New Eulerian-Lagrangian finite element simulator for solute transport in discrete fracture-matrix systems

摘要

In this paper, a new finite element code TRIPOLY is introduced which combines a powerful fracture network simulator with an efficient method to account for the diffusive interaction between the fractures and the adjacent matrix blocks. The fracture network simulator used in TRIPOLY features a mixed Lagrangian-Eulerian solution scheme for the transport in fractures, combined with an adaptive gridding technique to account for sharp concentration fronts. The fracture-matrix interaction is calculated with an efficient method which has been successfully used in the past for dual-porosity models. Discrete fractures and matrix blocks are treated as two different systems, and the interaction is modeled by introducing sink/source terms in both systems. A direct solution scheme is employed to solve the coupled fracture and matrix equations. The newly developed combination of the fracture network simulator and the fracture-matrix interaction module allows for detailed studies of spreading processes in fractured porous rock. The authors present a sample application which demonstrate the codes ability of handling large-scale fracture-matrix systems comprising individual fractures and matrix blocks of arbitrary size and shape.