Effect of anisotropy of fracture surface on fluid flow

Abstract Characterization of fluid flow through rough fractures is an important issue in designing underground excavations, such as nuclear repositories or geothermal applications. Fluid could be influenced by several parameters contact areas, aperture, hydraulic and mechanical conditions. Contact area aperture two crucial geometrical factors which control behaviors fractures. These are rarely isotropic, anisotropy observed different directions. In this research, photogrammetry, a high precision method, was used to analyze morphology tensile fracture induced granite. Experimental numerical stress-flow tests on rock were conducted directions with diverse normal stresses water pressures. Analyzing the regenerated 3D model hydromechanical predicts rates Numerical experimental results well fitted particularly low-stress The obtained show that affects permeability since outlet same initial pressures differ 7 % experiments 4% modeling.