The supply and protection of groundwater, the production of hydrocarbon reservoirs, land subsidence in coastal areas, exploitation of geothermal energy, the long-term disposal of critical wastes ... What do these issues have in common besides their high socio-economic impact? They are all closely related to fluid flow in porous and/or fractured rock. As the conditions of fluid flow in many cases depend on the mechanical behavior of rocks, coupling between the liquid phase and the rock matrix can generally not be neglected. For the past five years or so, studies of rock physics and rock mechanics linked to coupling phenomena have received increased attention. In recognition of this, a Euroconference on thermo-hydro-mechanical coupling in fractured rock was held at Bad Honnef, Germany, in November 2000. Most of the twenty papers collected in this volume were presented at this meeting. The contributions lead to deeper insight in processes where such coupling is relevant.

Scientific understanding of fluid flow in rock fracturesâ€"a process underlying contemporary earth science problems from the search for petroleum to the controversy over nuclear waste storageâ€"has grown significantly in the past 20 years. This volume presents a comprehensive report on the state of the field, with an interdisciplinary viewpoint, case studies of fracture sites, illustrations, conclusions, and research recommendations. The book addresses these questions: How can fractures that are significant hydraulic conductors be identified, located, and characterized? How do flow and transport occur in fracture systems? How can changes in fracture systems be predicted and controlled? Among other topics, the committee provides a geomechanical understanding of fracture formation, reviews methods for detecting subsurface fractures, and looks at the use of hydraulic and tracer tests to investigate fluid flow. The volume examines the state of conceptual and mathematical modeling, and it provides a useful framework for understanding the complexity of fracture changes that occur during fluid pumping and other engineering practices. With a practical and multidisciplinary outlook, this volume will be welcomed by geologists, petroleum geologists, geoengineers, geophysicists, hydrologists, researchers, educators and students in these fields, and public officials involved in geological projects.

Our understanding of the subsurface system of the earth is becoming increasingly more sophisticated both at the level of the behaviour of its components (solid, liquid and gas) as well as their variations in space and time. The implementation of coupled models is essential for the understanding of an increasing number of natural phenomena and in predicting human impact on these.The growing interest in the relation between fluid flow and deformation in subsurface rock systems that characterise the upper crust has led to increasingly specialized knowledge in many branches of earth sciences and engineering. A multidisciplinary subject dealing with deformation and fluid flow in the subsurface system is emerging.While research in the subject area of faulting, fracturing and fluid flow has led to significant progress in many different areas, the approach has tended to be "reductionist", i.e. involving the isolation and simplification of phenomena so that they may be treated as single physical processes. The reality is that many processes operate together within subsurface systems, and this is particularly true for fluid flow and deformation of fractured rock masses. The aim of this book is to begin to explore how advances in numerical modelling can be applied to understanding the complex phenomena observed in such systems.Although mainly based on original research, the book also includes the fundamental principles and practical methods of numerical modelling, in particular distinct element methods. This volume explores the principles of numerical modelling and the methodologies for some of the most important problems, in addition to providing practical models with detailed discussions on various topics.

Fractured rock is the host or foundation for innumerable engineered structures related to energy, water, waste, and transportation. Characterizing, modeling, and monitoring fractured rock sites is critical to the functioning of those infrastructure, as well as to optimizing resource recovery and contaminant management. Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock examines the state of practice and state of art in the characterization of fractured rock and the chemical and biological processes related to subsurface contaminant fate and transport. This report examines new developments, knowledge, and approaches to engineering at fractured rock sites since the publication of the 1996 National Research Council report Rock Fractures and Fluid Flow: Contemporary Understanding and Fluid Flow. Fundamental understanding of the physical nature of fractured rock has changed little since 1996, but many new characterization tools have been developed, and there is now greater appreciation for the importance of chemical and biological processes that can occur in the fractured rock environment. The findings of Characterization, Modeling, Monitoring, and Remediation of Fractured Rock can be applied to all types of engineered infrastructure, but especially to engineered repositories for buried or stored waste and to fractured rock sites that have been contaminated as a result of past disposal or other practices. The recommendations of this report are intended to help the practitioner, researcher, and decision maker take a more interdisciplinary approach to engineering in the fractured rock environment. This report describes how existing tools-some only recently developed-can be used to increase the accuracy and reliability of engineering design and management given the interacting forces of nature. With an interdisciplinary approach, it is possible to conceptualize and model the fractured rock environment with acceptable levels of uncertainty and reliability, and to design systems that maximize remediation and long-term performance. Better scientific understanding could inform regulations, policies, and implementation guidelines related to infrastructure development and operations. The recommendations for research and applications to enhance practice of this book make it a valuable resource for students and practitioners in this field.

Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering IX contains 204 technical and scientific papers presented at the 9th European Conference on Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering (NUMGE2018, Porto, Portugal, 25—27 June 2018). The papers cover a wide range of topics in the field of computational geotechnics, providing an overview of recent developments on scientific achievements, innovations and engineering applications related to or employing numerical methods. They deal with subjects from emerging research to engineering practice, and are grouped under the following themes: Constitutive modelling and numerical implementation Finite element, discrete element and other numerical methods. Coupling of diverse methods Reliability and probability analysis Large deformation – large strain analysis Artificial intelligence and neural networks Ground flow, thermal and coupled analysis Earthquake engineering, soil dynamics and soil-structure interactions Rock mechanics Application of numerical methods in the context of the Eurocodes Shallow and deep foundations Slopes and cuts Supported excavations and retaining walls Embankments and dams Tunnels and caverns (and pipelines) Ground improvement and reinforcement Offshore geotechnical engineering Propagation of vibrations Following the objectives of previous eight thematic conferences, (1986 Stuttgart, Germany; 1990 Santander, Spain; 1994 Manchester, United Kingdom; 1998 Udine, Italy; 2002 Paris, France; 2006 Graz, Austria; 2010 Trondheim, Norway; 2014 Delft, The Netherlands), Numerical Methods in Geotechnical Engineering IX updates the state-of-the-art regarding the application of numerical methods in geotechnics, both in a scientific perspective and in what concerns its application for solving practical boundary value problems. The book will be much of interest to engineers, academics and professionals involved or interested in Geotechnical Engineering. This is volume 2 of the NUMGE 2018 set.