Fractures and Fracture Networks

This text on fractures and fracture networks provides a systematic treatment of their geometrical and transport properties. Emphasis is put on the statistical analysis of complex three-dimensional structures, and on the development of numerical tools to solve transport equations in real structures. The book is divided into four parts. Part one introduces an analysis of random objects and transport and mechanical properties, while part two covers the geometrical and topological properties of single fractures and fracture networks. The third part deals with transport processes in fractured media. The final part contains the latest developments on coupled processes, for example the impact of external stress and deposition/dissolution processes on fracture development.