The Mass Loss Behavior of Fractured Rock in Seepage Process: The Development and Application of a New Seepage Experimental System

In order to study the water-inrush mechanism in fractured geological structure, seepage instability theory is picked up, which considers that water-inrush is the embodiment of seepage instability. Seepage tests are the basis for studying seepage instability in the fractured rock system, while the experimental system and equipment are the foundation of seepage tests. In this paper, we introduce a new experimental system for the seepage test on fractured rock accompanying with mass migration and loss and discuss its development and application. It presents the designed and manufactured experimental system, the subsystems, components and their functions, and the experimental scheme and the experimental process. Compared to the previous experimental system, more functions are satisfied, among which, the most important improvements are realizing a long-term permeate and keeping water pressure stable at a high level. These improvements are verified by a series of tests, and the results show that our experimental system has higher accuracy, stability, and reliability. The distribution of the permeate times and lost mass of different Talbol power exponents are obtained, and the time-varying rules of water pressure, water flow, the lost mass, and porosity are also revealed through the results. Although the experimental system also has some limitations, for instance, the measuring accuracy of pressure transducers and flow transducers, the provided maximum pressure of the quantitative displacement piston pump, the fine particles collection subsystem, etc., we will continue to improve it in our further research.

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