Hydraulic properties of partially saturated rock fractures subjected to mechanical loading

This study presents a methodology for estimating the unsaturated hydraulic properties of rock fractures under deformation conditions. The surface morphology of an artificial granite rock fracture was examined using a high-resolution three-dimensional laser scanner, and the aperture distribution of the fracture was found to follow a Gaussian distribution. By virtue of the aperture distribution function and applying the Young–Laplace equation to...