Effect of expansive fillings on fracture seepage

Based on an investigation of the damage process of fractures filled with expansion media, samples of filling media collected on the spot, were obtained. The physical water properties of fracture fillings were tested by a WZ-2 type Dilatometer. Given our test results of the hydrated properties of fracture fillings and the mechanical parameters of altered rock mass collected from the Daye Iron Mine and comparisons between the expansion stress of fracture fillings and mechanical parameters of altered rock mass, the effects of the mechanical response of fillings on fracture seepage are discussed. The results show that the ratio of filling swell pressure to tensile strength of altered rock specimen varied between 11.79 and 36.77 and the ratio of filling swell pressure to shear strength of these rock specimen ranged from 72.11 to 171.18. Therefore, fillings have an important effect on fracture seepage, and the effect of deformation of the fracture caused by swell pressure of the filling mechanics cannot be ignored either. The multiple hydraulic coupling effects of fillings on the impact of fracture permeability are discussed according to theoretical analyses. It is shown that the effect of expansion of fracture fillings greatly affects the deformation of altered rock masses. Both tensile effect and shear effect produced by fracture fillings greatly increase the permeability of fractures. The plastic and liquefaction effects of fracture fillings also improve the permeability of fractures. On the basis of this analysis, a mechanical seepage model of filled fracture is established.