Critical Reynolds number for nonlinear flow through rough-walled fractures: The role of shear processes

This paper experimentally investigates the role of shear processes on the variation of critical Reynolds number and nonlinear flow through rough-walled rock fractures. A quantitative criterion was developed to quantify the onset of nonlinear flow by comprehensive combination of Forchheimer's la...

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Main Authors: Javadi, M., Sharifzadeh, Mostafa, Shahriar, K., Mitani, Y.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc. 2014
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/30215
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author Javadi, M.
Sharifzadeh, Mostafa
Shahriar, K.
Mitani, Y.
author_facet Javadi, M.
Sharifzadeh, Mostafa
Shahriar, K.
Mitani, Y.
author_sort Javadi, M.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description This paper experimentally investigates the role of shear processes on the variation of critical Reynolds number and nonlinear flow through rough-walled rock fractures. A quantitative criterion was developed to quantify the onset of nonlinear flow by comprehensive combination of Forchheimer's law and Reynolds number. At each shear displacement, several high-precision water flow tests were carried out with different hydraulic gradients then the critical Reynolds number was determined based on the developed criterion. The results show that (i) the Forchheimer's law was fitted very well to experimental results of nonlinear fluid flow through rough-walled fractures, (ii) the coefficients of viscous and inertial pressure drops experience 4 and 7 orders of magnitude reduction during shear displacement, respectively, and (iii) the critical Reynolds number varies from 0.001 to 25 and experiences 4 orders of magnitude enlargement by increasing shear displacement from 0 to 20 mm. These findings may prove useful in proper understanding of fluid flow through rock fractures, or inclusions in computational studies of large-scale nonlinear flow in fractured rocks.
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format Journal Article
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institution Curtin University Malaysia
institution_category Local University
last_indexed 2025-11-14T08:17:56Z
publishDate 2014
publisher Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc.
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling curtin-20.500.11937-302152017-09-13T15:30:51Z Critical Reynolds number for nonlinear flow through rough-walled fractures: The role of shear processes Javadi, M. Sharifzadeh, Mostafa Shahriar, K. Mitani, Y. shear flow Critical Reynolds number shear processes nonlinear flow Forchheimer's Law rough-walled fracture This paper experimentally investigates the role of shear processes on the variation of critical Reynolds number and nonlinear flow through rough-walled rock fractures. A quantitative criterion was developed to quantify the onset of nonlinear flow by comprehensive combination of Forchheimer's law and Reynolds number. At each shear displacement, several high-precision water flow tests were carried out with different hydraulic gradients then the critical Reynolds number was determined based on the developed criterion. The results show that (i) the Forchheimer's law was fitted very well to experimental results of nonlinear fluid flow through rough-walled fractures, (ii) the coefficients of viscous and inertial pressure drops experience 4 and 7 orders of magnitude reduction during shear displacement, respectively, and (iii) the critical Reynolds number varies from 0.001 to 25 and experiences 4 orders of magnitude enlargement by increasing shear displacement from 0 to 20 mm. These findings may prove useful in proper understanding of fluid flow through rock fractures, or inclusions in computational studies of large-scale nonlinear flow in fractured rocks. 2014 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/30215 10.1002/2013WR014610 Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc. fulltext
spellingShingle shear flow
Critical Reynolds number
shear processes
nonlinear flow
Forchheimer's Law
rough-walled fracture
Javadi, M.
Sharifzadeh, Mostafa
Shahriar, K.
Mitani, Y.
Critical Reynolds number for nonlinear flow through rough-walled fractures: The role of shear processes
title Critical Reynolds number for nonlinear flow through rough-walled fractures: The role of shear processes
title_full Critical Reynolds number for nonlinear flow through rough-walled fractures: The role of shear processes
title_fullStr Critical Reynolds number for nonlinear flow through rough-walled fractures: The role of shear processes
title_full_unstemmed Critical Reynolds number for nonlinear flow through rough-walled fractures: The role of shear processes
title_short Critical Reynolds number for nonlinear flow through rough-walled fractures: The role of shear processes
title_sort critical reynolds number for nonlinear flow through rough-walled fractures: the role of shear processes
topic shear flow
Critical Reynolds number
shear processes
nonlinear flow
Forchheimer's Law
rough-walled fracture
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/30215