Mean square flow of fluid in the fractures during rock failures

Flows are vivid and diversiform physical phenomena that reflect the fluid motion in different conditions. Fluid flow in the fractures is the typically motion mode of the fluid in rocks. This study investigated, using enhanced X-ray imaging digital radiography (XIDR), a special motion mode of fluid flow through the fractures during rock failures. Our experiments visually elucidated the process of mean square flow (MSF) of the fluid in rock fractures and its response to external loading. The X-ray imaging fluid filled micro-cracks and fractures in rocks, as observed using the XIDR scanner. These flow processes are strongly connected with rock failures. The results show that fluid flow in the fracture obeys a mean square function with respect to rock failure degree. The MSF reflects the fluid flow motion in the fractures in response to multilevel loading, which can provide guidance for predicting rock mass stability and numerical simulation of geofluid in hydro-rock engineering.