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Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical Coupling in Fractured Porous Media
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Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical Coupling in Fractured Porous Media

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Hydraulics and Hydrodynamics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2024) | Viewed by 6400

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Zuyang Ye

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Resource and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
Interests: hydrogology; subsurface flow; fracture; THM coupling; numerical simulation
Dr. Jiangtao Zheng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Mechnics and Civil Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology-Beijing, Beijing, China
Interests: multiphase migration; 3D digital reconstruction; low-permeability rock; stress sensitivity analysis
Dr. Chun Chang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Earth and Environmental Sciences Area Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA
Interests: subsurface hydrology; rock mechanics; coupled THMC processes; advanced materials & manufacturing; reservoir processes and engineering
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Feng Xiong

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Engineering, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, China
Interests: subsurface flow; fracture network; THC coupling; multiphysics rock experiment; numerical simulation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Due to the complex occurrence environment of rock fracturing due to geostress, high temperatures, osmotic  pressure and hydrochemical settings, the deformation and failure process in fractured rock becomes discontinuous, inhomogeneous, anisotropic, and nonlinear. The multi-field couplings in fractured rock designate the coupled processes among stress, seepage, thermal and chemical fields (THMC). It is of great practical significance to analyze and study the interaction mechanism of fractured rock under the action of multi-field coupling to prevent accidents and ensure safety in geological engineering.

We invite authors to contribute original research papers and review papers that will illustrate and stimulate the continuing effort on the multi-field coupling characteristics in fractured rock. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

  • 3D visualization method of the fractured porous media;
  • Representation and reconstruction model of fracture network;
  • Research and development of multi-field coupling test equipment;
  • Strength theory of fractured rock mass;
  • Constitutive model under the action of multi-field coupling;
  • Creep characteristics;
  • Fracture propagation numerical simulation method;
  • Evolution of fracture network under multi-field condition;
  • Fast solution method for multi-field coupling;
  • Micro-meso-macro multi-scale interaction mechanism.

Prof. Dr. Zuyang Ye
Dr. Jiangtao Zheng
Dr. Chun Chang
Dr. Feng Xiong
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • fractured porous media
  • multifield coupling
  • subsurface flow

