth and orientation of the boundary between soil and rock are dominant factors in the ground composed of soil and rock. In case of soil layers, more various influencing factors exist such as type of soil, shear strength, relative density and degree of compaction, dry unit weight, water content, and liquid limit. The type of rock, distance from the main fracture and RQD can be influential factors in the bedrock. When approaching from the hydrogeological point of view, the rainfall intensity, the distance and the depth from the main channel, the coefficient of permeability and fluctuation of ground water level can influence to ground subsidence. It is also possible that the ground subsidence can be affected by external factors such as the depth of excavation and distance from the earth retaining wall, groundwater treatment methods at excavation work, and existence of artificial facilities such as sewer pipes. It is estimated that to evaluate the ground subsidence factor during the construction of underground structures in urban areas will be essential. It is expected that ground subsidence factors examined in this study will contribute for the reliable evaluation of the ground subsidence risk.

Chemical Behaviors of Elements and Mineral Compositions in Fault Rocks from Yangbuk-myeon, Gyeongju City, Korea (경주시 양북면 단층암의 원소거동과 광물조성 특성)

  • Song, Su Jeong;Choo, Chang Oh;Chang, Chun-Joong;Jang, Yun Deuk
    • The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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    • v.22 no.2
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    • pp.137-151
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    • 2013
  • This study is focused on element behaviors and mineral compositions of the fault rock developed in Yongdang-ri, Yangbuk-myeon, Gyeongju City, Korea, using XRF, ICP, XRD, and EPMA/BSE in order to better understand the chemical variations in fault rocks during the fault activity, with emphasis on dependence of chemical mobility on mineralogy across the fault zone. As one of the main components of the fault rocks, $SiO_2$ shows the highest content which ranges from 61.6 to 71.0%, and $Al_2O_3$ is also high as having the 10.8~15.8% range. Alkali elements such as $Na_2O$ and $K_2O$ are in the range of 0.22~4.63% and 2.02~4.89%, respectively, and $Fe_2O_3$ is 3.80~12.5%, indicating that there are significant variations within the fault rock. Based on the chemical characteristics in the fault rocks, it is evident that the fault gouge zone is depleted in $Na_2O$, $Al_2O_3$, $K_2O$, $SiO_2$, CaO, Ba and Sr, whereas enriched in $Fe_2O_3$, MgO, MnO, Zr, Hf and Rb relative to the fault breccia zone. Such chemical behaviors are closely related to the difference in the mineral compositions between breccia and gouge zones because the breccia zone consists of the rock-forming minerals including quartz and feldspar, whereas the gouge zone consists of abundant clay minerals such as illite and chlorite. The alteration of the primary minerals leading to the formation of the clay minerals in the fault zone was affected by the hydrothermal fluids involved in fault activity. Taking into account the fact that major, trace and rare earth elements were leached out from the precursor minerals, it is assumed that the element mobility was high during the first stage of the fault activity because the fracture zone is interpreted to have acted as a path of hydrothermal fluids. Moving toward the later stage of fault activity, the center of the fracture zone was transformed into the gouge zone during which the permeability in the fault zone gradually decreased with the formation of clay minerals. Consequently, elements were effectively constrained in the gouge zone mostly filled with authigenic minerals including clay minerals, characterized by the low element mobility.