Abstract
The transmission of seismic waves in a particular region may influence the hydraulic properties of a rock mass, including permeability, which is one of the most important. To determine the effect of a seismic wave on the hydraulic behavior of a fractured rock mass, systematic numerical modeling was conducted. A number of discrete fracture network (DFN) models with a size of 20 m × 20 m were used as geometrical bases, and a discrete element method (DEM) was employed as a numerical simulation tool. Three different boundary conditions without (Type I) and with static (Type II) and dynamic (Type III) loading were performed on the models, and then their permeability was calculated. The results showed that permeability in Type III models was respectively 62.7% and 44.2% higher than in Type I and Type II models. This study indicates that seismic waves can affect deep earth, and, according to the results, seismic waves increase the permeability and change the flow rate patterns in a fractured rock mass.
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Lak, M., Baghbanan, A. & Hashemolhoseini, H. Effect of seismic waves on the hydro-mechanical properties of fractured rock masses. Earthq. Eng. Eng. Vib. 16, 525–536 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11803-017-0406-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11803-017-0406-9