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Chemically- and mechanically-mediated influences on the transport and mechanical characteristics of rock fractures
Cited 53 time in
Web of Science
Cited 76 time in Scopus
- Authors
- Issue Date
- 2009
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Citation
- Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 2009;46;80-9
- Keywords
- Chemo-mechanical coupling ; Fracture aperture ; Fracture constitutive model ; Rock fracture
- Abstract
- A model is presented to represent changes in the mechanical and transport characteristics of fractured
rock that result from coupled mechanical and chemical effects. The specific influence is the elevation of
dissolution rates on contacting asperities, which results in a stress- and temperature-dependent
permanent closure. A model representing this pressure-dissolution-like behavior is adapted to define
the threshold and resulting response in terms of fundamental thermodynamic properties of a
contacting fracture. These relations are incorporated in a stress-stiffening model of fracture closure to
define the stress- and temperature-dependency of aperture loss and behavior during stress and
temperature cycling. These models compare well with laboratory and field experiments, representing
both decoupled isobaric and isothermal responses. The model was applied to explore the impact of
these responses on heated structures in rock. The result showed a reduction in ultimate induced
stresses over the case where chemical effects were not incorporated, with permanent reduction in final
stresses after cooling to ambient conditions. Similarly, permeabilities may be lower than they were in
the case where chemical effects were not considered, with a net reduction apparent even after cooling
to ambient temperature. These heretofore-neglected effects may have a correspondingly significant
impact on the performance of heated structures in rock, such as repositories for the containment of
radioactive wastes.
- ISSN
- 1365-1609
- Language
- English
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