Mesoscopic Deformation of a Hydraulic and Mechanical Aperture of a Single Fracture under Normal Stress

Abstract Studies have focused on describing the interactions between fluid flow characteristics and structural deformation of fractures at mesoscopic scale, which is a scale macroscale microscale. In this work, three-dimensional numerical simulation based Navier-Stokes equation was carried out to investigate effect normal stress fracture morphology distribution, interdependence in single fracture. Two surfaces rough-walled model were created. Results suggest that nonlinear relationship due area total closure increases unevenly. Distributions mechanical aperture are approximated well by distribution. Change increase fractional contact area. The low-velocity zones surrounded relatively smaller apertures, gradually close join areas closure. Under limitation two surfaces, appearance channel behavior. Compared with X- Y-directions, stress-induced anisotropy occurred. quantitative strains terms mechanical/hydraulic determined proven. A macroscopic intrinsic permeability strain deduced, enhances evaluation design various geological engineering applications considered.