Stress hydraulic property distributions

Abstract A methodology for quantifying the contributions of hydro-mechanical processes to fractured rock hydraulic property distributions has been developed and tested. Simulations have been carried out on discrete fracture networks to study the sensitivity of hydraulic properties to mechanical properties, stress changes with depth, mechanical boundary conditions, initial mechanical apertures and fracture network geometry. The results indicate that the most important (and uncertain) parameters for modelling HM processes in fractured rock are fracture density and rock/fracture mechanical properties. Aperture variation with depth below ground surface is found to be of second order importance. 

---