Multi-Source Information Monitoring Test of Fractured Rock Mass Destruction Characteristics and Sensitivity Analysis of Precursor Phenomena

The accuracy of the monitoring information is particularly important for exploring fractured rock mass deformation and failure mechanisms and precursor characteristics. Appropriate monitoring methods can not only timely and effectively reflect the failure laws of fractured rock masses but also play an early warning role. To explore more reasonable monitoring methods, uniaxial compression experiments and real-time non-destructive monitoring on prefabricated fractured rock specimens through DIC, AE, and IRT were conducted; the strain field, temperature field, ringing frequency, standard deviation, etc. were analyzed; and correlation between the three methods in the information of audience was explored. The results show the following. (1) The failure evolution process of fractured rock mass can be divided into four stages. DIC can detect the initiation and propagation of cracks near the fractures of the specimen at the earliest stages. (2) The order of occurrence of precursor phenomena in multi-source monitoring information is different, which is vertical strain field > shear strain field > horizontal strain field > temperature field > ringing times. (3) The dispersion degree of standard deviation of each field is obviously different; the infrared temperature field is greater, but the strain field and temperature field show the same trend. (4) There are obvious precursors before the specimen is on the verge of instability; acoustic emission detected two consecutive increases in the cumulative number of ringing before destruction, which means the most obvious precursors. The research results can provide a theoretical basis for the precursory information capture and damage early warning of the fractured rock mass destruction process.

Research on Seepage Control of Jurong Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Power Station

Based on the geological and hydrogeological conditions of the Jurong Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Power Station (JPSHP), a 3D groundwater flow model was developed in the power station area, which took into account the heterogeneity and anisotropy of fractured rocks. A control inversion method for fractured rock structural planes was proposed, where larger-scale fractures were used as water-conducting media and the relatively intact rock matrix was used as water-storage media. A statistical method was used to obtain the geometric parameter values of the structural planes, so as to obtain the hydraulic conductivity tensor of the fractured rocks. Combining the impermeable drainage systems of the upper storage reservoir, underground powerhouse and lower storage reservoir, the 3D groundwater seepage field in the study area was predicted using the calibrated model. The leakage amounts of the upper storage reservoir, powerhouse and lower storage reservoir were 710.48 m3/d, 969.95 m3/d and 1657.55 m3/d, respectively. The leakage changes of the upper storage reservoir, powerhouse and lower storage reservoir were discussed under the partial and full failure of the anti-seepage system. The research results provide a scientific basis for the seepage control of the power station, and it is recommended to strengthen the seepage control of the upper and lower storage reservoirs and the underground powerhouse to avoid excessive leakage and affect the efficiency of the reservoir operation.

Study on Shear Failure and Crack Propagation Characteristics of Soil-Rock Mixture

Soil–rock mixture is a special geological material between homogeneous soil masses and fractured rock masses. In this study, the shear characteristics, movement and failure characteristics of particles and the evolution law of cracks were studied by direct shear tests and particle flow numerical simulations. The results show that the shear stress-shear displacement curves of the soil–rock mixture can be roughly classified into three stages: elastic stage, plastic stage and strain softening stage, and there was a "jump" phenomenon. The higher the rock content was, the more obvious the phenomenon. The shear strength and its indices of the soil–rock mixture did not increase with increasing rock content, but there was an "optimal rock content". According to the experimental and simulation results, particle breakage can be divided into three types: slight failure, partial failure and complete failure. The crack propagation characteristics can be divided into three stages, and the crack propagation depth increases with increasing shear displacement. It increases with increasing vertical stress and decreases with increasing block rock content.

Assessment of Tube Well Pumping Test Performance on Different Geological Formation

