Numerical modelling of flow and transport in rough fractures

Abstract

Simulation of flow and transport through rough walled rock fractures is investigated using the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) and random walk (RW), respectively. The numerical implementation is developed and validated on general purpose graphic processing units (GPGPUs). Both the LBM and RW method are well suited to parallel implementation on GPGPUs because they require only next-neighbour communication and thus can reduce expenses. The LBM model is an order of magnitude faster on GPGPUs than published results for LBM simulations run on modern CPUs. The fluid model is verified for parallel plate flow, backward facing step and single fracture flow; and the RW model is verified for point-source diffusion, Taylor-Aris dispersion and breakthrough behaviour in a single fracture. Both algorithms place limitations on the discrete displacement of fluid or particle transport per time step to minimise the numerical error that must be considered during implementation.

Keywords

• Hydrogeology
• Fracture flow
• Solute transport
• Computational fluid dynamics
• Lattice Boltzmann method (LBM)
• Random walk (RW)