All Issue

2026 Vol.36, Issue 4 Preview Page

Original Article

Characterization of Fluid Flow through a Single Rock Joint according to the Roughness and Aperture Correlation

거칠기와 간극의 상관거리에 따른 단일 암석 절리의 수리 유동 특성

Seungbeom Choi1*
,
Jin-Seop Kim2
최 승범1*
,
김 진섭2
1Senior Researcher, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI)
2Principal Researcher, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI)
1한국원자력연구원 선임연구원
2한국원자력연구원 책임연구원
*Corresponding Author
31 August 2026. pp. 380-397
PDF XML Citation
Abstract

Groundwater flow in crystalline rock masses occurs mainly through joints, making the hydraulic characterization of single joint important for various rock mechanics applications. This study numerically investigated the effects of joint roughness and aperture spatial correlation on linear and nonlinear flow through a single rock joint. Two-dimensional numerical models were constructed using digitized standard JRC profiles, and aperture fields with identical mean and distribution but different correlation lengths were generated. Steady incompressible flow simulations were performed using the Navier-Stokes equations, and the results were analyzed with the Forchheimer and Izbash equations. The results showed that shorter aperture correlation lengths reduced discharge and increased nonlinear flow coefficients under the same mean aperture condition. This is attributed to frequent local aperture variations, which strengthen inertial loss and eddy formation. In addition, the effect was more pronounced for rougher profiles. These findings indicate that both joint roughness and aperture space characteristics should be separately quantified to interpret nonlinear flow through rock joints.

Keywords
Rock joint
Aperture
Spatial correlation
JRC
Linear/nonlinear flow

결정질 암반에서 지하수 유동은 주로 절리를 통해 발생하므로, 단일 절리를 통한 수리 유동의 정량적 특성화는 여러 암반 공학 문제에서 중요하다. 본 연구에서는 절리 거칠기와 간극의 공간 상관성이 단일 암석 절리를 통한 선형 및 비선형 유동에 미치는 영향을 수치해석적으로 분석하였다. 표준 JRC 프로파일을 이용하여 2차원 절리 모델을 구성하고, 동일한 평균과 분포를 갖지만 상관거리가 서로 다른 간극 공간을 생성하였다. 이후 Navier-Stokes 방정식을 이용하여 정상상태 비압축성 유체에 대한 수리 해석을 수행하였고, Forchheimer 및 Izbash 방정식으로 결과를 분석하였다. 해석 결과, 짧은 간극 상관거리는 동일 평균 간극 조건에서도 유량을 감소시키고 비선형 유동 관련 계수를 증가시켰다. 이는 국부적인 간극 변동을 반복하면서 관성 손실과 와류 형성이 강화되었기 때문으로 판단되었다. 또한 이러한 영향은 거칠기가 큰 프로파일에서 더욱 뚜렷하게 관찰되었다. 본 연구 결과로부터 절리의 비선형 수리 유동 해석을 위해 거칠기와 간극 공간 특성을 별도로 정량화할 필요가 있음을 확인하였다.

키워드
암석 절리
간극
공간 상관성
절리 거칠기 계수
선형/비선형 유동
References
1

Bakolas, V., 2003, Numerical generation of arbitrarily oriented non-Gaussian three-dimensional rough surfaces. Wear, 254, 546-554.

10.1016/S0043-1648(03)00133-9
2

Barton, N., and Bandis, S.C., 1982, Effects of block size on the shear behavior of jointed rock. Keynote lecture. In the proceedings of 23rd Symposium on Rock on Mechanics, Berkely, California.

3

Barton, N., and Choubey, V., 1977, The shear strength of rock joints in theory and practice. Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 10(1), 1-54.

10.1007/BF01261801
4

Barton, N., Wang, C., and Yong, R., 2023, Advances in joint roughness coefficient (JRC) and its engineering applications. Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 15(12), 3352-3379.

