Author/Editor		Ogilvie, Steven; Isakov, Evgeny; Taylor, Colin; Glover, Paul
Title		A new high resolution optical method for obtaining the topography of fracture surfaces in rocks
Type		članek
Source		Image Anal Stereol
Vol. and No.		Letnik 20, št. Suppl 1
Publication year		2001
Volume		str. 386-91
Language		eng
Abstract		Fracture surface roughness has significant control on the movement of fluids through fractures in the Earth's crust. To quantify this influence we have image-analysed experimentally detennined fluid flow in a range of rock fractures and compared these observations with numerical modelling of fluid flow through the fractures. The image analysis was performed on resin replicas of rock fracture surfaces with emphasis placed upon the variation of flow rate with fracture fabric. These high fidelity polymer models were also profiled in a highly controlled manner using in-house developed hardware and image analysis software (OptiProfTM). Statistical analysis of the surfaces provides the necessary input for the creation of numerical models, the boundary conditions of which are used in flow modelling. This integrated approach enables the physical constraints on fluid flow in rough fractures to be well characterised.
Descriptors		MATERIALS TESTING POLYMERS IMAGE PROCESSING, COMPUTER-ASSISTED