Plane strain consolidation of soil layer with anisotropic permeability

This paper presents an alternative analytical technique to study a plane strain consolidation of a poroelastic soil by taking into account the anisotropy of permeability. From the governing equations of a saturated poroelastic soil, the relationship of basic variables for a point of a soil layer is established between the ground surface （z=0） and the depth z in the Laplace-Fourier transform domain. Combined with the boundary conditions, an exact solution is derived for plane strain Biot＇s consolidation of a finite soil layer with anisotropic permeability in the transform domain. Numerical inversions of the Laplace transform and the Fourier transform are adopted to obtain the actual solution in the physical domain. Numerical results of plane strain Biot＇s consolidation for a single soil layer show that the anisotropic of permeability has a great influence on the consolidation behavior of the soils.

Uncoupled state space solution to layered poroelastic medium with anisotropic permeability and compressible pore fluid

This paper presents an uncoupled state space solution to three-dimensional consolidation of layered poroelastic medium with anisotropic permeability and compressible pore fluid.Starting from the basic equations of poroelastic medium,and introducing intermediate variables,the state space equation usually comprising eight coupled state vectors is uncoupled into two sets of equations of six and two state vectors in the Laplace-Fourier transform domain.Combined with the continuity conditions between adjacent layers and boundary conditions,the uncoupled state space solution of a layered poroelastic medium is obtained by using the transfer matrix method.Numerical results show that the anisotropy of permeability and the compressibility of pore fluid have remarkable influence on the consolidation behavior of poroelastic medium.

3-D CONSOLIDATION ANALYSIS OF LAYERED SOIL WITH ANISOTROPIC PERMEABILITY USING ANALYTICAL LAYER-ELEMENT METHOD

Starting with governing equations of a saturated soil with anisotropic permeability and based on multiple integral transforms, an analytical layer-element equation is established explicitly in the Laplace-Fourier transformed domain. A global matrix of layered soil can be obtained by assembling a set of analytical layer-elements, which is further solved in the transformed domain by considering boundary conditions. The numerical inversion of LaplaceFourier trans- form is employed to acquire the actual solution. Numerical analysis for 3-D consolidation with anisotropic permeability of a layered soil system is presented, and the influence of anisotropy of permeability on the consolidation behavior is discussed.

Performance analysis and optimal design for well patterns in anisotropic formations

The mechanism of the effects of anisotropic permeability on well patterns and reservoir development are investigated by coordinate transformation, fluid flow analysis, and reservoir development concepts. Anisotropy of permeability has reconstructive effects on well patterns. The originally designed flooding units are broken up, and new pattern units are made up of the wells that belong to different original units. The behavior possesses strong randomness, and leads to a complicated relationship among the injection and production wells, and unpredictable productivity of the formations. To prevent the break-up of well patterns, well lines should be either parallel or perpendicular to the maximum principal direction of the anisotropic permeability （i.e. the fracture direction）. To optimize the development effects ofanisotropic formations, the latitudinal and longitudinal well spacing of the well network are calculated from the principal values of the anisotropic permeability.

Understanding the need for pre-injection from permeability measurements: What is the connection?

Pre-grouting ahead of tunnels has three main functions:to control water inflow into the tunnel,to limit groundwater drawdown above the tunnel,and to make tunnelling progress more predictable since rock mass quality is effectively improved.It helps to avoid settlement damage caused by consolidation of clay deposits beneath built-up areas,since towns tend to be built where terrain is more flat,due to the clay deposits.There are so many instances of settlement damage that the profession needs to take note of the need for high-pressure pre-grouting,to use micro-cements and micro-silica additives.The use of highpressure injection may cause joint jacking,but this is local in extent when the rapid pressure decay away from an injection hole is understood.This effect is variable and depends on the geometrical parameters of the joints.This pressure-decay advantage must not be violated by maintaining high pressure when grout flow from the injection hole has ceased.The latter can cause damage to the grouting already achieved.Simplified methods of estimating mean hydraulic apertures(e)from Lugeon testing are described,and from more sophisticated three-dimensional(3D)permeability measurement.The estimation of the larger mean physical joint apertures(E)is based on the joint roughness coefficient(JRC).Comparison is then made with the empirical aperture-particle size criterion E>4d95,where d95 represents almost the largest cement particle size.Depending on joint set orientations and on the available micro-cements,the decision must be made of which range of pre-injection pressure should be aimed for,using successive reductions of the water-cement ratio w/c.More simple estimation of permeability,also with depth dependence,can be made with the empirical link between a modified rock mass quality Q and permeability,which is termed QH2O.The value of this parameter can be based on core-logging or intunnel face logging.The 3D before-and-after-grouting permeability measurements have been used to justify the quantification of rock mass quality Q-parameter improvement,and the consequent increases in expected P-wave velocity and deformation modulus,for application in dam foundation treatment and its monitoring.