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Extreme Environmental Events pp 717–730Cite as

Percolation , and Faults and Fractures in Rock

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Article Outline

Glossary

Definition of the Subject

Introduction

Fracture Networks

Percolation of Fracture Networks

Determination of the Dimensionless Density from Experimental Data

Role of the Dimensionless Density in Other Geometrical Properties and Permeability

Future Directions

Bibliography

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Abbreviations

Dimensionless density:

The dimensionless density is the number of objects per excluded volume.

Excluded volume:

The excluded volume V ex of an object is defined as the volume surrounding it, in which the center of another object must be in order for them to intersect.

Fracture network:

A fracture network is generally defined as a set of individual fractures which may or may not intersect.

Percolation and percolation threshold:

Percolation is defined as the existence of a spanning connected cluster in the fracture network. Percolation occurs when the number of fractures per unit volume is equal or larger than a certain value called the percolation threshold.

Plane convex fractures:

A plane fracture is convex if for any points A and B which belong to the fracture, all the points of the segment AB belong to the fracture.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. UPMC-Sisyphe, Paris, France

    Pierre M. Adler

  2. CNRS-LCD, Chasseneuil du Poitou, France

    Jean-François Thovert & Valeri V. Mourzenko

Authors
  1. Pierre M. Adler
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  2. Jean-François Thovert
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  3. Valeri V. Mourzenko
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. RAMTECH LIMITED, 122 Escalle Lane, Larkspur, CA, 94939, USA

    Robert A. Meyers Ph. D. (Editor-in-Chief) (Editor-in-Chief)

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Adler, P.M., Thovert, JF., Mourzenko, V.V. (2011). Percolation , and Faults and Fractures in Rock . In: Meyers, R. (eds) Extreme Environmental Events. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7695-6_38

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