Effects of seepage pressure on the mechanical behaviors and microstructure of sandstone

Surrounding rocks of underground engineering are subjected to long-term seepage pressure,which can deteriorate the mechanical properties and cause serious disasters.In order to understand the impact of seepage pressure on the mechanical property of sandstone,uniaxial compression tests,P-wave velocity measurements,and nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)tests were conducted on saturated sandstone samples with varied seepage pressures(i.e.0 MPa,3 MPa,4 MPa,5 MPa,6 MPa,7 MPa).The results demonstrate that the mechanical parameters(uniaxial compressive strength,peak strain,elastic modulus,and brittleness index),total energy,elastic strain energy,as well as elastic strain energy ratio,decrease with increasing seepage pressure,while the dissipation energy and dissipation energy ratio increase.Moreover,as seepage pressure increases,the micro-pores gradually transform into meso-pores and macro-pores.This increases the cumulative porosity of sandstone and decreases P-wave velocity.The numerical results indicate that as seepage pressure rises,the number of tensile cracks increases progressively,the angle range of microcracks is basically from 50-120to 80-100,and as a result,the failure mode transforms to the tensile-shear mixed failure mode.Finally,the effects of seepage pressure on mechanical properties were discussed.The results show that decrease in the effective stress and cohesion under the action of seepage pressure could lead to deterioration of strength behaviors of sandstone.

Theory of Combined Seepage Applied to Dewatering Systems

In the present study, an analytical solution is presented to solve the problem of combined seepage, under a sheet piling cofferdam, applied to dewatering systems. Existence of the sheet pile creates a confined seepage followed by an unconfined seepage in the same field, which presents a combined seepage problem. Two equations were developed to analyze the combined seepage underneath a sheet piling wall. Using such equations, both the maximum height of the free surface just behind the sheet piling cofferdam (Ho) and the quantity of seepage discharge to be pumped out from the construction site (q) can be determined. The main parameters affecting the combined seepage characteristics underneath a sheet piling wall are: The depth of permeable foundation layer (T), the horizontal distance behind the sheet pile (X), the depth of excavation in the construction site (D), the embedded depth of sheet pile (S), the retained water head (H1), the accumulated seepage water depth (H2), and the side slope factor of excavation line (M). Study showed that, the above parameters have a great effect on the combined seepage, but with different extents.

Experimental study of the effects of a multistage pore-throat structure on the seepage characteristics of sandstones in the Beibuwan Basin:Insights into the flooding mode

To investigate the relationship between grain sizes, seepage capacity, and oil-displacement efficiency in the Liushagang Formation of the Beibuwan Basin, this study identifies the multistage pore-throat structure as a crucial factor through a comparison of oil displacement in microscopic pore-throat experiments. The two-phase flow evaluation method based on the Li-Horne model is utilized to effectively characterize and quantify the seepage characteristics of different reservoirs, closely relating them to the distribution of microscopic pores and throats. It is observed that conglomerate sandstones at different stages exhibit significant heterogeneity and noticeable differences in seepage capacity, highlighting the crucial role played by certain large pore throats in determining seepage capacity and oil displacement efficiency. Furthermore, it was found that the displacement effects of conglomeratic sandstones with strong heterogeneity were inferior to those of conventional homogeneous sandstone, as evidenced by multiple displacement experiments conducted on core samples with varying granularities and flooding systems. Subsequently, core-based experiments on associated gas flooding after water flooding were conducted to address the challenge of achieving satisfactory results in a single displacement mode for reservoirs with significant heterogeneity. The results indicate that the oil recovery rates for associated gas flooding after water flooding increased by 7.3%-16.4% compared with water flooding alone at a gas-oil ratio of approximately 7000 m^(3)/m^(3). Therefore, considering the advantages of gas flooding in terms of seepage capacity, oil exchange ratio, and the potential for two-phase production, gas flooding is recommended as an energy supplement mode for homogeneous reservoirs in the presence of sufficient gas source and appropriate tectonic angle. On the other hand, associated gas flooding after water flooding is suggested to achieve a more favorable development effect compared to a single mode of energy supplementation for strongly heterogeneous sandstone reservoirs.

