Induced crack network evolution in geomaterials: µct examination and mathematical morphology based analysis

Abstract

Fracture parameters of the rock material are known to change due to applied loading, having effect on, e.g. the rock permeability coefficient which can be estimated based on the geometrical descriptors of the crack space. In this paper, a method of crack network evolution analysis is proposed for the rock samples subjected to uniaxial compression. Fracture development is investigated using ex-situ time-lapse micro-computed tomography (µCT). The sets of images are acquired for each specimen at three damage levels: before loading, at approximately 50% of compressive strength and, finally, after reaching micro-dilatancy threshold (or compressive strength). The reconstructed and segmented 3D crack network is examined at each loading stage. The analysis consists of image processing and determination of the selected morphological parameters, i.e. volume fraction of the crack, spatial distribution of the fracture aperture, tortuosity as well as the structure model index (SMI).