Fractures and Fracture Networks

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xii

   PDF

2. Introduction

   • Pierre M. Adler, Jean-François Thovert

   Pages 1-14

3. Analysis and Generation of Random Objects

   • Pierre M. Adler, Jean-François Thovert

   Pages 15-66

4. Transport and Mechanical Properties

   • Pierre M. Adler, Jean-François Thovert

   Pages 67-102

5. A Single Fracture: Generation, Characterization

   • Pierre M. Adler, Jean-François Thovert

   Pages 103-162

6. Geometry of Fracture Networks

   • Pierre M. Adler, Jean-François Thovert

   Pages 163-222

7. Elementary Transport in Single Fractures

   • Pierre M. Adler, Jean-François Thovert

   Pages 223-304

8. Elementary Transport in Fracture Networks

   • Pierre M. Adler, Jean-François Thovert

   Pages 305-390

9. Coupled Processes in a Single Fracture

   • Pierre M. Adler, Jean-François Thovert

   Pages 391-424

10. Back Matter

    Pages 425-431

    PDF

Both the beauty and interest of fractures and fracture networks are easy to grasp, since they are abundant in nature. An example is the road from Digne to Nice in the south of France, with an impressive number and variety of such structures: the road for the most part, goes through narrow valleys with fast running streams penetrating the rock faces; erosion is favored by the Mediterranean climate, so that rocks are barely covered by meager vegetation. In this inhospitable and sterile landscape, the visitor can im­ mediately discover innumerable fractures in great masses which have been distorted by slow, yet powerful movements. This phenomenon can be seen for about 100 kilometers; all kinds of shapes and combinations are repre­ sented and can be observed either in the mountain itself or in the man-made cliffs and excavations, resulting from improvements made to the road. In the same region, close to the Turini Pass, a real large scale hydrody­ namic experiment is taking place -a source which is situated on the flank on the mountain, has been equiped with a tap; if the tap is open, water flows through the tap only, but when it is closed, then the side of the mountain releases water in a matter of seconds. Other outlets are also influenced by this tap, such as a water basin situated a few hundred meters away.

• Reservoir
• civil engineering
• contaminant
• environment
• stress
• structures
• quantitative geology

`....However, it would be a useful book to have for an Environmental Geoscience or Geo-engineering degree programm, as a supplement to a more general course text. At the graduate level, and beyond, it would be valuable to have in the library for those involved in fracture and fluid-flow studies.....I would recommend the purchase.'
John Spray, The Canadian Mineralogist, 38 (2000).

• Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, and CNRS, Paris, France

  Pierre M. Adler

• Laboratoire de Combustion et de Détonique du CNRS, Poitiers, France

  Jean-François Thovert

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