Water supply-demand is increasing in line with the increment in population. Natural water resources are declining due to reduction of water catchment areas, river pollution and drought. This causes the raw water quantity and quality to decrease and increase water treatment costs. Groundwater usage may be able to solve this problem due to its less polluted nature which requires less treatment. The groundwater is preserved in aquifer within the geological formations, i.e., in the alluvium and fractured-rock. However, the groundwater yield of each formation is unknown unless tube well is constructed and pumping test are performed. This study aim to evaluate the tube well performance via pumping test on two different geological formations. This research focuses on the effect of transmissivity, hydraulic conductivity, and efficiency of the aquifer, which are step-drawdown test, constant-rate test and recovery test in tube well in geological formation of alluvium and fractured rock. Three well-pumping tests at each formation were conducted at IBS Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK), Kelantan, Sekolah Kebangsaan Chantum, Kelantan, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Tok Bachok, Kelantan, FRU Wakaf Tapai, Terengganu, Kampung Dada Kering, Kuala Lipis, Pahang, and Kampung Seri Gunung Pulai, Johor, respectively. The aquifer efficiency obtained from the relationship between transmissivity and hydraulic conductivity. The suggested value of 75% efficiency is selected to present the well’s efficiency. The wells efficiency indicate that the alluvium formation has roughly uniform output between 9.39m3/h, 11.23m3/h and 23.38m3/h. Meanwhile in the fractured rock formation the efficiency was highly varied between sites, the highest is 32.33m3/h and the other two sites obtained has low output of 3.44 m3/h and 1.00m3/h respectively. The alluvium aquifer showed uniform water production compared to fractured hard rock aquifer. Meanwhile the water quantity in the fractured hard rock formation is unpredicted, which subjected to the fractured rock characteristic.

The Deviation of Semi-Theoretical and Semi-Empirical Water Inflow Prediction Formula Based on Sphere Coordinate Conversion and a Grouting Excavation Evaluation Method

The water in the rock medium is exchanged with the confined aquifer through the fracture, which leads to the water inflow line in the confined aquifer is no longer horizontal. This paper assumes that the aquifuge is a kind of semi-isolation layer, while the first-order derivative of the total head slope line function within the influence of precipitation approaches the slope of the line connecting the top plate of the aquifuge with the spherical center. This hypothesis demonstrates the relationship between the bottom of the well water inflow and the complete well gushing water. Laplace’s equation for the spherical coordinate transformation is used to find the analytical solution of the water inflow for stable flow. The calculation results are in line with reality through actual engineering and numerical simulation methods. The current numerical simulation methods and theoretical methods mostly consider the aquifer in the ideal state, which is difficult to simulate the fractured rock mass. The theoretical formula proposed in this paper can more effectively reflect the actual seepage situation of fractured rock mass than other formulas. In addition, the combination of theoretical derivation, numerical simulation and field measurement can predict the water inflow more accurately than unilateral research. At the same time, for the question of whether the face excavation is grouted or not, this paper using the subjective and objective assignment weight method combined with analytic hierarchy process method and entropy-weight method to take the weight calculation and giving a slurry excavation judgment method based on the proposed formula. Theoretical support is given for the selection of permeability coefficients for each hole in the overrun exploration and this method is validated by different projects, which has some degree of reference value.

Contribution of the ALBION Dynamic Analogue in Understanding the Diversity of Fluid Flows in Fractured Carbonate Reservoirs. The Example of the LSBB Instrumented Site

Carbonate reservoirs exhibit an extreme geological heterogeneity inducing a great diversity of fluids flows. Grasping the plurality of flows and the corresponding geological features require data scarcely available from subsurface hydrocarbons fields and even rarely acquired together on outcrop analogues. Among the different sites of the ALBION R&D project, the LSBB underground research laboratory provides outstanding access to both fractured limestone and groundwater dynamics through several experimental areas, including a 3.8 km long tunnel, which penetrates the Barremian-Aptian Urgonian formation to a maximum depth of 519 m. This paper gives an overview of the data acquired and the different works carried out on the LSBB site. From this synthesis, it draws lessons on the characterization of outcrop analogues and some insights for the modeling of fractured carbonate reservoirs. The quantity and diversity of the data acquired on the LSBB site allow: (i) the construction of nested multi-scale geological models, (ii) the comparison of measurements of different physical properties to better characterize the reservoir properties of the fractured rock, (iii) a multi-scale and multi-support approach to heterogeneity. Defining a common geological framework (facies model, rock type classification, inventory of structural objects, etc.) appears to be an essential step, possibly iterative, for the coupled interpretation of the various acquisitions and the extrapolation of results. Building a common geological model as a framework for interpretation help cross-fertilisation between geoscience domains. However, despite the huge amount of data, performing relevant and parsimonious rock typing remains a delicate exercise. This reminds us of the great uncertainties that can exist in establishing rules and concepts from limited data sets, such as those classically available for operational studies. Beyond the characterization of the depositional environment, the observations emphasize the importance of understanding the structural and diagenetic history, which leads to different rock types and current reservoir properties, to successfully define such a rock classification. Furthermore, the organization of flow paths within the fractured medium and its evolution over geologic time condition the processes of diagenesis and karstification. Hydrological processes and history must therefore be taken into account in this genetic reconstruction.