Effect mechanism of seepage force on the hydraulic fracture propagation

The flow of fluid through the porous matrix of a reservoir rock applies a seepage force to the solid rock matrix.Although the seepage force exerted by fluid flow through the porous matrix of a reservoir rock has a notable influence on rock deformation and failure,its effect on hydraulic fracture(HF)propagation remains ambiguous.Therefore,in this study,we improved a traditional fluid–solid coupling method by incorporating the role of seepage force during the fracturing fluid seepage,using the discrete element method.First,we validated the simulation results of the improved method by comparing them with an analytical solution of the seepage force and published experimental results.Next,we conducted numerical simulations in both homogeneous and heterogeneous sandstone formations to investigate the influence of seepage force on HF propagation.Our results indicate that fluid viscosity has a greater impact on the magnitude and extent of seepage force compared to injection rate,and that lower viscosity and injection rate correspond to shorter hydraulic fracture lengths.Furthermore,seepage force influences the direction of HF propagation,causing HFs to deflect towards the side of the reservoir with weaker cementation and higher permeability.

Impact of Osmotic Pressure on Seepage in Shale Oil Reservoirs

Following large-scale volume fracturing in shale oil reservoirs,well shut-in measures are generally employed.Laboratory tests and field trials have underscored the efficacy of fracturing fluid imbibition during the shut-in phase in augmenting shale oil productivity.Unlike conventional reservoirs,shale oil reservoirs exhibit characteristics such as low porosity,low permeability,and rich content of organic matter and clay minerals.Notably,the osmotic pressure effects occurring between high-salinity formation water and low-salinity fracturing fluids are significant.The current understanding of the mobilization patterns of crude oil in micro-pores during the imbibition process remains nebulous,and the mechanisms underpinning osmotic pressure effects are not fully understood.This study introduces a theoretical approach,by which a salt ion migration control equation is derived and a mathematical model for spontaneous imbibition in shale is introduced,which is able to account for both capillary and osmotic pressures.Results indicate that during the spontaneous imbibition of low-salinity fluids,osmotic effects facilitate the migration of external fluids into shale pores,thereby complementing capillary forces in displacing shale oil.When considering both capillary and osmotic pressures,the calculated imbibition depth increases by 12%compared to the case where only capillary forces are present.The salinity difference between the reservoir and the fracturing fluids significantly influences the imbibition depth.Calculations for the shutin phase reveal that the pressure between the matrix and fractures reaches a dynamic equilibrium after 28 days of shut-in.During the production phase,the maximum seepage distance in the target block is approximately 6.02 m.

A review of mechanical deformation and seepage mechanism of rock with filled joints

Various defects exist in natural rock masses,withfilled joints being a vital factor complicating both the mechanical characteristics and seepage mechanisms of the rock mass.Filled jointed rocks usually show mechanical properties that are weaker than those of intact rocks but stronger than those of rocks with fractures.The shape of the rock,filling material,prefabricatedfissure geometry,fissure roughness,fissure inclination angle,and other factors mainly influence the mechanical and seepage properties.This paper systematically reviews the research progress andfindings onfilled rock joints,focusing on three key aspects:mechanical properties,seepage properties,andflow properties under mechanical response.First,the study emphasizes the effects of prefabricated defects(shape,size,filling material,inclination angle,and other factors)on the mechanical properties of the rock.The fracture extension behavior of rock masses is revealed by the stress state of rocks withfilled joints under uniaxial compression,using advanced auxiliary test techniques.Second,the seepage properties of rocks withfilled joints are discussed and summarized through theoretical analysis,experi-mental research,and numerical simulations,focusing on organizing the seepage equations of these rocks.The study also considers the form of failure under stress-seepage coupling for both fullyfilled and partiallyfilledfissured rocks.Finally,the limitations in the current research on the rock withfilled joints are pointed out.It is emphasized that the specimens should more closely resemble real conditions,the analysis of mechanical indexes should be multi-parameterized,the construction of the seepage model should be refined,and the engineering coupling application should be multi-field-multiphase.

