Monte Carlo Simulations of Shear‐Thinning Flow in Geological Fractures

The hydraulic behavior of fractured rocks under shear-thinning flow is a challenging topic interest in several fields, related either to environmental remediation or natural resources recovery. compound effect fluid rheology and medium heterogeneity strongly affects transport geological formations. Here, stochastic analysis conducted via Monte Carlo simulations investigate the fluids fractures subjected both forced flow, considering different fracture dimensions, for spatial correlation that an intrinsic parameter formation, independent size. Considering lubrication approximation, generalized Reynolds equation solved using ad hoc, finite volume-based, numerical scheme. influence aperture field on ensemble statistics velocity components magnitude, as well apparent fracture-scale transmissivity, quantified over 103 realizations. probability density functions (PDFs) relative confidence intervals, obtained by averaging statistics, are analyzed characterize transmissivity transition from Newtonian regime. autocorrelation computed understand impact correlations flow. Velocity exhibit narrow PDFs with nearly exponential decay. More elevated pressure gradients emphasize behavior, inducing more pronounced localization, otherwise identical conditions. This translates at scale into larger compared same configuration rheology, orders magnitude.