Article
Approaching a Universal Scaling Relationship between Fracture Stiffness and Fluid Flow
Nature Communications
(2016)
Abstract
A goal of subsurface geophysical monitoring is the detection and characterization of fracture
alterations that affect the hydraulic integrity of a site. Achievement of this goal requires a link
between the mechanical and hydraulic properties of a fracture. Here we present a scaling
relationship between fluid flow and fracture-specific stiffness that approaches universality.
Fracture-specific stiffness is a mechanical property dependent on fracture geometry that can
be monitored remotely using seismic techniques. A Monte Carlo numerical approach
demonstrates that a scaling relationship exists between flow and stiffness for fractures with
strongly correlated aperture distributions, and continues to hold for fractures deformed by
applied stress and by chemical erosion as well. This new scaling relationship provides a
foundation for simulating changes in fracture behaviour as a function of stress or depth in the
Earth and will aid risk assessment of the hydraulic integrity of subsurface sites.
Keywords
- geophysics
Disciplines
Publication Date
2016
DOI
10.1038/ncomms10663
Citation Information
Laura Pyrak-Nolte and David D Nolte. "Approaching a Universal Scaling Relationship between Fracture Stiffness and Fluid Flow" Nature Communications (2016) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/ddnolte/21/