Flow field analysis and particle erosion of tunnel-slope systems under coupling between runoff and fast (slow) seepage

The presence of particles on the surface of a tunnel slope renders it susceptible to erosion by waterflow,which is a major cause of soil and water loss.In this study,a nonlinear mathematical model and a mechanical equilibrium model are developed to investigate the distribution offlowfields and particle motion characteristics of tunnel slopes,respectively.The mathematical model offlowfields comprises three parts:a runoff region,a highly permeable soil layer,and a weakly permeable soil layer.The Navier‒Stokes equation controlsfluid motion in the runoff region,while the Brinkman-extended Darcy equation governs fast and slow seepage in the highly and weakly permeable soil layers,respectively.Analytical solutions are derived for the velocity profile and shear stress expression of the modelflowfield under the boundary condition of continuous transition of velocity and stress at thefluid‒solid interface.The shear stress distribution shows that the shear stress at the tunnel-slope surface is the largest,followed by the shear stress of the soil interface,indicating that particles in these two locations are most vulnerable to erosion.A mechanical equilibrium model of sliding and rolling of single particles is established at thefluid‒solid interface,and the safety factor of particle motion(sliding and rolling)is derived.Sensitivity analysis shows that by increasing the runoff depth,slope angle,and soil permeability,the erosion of soil particles will be aggravated on the tunnel-slope surface,but by increasing the particle diameter,particle-specific gravity,and particle stacking angle,the erosion resistance ability of the tunnel-slope surface particles will be enhanced.This study can serve as a reference for the analysis of surface soil and water loss in tunnel-slope systems.

A new classification of seepage control mechanisms in geotechnical engineering

Seepage flow through soils,rocks and geotechnical structures has a great influence on their stabilities and performances,and seepage control is a critical technological issue in engineering practices.The physical mechanisms associated with various engineering measures for seepage control are investigated from a new perspective within the framework of continuum mechanics;and an equation-based classification of seepage control mechanisms is proposed according to their roles in the mathematical models for seepage flow,including control mechanisms by coupled processes,initial states,boundary conditions and hydraulic properties.The effects of each mechanism on seepage control are illustrated with examples in hydroelectric engineering and radioactive waste disposal,and hence the reasonability of classification is demonstrated.Advice on performance assessment and optimization design of the seepage control systems in geotechnical engineering is provided,and the suggested procedure would serve as a useful guidance for cost-effective control of seepage flow in various engineering practices.

A state‑of‑the‑art review on rock seepage mechanism of water inrush disaster in coal mines

Water inrush is one of the most dangerous disasters in coal mining.Due to the large-scale mining and complicated hydrogeological conditions,thousands of deaths and huge economic losses have been caused by water inrush disasters in China.There are two main factors determining the occurrence of water inrush:water source and water-conducting pathway.Research on the formation mechanism of the water-conducting pathway is the main direction to prevent and control the water inrush,and the seepage mechanism of rock mass during the formation of the water-conducting pathway is the key for the research on the water inrush mechanism.This paper provides a state-of-the-art review of seepage mechanisms during water inrush from three aspects,i.e.,mechanisms of stress-seepage coupling,fow regime transformation and rock erosion.Through numerical methods and experimental analysis,the evolution law of stress and seepage felds in the process of water inrush is fully studied;the fuid movement characteristics under diferent fow regimes are clearly summarized;the law of particle initiation and migration in the process of water inrush is explored,and the efect of rock erosion on hydraulic and mechanical properties of the rock media is also studied.Finally,some limitations of current research are analyzed,and the suggestions for future research on water inrush are proposed in this review.

