Randomising models for fracturing of porous materials - towards statistical realism and validation (B04)

• Subject Area: Hydrogeology, Hydrology, Limnology, Urban Water Management, Water Chemistry, Integrated Water Resources Management
• Term: since 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 327154368

Real-world fracture patterns in porous media look very irregular, and look different every single time, because most porous materials are heterogeneous in many different ways. Current fracture simulations do not reflect this irregularity and uncertainty. Our goal is to solve this problem. We will build models and methods to randomize simulations of hydraulic initiation, propagation and stimulation of fractures. Then, we can answer questions such as: how (and how much) are fractures influenced by close-by and far-away heterogeneities? How is the transition of fractures to preferential flow paths affected by heterogeneity? How predictable is the entire system at all?

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1313: Interface-Driven Multi-Field Processes in Porous Media - Flow, Transport and Deformation -
• Applicant Institution: Universität Stuttgart
• Project Heads: Professor Dr.-Ing. András Bárdossy, until 12/2019; Professor Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Nowak