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 10166 KiB  
Article
A Fully Coupled Discontinuous Deformation Analysis Model for Simulating Hydromechanical Processes in Fractured Porous Media
by Yanzhi Hu, Xiao Li, Shouding Li, Zhaobin Zhang, Jianming He, Guanfang Li and Ming Zhang
Water 2024, 16(21), 3014; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16213014 - 22 Oct 2024
Viewed by 514
Abstract
Numerical simulations play a key role in the optimization of fracturing operation designs for unconventional reservoirs. Because of the presence of numerous natural discontinuities and pores, the rock masses of reservoirs can be regarded as fractured porous media. In this paper, a fully [...] Read more.
Numerical simulations play a key role in the optimization of fracturing operation designs for unconventional reservoirs. Because of the presence of numerous natural discontinuities and pores, the rock masses of reservoirs can be regarded as fractured porous media. In this paper, a fully coupled discontinuous deformation analysis model is newly developed to simulate the hydromechanical processes in fractured and porous media. The coupling of fracture seepage, pore seepage, and fracture network propagation is realized under the framework of DDA. The developed model is verified with several examples. Then, the developed DDA model is applied to simulate the hydraulic fracturing processes in fractured porous rock masses, and the effects of rock mass permeability on fracturing are investigated. Our findings suggest that high rock permeability may inhibit the stimulation of fracture networks, while increasing the viscosity of fracturing fluids can enhance the fracturing efficiency. This study provides a valuable numerical tool for simulating hydromechanical processes in fractured and porous media and can be used to analyze various geo-mechanical problems related to fluid interactions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical Coupling in Fractured Porous Media)
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20 pages, 5994 KiB  
Article
Numerical Analysis of the Stress Shadow Effects in Multistage Hydrofracturing Considering Natural Fracture and Leak-Off Effect
by Jinxin Song, Qing Qiao, Chao Chen, Jiangtao Zheng and Yongliang Wang
Water 2024, 16(9), 1308; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16091308 - 4 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1461
Abstract
As a critical technological approach, multistage fracturing is frequently used to boost gas recovery in compact hydrocarbon reservoirs. Determining an ideal cluster distance that effectively integrates pre-existing natural fractures in the deposit creates a fracture network conducive to gas movement. Fracturing fluid leak-off [...] Read more.
As a critical technological approach, multistage fracturing is frequently used to boost gas recovery in compact hydrocarbon reservoirs. Determining an ideal cluster distance that effectively integrates pre-existing natural fractures in the deposit creates a fracture network conducive to gas movement. Fracturing fluid leak-off also impacts water resources. In our study, we use a versatile finite element–discrete element method that improves the auto-refinement of the grid and the detection of multiple fracture movements to model staged fracturing in naturally fractured reservoirs. This computational model illustrates the interaction between hydraulic fractures and pre-existing fractures and employs the nonlinear Carter leak-off criterion to portray fluid leakage and the impacts of hydromechanical coupling during multistage fracturing. Numerical results show that sequential fracturing exhibits the maximum length in unfractured and naturally fractured models, and the leak-off volume of parallel fracturing is the smallest. Our study proposes an innovative technique for identifying and optimizing the spacing of fracturing clusters in unconventional reservoirs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical Coupling in Fractured Porous Media)
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19 pages, 14680 KiB  
Article
Capillary Imbibition Laws of Fresh–Brackish Waters in Sandstone
by Hailiang Jia, Xiaoyu Yang, Yao Wei, Qiang Sun and Liyun Tang
Water 2024, 16(8), 1180; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16081180 - 20 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1330
Abstract
Understanding the capillary imbibition laws of brackish water in rocks is necessary to reveal the mechanism of fluid, salt, and ion transport. In this study, we investigated the capillary imbibition laws of a Na2SO4 solution of different concentrations in sandstone [...] Read more.
Understanding the capillary imbibition laws of brackish water in rocks is necessary to reveal the mechanism of fluid, salt, and ion transport. In this study, we investigated the capillary imbibition laws of a Na2SO4 solution of different concentrations in sandstone by measuring the parameters of water absorption mass, water migration front height, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) T2 spectra, and stratified moisture distribution. The results indicate the following: (1) With an increase in the salt solution concentration, the water absorption rate of samples increases, specifically manifested in an increase in the rate of absorption mass and a rising rate of the absorption front. (2) With an increase in the salt solution concentration, the total NMR signals in samples measured at the end of water absorption decreases; that is, the total amount of water absorption decreases. (3) When the solution concentration exceeds 0.50 g/L, variations in the NMR signal of samples and the absorbed water mass over time are not synchronic and are even opposite at some stages. Based on the capillary dynamic theories of liquid, the influence of salts on solution properties and the modification of the pore structure by crystallization are considered when discussing the underlying mechanism of capillary imbibition in sandstone. By calculating the physical properties such as the density, viscosity, surface tension, and contact angle of solutions with different concentrations, the imbibition process does not exhibit any significant variation with the difference in the properties of the liquid. The equivalent capillary radii of the samples at varying salt concentrations are obtained by fitting the capillary dynamics curves with the theoretically calculated values. The equivalent capillary radii of samples in higher salt concentrations are larger, i.e., the difference in capillary imbibition laws introduced by the salt concentration should be attributed to modifications to the pore structure caused by salt crystallization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical Coupling in Fractured Porous Media)
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18 pages, 9784 KiB  
Article
A Numerical Investigation of the Nonlinear Flow and Heat Transfer Mechanism in Rough Fractured Rock Accounting for Fluid Phase Transition Effects
by Xianshan Liu, Xiaolei Luo, Shaowei Liu, Pugang Zhang, Man Li and Yuhua Pan
Water 2024, 16(2), 342; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16020342 - 19 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1290
Abstract
The study of the seepage and heat transfer law of three-dimensional rough fractures is of great significance in improving the heat extraction efficiency of underground thermal reservoirs. However, the phase transition effects of fluids during the thermal exploitation process profoundly influence the intrinsic [...] Read more.
The study of the seepage and heat transfer law of three-dimensional rough fractures is of great significance in improving the heat extraction efficiency of underground thermal reservoirs. However, the phase transition effects of fluids during the thermal exploitation process profoundly influence the intrinsic mechanisms of fracture seepage and heat transfer. Based on the FLUENT 2020 software, single-phase and multiphase heat–flow coupling models were established, and the alterations stemming from the phase transition in seepage and heat transfer mechanisms were dissected. The results indicate that, without considering phase transition, the geometric morphology of the fractures controlled the distribution of local heat transfer coefficients, the magnitude of which was influenced by different boundary conditions. Moreover, based on the Forchheimer formula, it was found that the heat transfer process affects nonlinear seepage behavior significantly. After considering the phase transition, the fluid exhibited characteristics similar to shear-diluted fluids and, under the same pressure gradient, the increment of flow rate was higher than the increment in the linearly increasing scenario. In the heat transfer process, the gas volume percentage played a dominant role, causing the local heat transfer coefficient to decrease with the increase in gas content. Therefore, considering fluid phase transition can more accurately reveal seepage characteristics and the evolution law. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical Coupling in Fractured Porous Media)
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17 pages, 2502 KiB  
Article
A Dimension-Reduced Line-Element Method to Model Unsaturated Seepage Flow in Porous Media
by Min Li, Xiaobo Zhang, Guoliang Su, Chenglong Fan, Qiang Zhang, Le Yi and Tianyu Jing
Water 2024, 16(1), 57; https://doi.org/10.3390/w16010057 - 22 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1060
Abstract
Contrary to the continuum hypothesis, which averages water flow across the entire domain, including both grains and pores, the line-element model concentrates unsaturated flow in the pore space in the intermediate region of horizontal and vertical channels. The flux equivalent principle is used [...] Read more.
Contrary to the continuum hypothesis, which averages water flow across the entire domain, including both grains and pores, the line-element model concentrates unsaturated flow in the pore space in the intermediate region of horizontal and vertical channels. The flux equivalent principle is used to deduce the equivalent unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, the flow velocity and the continuity equations. It is found that the relative hydraulic conductivities derived from the line-element model and the continuum model are identical. The continuity equations in the two models are also similar, except that the coefficient in the water content term is half that in the line-element model. Thus, the unsaturated flow problem in porous media is transformed into a one-dimensional problem. A dimension-reduced finite line-element method is proposed that includes a complementary algorithm for Signorini’s-type boundary conditions involving the seepage-face boundary and the infiltration boundary. The validity of the proposed model is then proved by good agreement with analytical, experimental and simulated results for one-dimensional infiltration in a vertical soil column, unsaturated flow in a sand flume with drainage tunnels, and transient unsaturated flow water-table recharge in a soil slab, respectively. In general, the proposed method has good computational efficiency, especially for smaller mesh sizes and short time intervals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical Coupling in Fractured Porous Media)
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