Analysis and evaluation on seepage stability of Hongxing reservoir dam,Heilongjiang

Hongxing reservoir was constructed on the floodplain of Hulan River in Heilongjiang. The geological problem of the reservoir is the seepage of the dam base and its related seepage stability. The leakage of the reservoir is caused by the water head differences between the upstream and downstream of the dam. Severe seepage could decrease the engineering benefits of the reservoir. Moreover,infiltration function of water will influence the safety of the dam. Through the analysis on the granule constitute and the formation of the dam base,the types of the seepage failure apt to happen were defined and the anti-infiltration and the permissible depression ratio were determined. Using the numerical simulation software GMS,the two-dimension numerical modeling has been carried out to analyze the seepage field of the reservoir. Through the two conditions modeling with concrete impervious wall and no concrete impervious wall,the largest flow rate,single-wide seepage discharge and the max infiltration gradient of the dam base were calculated. According to the permeable depression ratio of the dam base,the seepage stability of Hongxing reservoir dam base was analyzed.

RULE OF TRANSIENT PHREATIC FLOW SUBJECTED TO VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL SEEPAGE

In a semi-infinite aquifer bounded by a channel, a transient flow model is constructed for phreatic water subjected to vertical and horizontal seepage. Based on the first linearized Boussinesq equation, the analytical solution of the model is obtained by Laplace transform. Having proven the transformation between the analytical solution and some relevant classic formulas, suitable condition for each of these formulas is demonstrated. On the base of the solution, the variation of transient flow process caused by the variables, such as vertical infiltration intensity, fluctuation range of river stage, aquifer parameters such as transmissivity and specific yield, and the distance from calculating point to channel boundary, are analyzed quantitatively one by one. Lagging effect will happen to the time, when phreatic water gets its maximum fluctuation velocity, response to the varying of the variables stated above. The condition for some variables to form equivalent lagging effect is demonstrated. Corresponding to the mathematical charac teristics of the analytical solution, the physical implication and the fluctuation rule of groundwater level are discussed.

Three-dimensional stochastic seepage field for embankment engineering

Owing to the complexity of geo-engineering seepage problems influenced by different random factors, three-dimensional simulation and analysis of the stochastic seepage field plays an important role in engineering applications. A three-dimensional anisotropic heterogeneous steady random seepage model was developed on the basis of the finite element method. A statistical analysis of the distribution characteristics of soil parameters sampled from the main embankment of the Yangtze River in the Southern Jingzhou zone of China was conducted. The Kolomogorov-Smirnov test verified the statistical hypothesis that the permeability coefficient tensor has a Gaussian distribution. With the help of numerical analysis of the stochastic seepage field using the developed model, various statistical and random characteristics of the stochastic seepage field of the main embankment of the Yangtze River in the Southern Jingzhou zone of China were investigated. The model was also examined with statistical testing. Through the introduction of random variation of the upstream and downstream water levels into the model, the effects of the boundary randomness due to variation of the downstream and upstream water levels on the variation of simulated results presented with a vector series of the random seepage field were analyzed. Furthermore, the combined influence of the variation of the soil permeability coefficient and such seepage resistance measures as the cut-off wall and relief ditch on the hydraulic head distribution was analyzed and compared with the results obtained by determinate analysis. Meanwhile, sensitivities of the hydraulic gradient and downstream exit height to the variation of boundary water level were studied. The validity of the simulated results was verified by stochastic testing and measured data. The developed model provides more detail and a full stochastic algorithm to characterize and analyze three-dimensional stochastic seepage field problems.