10.1016/j.jrmge.2023.02.002
5

Brown, S.R., 1987, Fluid flow through rock joints: The effect of surface roughness. Journal of Geophysical Research, 92(B2), 1337-1347.

10.1029/JB092iB02p01337
6

Brown, S.R., 1995, Simple mathematical model of a rough fracture. Journal of Geophysical Research, 100(B4), 5941-5952.

10.1029/94JB03262
7

Candela, T., Renard, F., Bouchon, M., Brouste, A., Marsan, D., Schmittbuhl, J., and Voisin, C., 2009, Characterization of fault roughness at various scales: Implication of three-dimensional high resolution topography measurements. Pure and Applied Geophysics, 166, 1817-1851.

10.1007/978-3-0346-0138-2_13
8

Chen, S.J., Zhu, W.C., Xu, Q.L., and Liu, X.G., 2016, Characterization of anisotropy of joint surface roughness and aperture by variogram approach based on digital image processing technique. Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 49, 855-876.

10.1007/s00603-015-0795-x
9

Chen, Y.F., Zhou, J.Q., Hu, S.H., Hu, R., and Zhou, C.B., 2015, Evaluation of Forchheimer equation coefficients for non-Darcy flow in deformable rough-walled fractures. Journal of Hydrology, 529, 993-1006.

10.1016/j.jhydrol.2015.09.021
10

Choi, S., Kim, T., and Kim, J.S., 2025, Effects of joint geometric properties on linear and nonlinear flow through a single rock joint. Tunnel & Underground Space, 35(5), 640-666.

11

COMSOL, 2022, COMSOL Multiphysics User’s guide (version 6.3). COMSOL AB., Stockholm, Sweden.

12

Gadelmawla, E.S., Koura, M.M., Maksoud, T.M.A., Elewa, I.M., and Soliman, H.H., 2002, Roughness parameters. Journal of Materials Processing Technology, 123, 133-145.

10.1016/S0924-0136(02)00060-2
13

Glover, P., Matsuki, K., Hikima, R., and Hayasi, K., 1998, Synthetic rough fractures in rocks. Journal of Geophysical Research, 103(B5), 9609-9620.

10.1029/97JB02836
14

Hakami, E., and Larsson, E., 1996, Aperture measurements and flow experiments on a single natural fracture. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences & Geomechanics Abstracts, 33(4), 395-404.

10.1016/0148-9062(95)00070-4
15

Hu, Y.Z., and Tonder, K., 1992, Simulation of 3-D random rough surface by 2-D digital filter and Fourier analysis. International Journal of Machine Tools and Manufacture, 32(1/2), 83-90.

10.1016/0890-6955(92)90064-N
16

Jang, H.S., Kang, S.S., and Jang, B.A., 2014, Determination of joint roughness coefficient using roughness parameters. Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 47, 2061-2073.

10.1007/s00603-013-0535-z
17

Lanaro, F., 2000, A random field model for surface roughness and aperture of rock fractures. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 37, 1195-1210.

10.1016/S1365-1609(00)00052-6
18

Lee, H.S., and Cho, T.F., 2002, Hydraulic characteristics of rough fractures in linear flow under normal and shear load. Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 35, 299-318.

10.1007/s00603-002-0028-y
19

Lee, S.D., 2002, A study of the influence of void geometry on fracture closure and permeability. Tunnel & Underground Space, 12(4), 304-311.

20

Li, Y., and Zhang, Y., 2015, Quantitative estimation of joint roughness coefficient using statistical parameters. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 77, 27-35.

10.1016/j.ijrmms.2015.03.016
21

Li, Y., Xu, Q., and Aydin, A., 2017, Uncertainty in estimating the roughness coefficient of rock fracture surfaces. Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment, 76, 1153-1165.

10.1007/s10064-016-0994-z
22

Manesh, K.K., Ramamoorthy, B., and Singaperumal, M., 2010, Numerical generation of anisotropic 3D non-Gaussian engineering surfaces with specified 3D surface roughness parameters. Wear, 268, 1371-1379.

10.1016/j.wear.2010.02.005
23

Min, K.B., Rutqvist, J., Tang, C.F., and Jing, L., 2004, Stress-dependent permeability of fractured rock masses: A numerical study. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Science, 41(7), 1191-1210.

10.1016/j.ijrmms.2004.05.005
24

Nordqvist, R., Gustafsson, E., Andersson, P., and Thur, P., 2008, Groundwater flow and hydraulic gradients in fractures and fracture zones at Forsmark and Oskarshamn, Technical report R-08-103, SKB.

25

Ogilvie, S.R., Isakov, E., and Glover, P., 2006, Fluid flow through rough fractures in rocks. II: A new matching model for rough rock fractures. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 241, 454-465.

10.1016/j.epsl.2005.11.041
26

Patir, N., 1978, A numerical procedure for random generation of rough surfaces. Wear, 47, 263-277.

10.1016/0043-1648(78)90157-6
27

Qian, J., Zhan, H., Luo, S., and Zhao, W., 2007, Experimental evidence of scale-dependent hydraulic conductivity for fully developed turbulent flow in a single fracture. Journal of Hydrology, 339, 206-215.

10.1016/j.jhydrol.2007.03.015
28

Renard, F., Voisin, C., Marsan, D., and Schmittbuhl, J., 2006, High resolution 3D laser scanner measurement of a strike-slip fault quantify its morphological anisotropy at all scales. Geophysical Research Letters, 33, L04305.

10.1029/2005GL025038
29

Rong, G., Cheng, L., Quan, J., Tan, Y., He, R., and Tan, J., 2020a, Numerical simulations of incompressible fluid flow in synthetic fractures using lattice Boltzmann method. Arabian Journal of Geoscience, 13, 1211.

10.1007/s12517-020-06159-z
30

Rong, G., Tan, J., Zhan, H., He, R., and Zhang, Z., 2020b, Quantitative evaluation of surface geometry influence on nonlinear flow in a single rock fracture. Journal of Hydrology, 589, 125162.

10.1016/j.jhydrol.2020.125162
31

Shao, J., Zhang, Q., Sun, W., Wang, Z., and Zhu, X., 2020, Numerical simulation on non-Darcy flow in a single rock fracture domain inverted by digital images. Geofluids, 2020, 8814327.

10.1155/2020/8814327
32

Singh, K.K., Singh, D.N., and Ranjith, P.G., 2015, Laboratory simulation of flow through single fractured granite. Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 48, 987-1000.

10.1007/s00603-014-0630-9
33

Stigsson, M., and Ivars, D.M., 2019, A novel conceptual approach to objectively determine JRC using fractal dimension and asperity distribution of mapped fracture traces. Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 52, 1041-1054.

10.1007/s00603-018-1651-6
34

Tatone, B.S.A., 2009, Quantitative characterization of natural rock discontinuity roughness in-situ and in laboratory. Master’s thesis, University of Toronto.

35

Torkan, M., Uotiene, L., Baghbanan, A., and Rinne, M., 2025, Experimental and numerical characterization of hydro-mechanical properties of rock fractures: The effect of the sample size on roughness and hydraulic aperture. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 186, 106009.

10.1016/j.ijrmms.2024.106009
36

Wang, M., Chen, Y.F., Ma, G.W., Zhou, J.Q., and Zhou, C.B., 2016, Influence of surface roughness on nonlinear flow behaviors in 3D self-affine rough fractures: Lattice Boltzmann simulations. Advances in Water Resources, 96, 373-388.

10.1016/j.advwatres.2016.08.006
37

Wang, X., Li, S., Liu, R., Zhu, X., and Hu, M., 2024, Empirical prediction of hydraulic aperture of 2D rough fractures: a systematic numerical study. Frontiers of Earth Sciences, 18(3), 579-597.

10.1007/s11707-023-1089-3
38

Wang, Y., Azam, A., Wilson, M., Neville, A., and Morina, A., 2022, A comparative study for selecting and using simulation methods of Gaussian random surfaces. Tribology International, 166, 107347.

10.1016/j.triboint.2021.107347
39

Witherspoon, P.A., Wang, J.S.Y., Iwai, K., and Gale, J.E., 1980, Validity of cubic law for fluid flow in a deformable rock fracture. Water Resources Research, 16(6), 1016-1024.

10.1029/WR016i006p01016
40

Xiong, F., Jiang, Q., Ye, Z., and Zhang, X., 2018, Nonlinear flow behavior through rough-walled rock fractures: The effect of contact area. Computers and Geotechnics, 102, 179-195.

10.1016/j.compgeo.2018.06.006
41

Yeo, I.W., de Freitas, M.H., and Zimmerman, R.W., 1998, Effect of shear displacement on the aperture and permeability of a rock fracture. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 35(8), 1051-1070.

10.1016/S0148-9062(98)00165-X
42

Yu, X., and Vayssade, B., 1991, Joint profiles and their roughness parameters. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences & Geomechanics Abstracts, 28(4), 333-336.

10.1016/0148-9062(91)90598-G
43

Yu, X., Zhang, T., Yang, K., Yu, F., Liu, Y., and Tang, M., 2022, Quantitative characterization of seepage behavior in rough fracture considering hydromechanical coupling effect: an experimental study. Acta Geophysica, 71(5), 2245-2264.

10.1007/s11600-022-00970-w
44

Zhang, Z., and Nemcik, J., 2013, Fluid flow regimes and nonlinear flow characteristics in deformable rock fractures. Journal of Hydrology, 477, 139-151.

10.1016/j.jhydrol.2012.11.024
45

Zhou, C.B., Sharma, R.S., Chen, Y.F., and Rong, G., 2008, Flow-stress coupled permeability tensor for fractured rock masses. International Journal of Numerical and Analytic Methods in Geomechanics, 32, 1289-1309.

10.1002/nag.668
46

Zhou, J.Q., Hu, S.H., Fang, S., Chen, Y.F., and Zhou, C.B., 2015, Nonlinear flow behavior at low Reynolds numbers through rough-walled fractures subjected to normal compressive loading. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Science, 80, 202-218.

10.1016/j.ijrmms.2015.09.027
47

Zimmerman, R.W., Al-Yaarubi, A., Pain, C.C., and Grattoni, C.A., 2004, Non-linear regimes of fluid flow in rock fractures. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 41(3), 163-169.

10.1016/j.ijrmms.2004.03.036
48

Zimmerman, R.W., and Bodvarsson, G.S., 1996, Hydraulic conductivity of rock fractures. Transport in Porous Media, 23, 1-30.

10.1007/BF00145263
49

Zoorabadi, M., Saydam, S., Timms, W., and Hebblewhite, B., 2015, Non-linear flow behaviour of rough fractures having standard JRC profiles. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 76, 192-199.

10.1016/j.ijrmms.2015.03.004
50

Zou, L., Jing, L., and Cvetkovic, V., 2015, Roughness decomposition and nonlinear fluid flow in a single rock fracture. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Science, 75, 102-118.

10.1016/j.ijrmms.2015.01.016
Information
  • Publisher :Korean Society for Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국암반공학회
  • Journal Title :Tunnel and Underground Space
  • Journal Title(Ko) :터널과 지하공간
  • Volume : 36
  • No :4
  • Pages :380-397
  • Received Date : 2026-07-21
  • Revised Date : 2026-08-24
  • Accepted Date : 2026-08-26
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.7474/TUS.2026.36.4.380
Journal Informaiton Tunnel and Underground Space Tunnel and Underground Space
Online Submission
Archives
: Vol.27, 2017 ~
  • NRF
  • KOFST
  • KISTI Current Status
  • KISTI Cited-by
  • crosscheck
  • orcid
  • open access
  • ccl
Journal Informaiton Journal Informaiton - close