Intersection statistics and percolation criteria for fractures of mixed shapes and sizes
Intersection statistics and percolation criteria for fractures of mixed shapes and sizes
A model that has been widely applied to fractured rock comprises randomly distributed and oriented plates. Formulae are given for the intersection statistics of infinite systems of such plates of mixed shapes and sizes with lines, planes and each other; the results are expressed in terms of the number density, n, and of the average area 〈A〉 and perimeter 〈P〉 of the plates. From Monte-Carlo studies it has been found that a mixture of elliptical plates, each of area A and perimeter P, at the dimensionless density ρ=AkP3−2kn with k=0.774 is approximately invariant at the percolation threshold with a critical value of about ρc=8.2±0.2 for aspect ratios up to 16. The same result is found to apply to any mixture of convex plate shapes and sizes provided that for each plate Aand P are replaced by the area and perimeter of an ellipse with the same aspect ratio and product AP. The results should be of particular value in the interpretation of observed fracture statistics and in the construction of discrete fracture network models.
Continuum model, Ellipse, Fracture, Intersections, Mixture, Percolation
47-53
Barker, John A.
33bf9dec-cc9b-451c-8192-46099e316b6d
1 March 2018
Barker, John A.
33bf9dec-cc9b-451c-8192-46099e316b6d
Barker, John A.
(2018)
Intersection statistics and percolation criteria for fractures of mixed shapes and sizes.
Computers and Geosciences, 112, .
(doi:10.1016/j.cageo.2017.12.001).
Abstract
A model that has been widely applied to fractured rock comprises randomly distributed and oriented plates. Formulae are given for the intersection statistics of infinite systems of such plates of mixed shapes and sizes with lines, planes and each other; the results are expressed in terms of the number density, n, and of the average area 〈A〉 and perimeter 〈P〉 of the plates. From Monte-Carlo studies it has been found that a mixture of elliptical plates, each of area A and perimeter P, at the dimensionless density ρ=AkP3−2kn with k=0.774 is approximately invariant at the percolation threshold with a critical value of about ρc=8.2±0.2 for aspect ratios up to 16. The same result is found to apply to any mixture of convex plate shapes and sizes provided that for each plate Aand P are replaced by the area and perimeter of an ellipse with the same aspect ratio and product AP. The results should be of particular value in the interpretation of observed fracture statistics and in the construction of discrete fracture network models.
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More information
Accepted/In Press date: 1 December 2017
e-pub ahead of print date: 5 December 2017
Published date: 1 March 2018
Keywords:
Continuum model, Ellipse, Fracture, Intersections, Mixture, Percolation
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 417461
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/417461
ISSN: 0098-3004
PURE UUID: fa457ac6-ebaa-404f-b455-fca66a56b7a2
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Date deposited: 31 Jan 2018 17:30
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 18:09
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