Analysis of the Properties and Anti-Seepage Mechanism of PBFC Slurry in Landfill

As the landfill leachate has strong pollution on the underground water,surface water and soil.This paper develops the formula of impervious slurry with low permeability,good durability,strong adsorption and retardant based on the bentonite which is modified by polyvinyl alcohol.Through the simulation experiment,the optimum formula of polyvinyl alcohol is 0.2%.Its osmotic coefficient for 28 days is 0.53×10^-8~1.86×10^-8 cm/s and compressive strength is 0.5~1.5 MPa as well.This paper study on the retardant rule of the consolidation of slurry against the pollution in the leachate by self-made percolation instrument.The experiment shows that the retardant rate of the consolidation against inorganic pollutants and organic pollutants is over 85% and the retardant rate against heavy metal ion such as Hg and Pb is above 99%.The slurry has the characteristics of low permeability,high retardant against pollution,good durability and plasticity,no chemical additives,no pollution,wide source of raw materials and good economy which determine it can be used to new landfill or existing landfill,building foundation pit and water conservancy project.

Stability analysis of shallow tunnels subjected to seepage with strength reduction theory

Based on strength reduction theory,the stability numbers of shallow tunnels were investigated within the framework of upper and lower bound theorems of limit analysis. Stability solutions taking into account of water seepage were presented and compared with those without considering seepage. The comparisons indicate that the maximum difference does not exceed 3.7%,which proves the present method credible. The results show that stability numbers of shallow tunnels considering seepage are much less than those without considering seepage,and that the difference of stability numbers between considering seepage and without considering seepage increase with increasing the depth ratio. The stability numbers decrease with increasing permeability coefficient and groundwater depth. Seepage has significant effects on the stability numbers of shallow tunnels.

Enhancing the leaching effect of an ion-absorbed rare earth ore by ameliorating the seepage effect with sodium dodecyl sulfate surfactant

Ameliorating the problem of low leaching efficiency,long leaching period,and high agent consumption should be studied to efficiently exploit ion-absorbed rare earth ore resources.In this study,the surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate(SDS) is used to enhance the leaching effect of an ion-absorbed rare earth ore by ameliorating the seepage effect for the first time.The effects of surfactant concentration,leaching agent dosage,solution flow velocity,and solution pH on the leaching rate were explored,and the mechanism of SDS was discussed.Under the optimum conditions,the addition of a small amount of SDS(mass fraction0.04%) can increase the leaching rate by about 5%,shorten the leaching period,and reduce the consumption of the leaching agent.SDS significantly ameliorates the seepage effect of the ore body by reducing the surface tension of the leaching agent and ameliorating the wettability of the mineral surface.This effect is the main factor that improves the leaching efficiency.DFT(density functional theory) calculation results show that SDS can react with rare earth ions,which reduces the adsorption strength on clay mineral surfaces.Hence,rare earth ions are easily exchanged by ammonium ions,and mass transfer is enhanced.

Vertical Migration of Fine-Grained Sediments from Interior to Surface of Seabed Driven by Seepage Flows–‘Sub-Bottom Sediment Pump Action'

A scientific hypothesis is proposed and preliminarily verified in this paper: under the driving of seepage flows, there might be a vertical migration of fine-grained soil particles from interior to surface of seabed, which is defined as ‘sub-bottom sediment pump action' in this paper. Field experiments were performed twice on the intertidal flat of the Yellow River delta to study this process via both trapping the pumped materials and recording the pore pressures in the substrate. Experimental results are quite interesting as we did observe yellow slurry which is mainly composed of fine-grained soil particles appearing on the seabed surface; seepage gradients were also detected in the intertidal flat, under the action of tides and small wind waves. Preliminary conclusions are that ‘sediment pump' occurs when seepage force exceeds a certain threshold: firstly, it is big enough to disconnect the soil particles from the soil skeleton; secondly, the degree of seabed fluidization or bioturbation is big enough to provide preferred paths for the detached materials to migrate upwards. Then they would be firstly pumped from interior to the surface of seabed and then easily re-suspended into overlying water column. Influential factors of ‘sediment pump' are determined as hydrodynamics(wave energy), degree of consolidation, index of bioturbation(permeability) and content of fine-grained materials(sedimentary age). This new perspective of ‘sediment pump' may provide some implications for the mechanism interpretation of several unclear geological phenomena in the Yellow River delta area.

