Particles' transport in a single fracture under variable flow regimes

A mathematical model to account for non-laminar terms, during simulated transports in fractured rocks has been developed. The relevant conceptual model consists of a two dimensional grid block equivalent to a variable fracture plane. The block aperture variability is expressed by means of stochastic procedures, based upon some characteristics of fractured media. One of them, e.g. the equivalent hydraulic aperture, may be estimated by means of the results of field tests. The solution of Navier-Stokes and Darcy-Weisbach's equation for steady state flow between two parallel plates with constant aperture allows the systems of equations under respetively, laminar and non-laminar conditions, to be wirtten. The flow model is a standard finite-difference method with a modified version of Darcy's equation to account for non-laminar terms that are important at high water velocity. To simulate solute transports, the particle tracking technique was applied. q1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved