Determination of Fractured Rock’s Representative Elementary Volume by a Numerical Simulation Method

Abstract

The present study aims at developing a numerical program called DISSIM which can analyze the homogenization of rock massifs using a new subroutine which calculates Representative Elementary Volume (REV). The DISSIM methodology consists of two steps. The first step involves the modeling of the fractured network in order to provide a surface simulation that represents the real fracture of the examined front. The second step is to numerically model the wave propagation through the simulated fracture network while characterizing the attenuation of vibrations due to the effect of discontinuities. This part allows us to determine in particular the wave propagation velocity through the fractured mass, from which we can determine the homogenized Young's modulus. However, after extensive bibliographic research, it was realized that a third step appeared to be necessary. In fact, it is necessary to look for a representative elementary volume on which we apply the proposed homogenization method. Two types of the representative elementary volume are proposed in this article, the geometric REV and the mechanical REV. The presentation of these two types of REV and the DISSIM methodology are detailed in this paper. Then, this methodology was applied to the study of a real case. The present research provides a method allowing the calculation of both types of REV for fissured rocks. The case study yielded comparable results between the mechanical REV and the geometric REV, which is compatible with previous research studies.