Seepage characteristics of a fractured silty mudstone under different confining pressures and temperatures

To investigate the influence of confining pressures and temperatures on the seepage characteristics of fractured rocks, seepage tests were conducted on a fractured silty mudstone using a self-developed experimental system, and the effects of different factors on coefficient of permeability were discussed. The results showed that the increasing confining pressure will gradually decrease the coefficient of permeability, and this process is divided into two stages: 1) the fast decrease stage, which corresponds to a confining pressure less than 30 kPa, and 2) the slow decrease stage, which corresponds to a confining pressure larger than 30 kPa. Unlike confining pressure, an increase in temperature will increase the coefficient of permeability. It is noted that fracture surface roughness will also affect the variation of coefficient of permeability to a certain extent. Among the three examined factors, the effect of confining pressure increases is dominant on fracture permeability coefficient. The relationship between the confining pressure and coefficient of permeability can be quantified by an exponential function.

Influences of strain softening and seepage on elastic and plastic solutions of circular openings in nonlinear rock masses

Considering the influence of strain softening, the solutions of stress, displacement, plastic softening region radius and plastic residual region radius were derived for circular openings in nonlinear rock masses subjected to seepage. The radial stress distribution curve, ground reaction curve, and relation curve between plastic softening region radius and supporting force in three different conditions were drawn respectively. From the comparisons among these results for different conditions, it is found that when the supporting force is the same, the displacement of tunnel wall considering both seepage and strain softening is 85.71% greater than that only considering seepage. The increase values of radial displacement at 0.95 m and plastic softening region radius at 6.6 m show that the seepage and strain softening have the most unfavorable effects on circular opening stability in strain softening rock masses.

Seepage simulation of high concrete-faced rockfill dams based on generalized equivalent continuum model

This research focused on the three-dimensional(3 D) seepage field simulation of a high concrete-faced rockfill dam(CFRD) under complex hydraulic conditions. A generalized equivalent continuum model of fractured rock mass was used for equivalent continuous seepage field analysis based on the improved node virtual flow method. Using a high CFRD as an example, the generalized equivalent continuum range was determined, and a finite element model was established based on the terrain and geological conditions, as well as structural face characteristics of the dam area. The equivalent seepage coefficients of different material zones or positions in the dam foundation were calculated with the Snow model or inverse analysis. Then, the 3 D seepage field in the dam area was calculated under the normal water storage conditions, and the corresponding water head distribution, seepage flow, seepage gradient, and seepage characteristics in the dam area were analyzed. The results show that the generalized equivalent continuum model can effectively simulate overall seepage patterns of the CFRD under complex hydraulic conditions and provide a reference for seepage analysis of similar CFRDs.

Further studies on the numerical simulation of bubble plumes in the cold seepage active region

Using the occurrence characteristics of bubble plumes in the South China Sea as a reference, this paper continues to study the seismic responses produced by bubble plumes in the cold seepage active region. To make the plume modelling scheme more reasonable, we modified the original modelling scheme and reconstructed a plume water body model based on the variation of its radius as bubbles rise in seawater. The plume seismic records of shot gathers were obtained by forward simulation. The seismic records of single shot show obvious characteristics of a scattering wave field and the periodic characteristics of the model. Seismic records of shot gathers were processed using prestack depth migration. The boundary of its imaging section has a good convergence effect. The migration sections can be imaged distinctly with higher accuracy. The aforementioned studies once again laid a foundation for the further study of the seismic responses produced by plumes. They also gradually probed a more suitable seismic data processing method for plumes and provided a theoretical guidance for the identification of plumes.