Experimental observation of fluid flow channels in a single fracture

A method for obtaining precise replicas of real fracture surfaces using transparent epoxy resins was developed, allowing detailed study of fluid flow paths within a fracture plane. A natural rock fracture was collected from the field and prepared for study. Silicon rubber molds of the fracture surfaces were used to make a transparent epoxy replica of the original fracture. Clear and dyed water were injected into the fracture pore space allowing examination of the flow field. Digitized optical images were used to observe wetting, saturated flow, and drying of the specimen. Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging was used for quantitative measurements of flow velocity. Both video imaging and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging techniques show distinct and strong channeling of the flow at the submillimeter to several-centimeter scale. Each phenomenon, including wetting, drying, dye transport, and velocity channeling, has its own distinct geometric structure and scale. We find that fluid velocities measured simultaneously at various locations in the fracture plane during steady state flow range over several orders of magnitude, with the maximum velocity a factor of 5 higher than the mean velocity. This suggests that flow channeling in fractured rock can cause the breakthrough velocity of contaminants to far exceed the mean flow.