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Martin Stigsson (SKB)09/06/2026, 10:15
As a modeller of discrete fracture network models, one usually gets tables with given orientation data gathered by mapping geologists. Seldom these data are questioned by the modeller but rather taken as definite. This may lead to spurious inferences and hence fracture models that do not accurately reflect the true condition of the rock mass.
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Uncertainties are not only stemming from tool... -
Anne Gehrke09/06/2026, 10:35
This presentation describes the generation of a discrete fracture network (DFN) model for the Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory based on geological and structural data published by SKB. A three‑dimensional geological model derived from SKB site descriptive reports provides the structural framework for DFN construction. Fracture sets are generated consistently with this model and used to derive an...
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Dr Sarah Weihmann (Chair of Repository Safety, RWTH Aachen University)09/06/2026, 10:55
Numerical subsurface models rely on relevant input data and modelling methods to generate robust representations of fluid flow in fractured rock systems.
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In this study, a comprehensive discrete fracture network (DFN) modelling workflow is developed using photogrammetric data acquired from an open-pit mine in a crystalline complex in Germany. Several DFN generation methods (tracemap... -
Chuanyin Jiang (Uppsala University)09/06/2026, 11:45
We developed FracLab, a robust and powerful 3D discrete fracture network (DFN) generator for high-quality fracture networks, which can enable complex numerical simulation of coupled processes. FracLab incorporates optimized geometry trimming and enhanced rejection criteria to generate high-quality 3D DFNs, enabling robust mesh generation for both fractures and rock matrices; it also regulates...
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Brandon Stock (Stockholm University)09/06/2026, 12:05
Water inflow into subsurface excavations in crystalline fractured rock is a complex problem, largely due to hydromechanical coupled processes associated with excavation. Field experiments can exhibit scale effects, where inflow into excavations can be less than predicted based on observations from smaller diameter holes. This work uses a recent study examining flow through a single fracture...
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Chuanyin Jiang (Uppsala University)09/06/2026, 12:25
Accurate representation of 3D fracture networks is fundamental to risk assessment and design optimization in underground engineering, especially for nuclear waste geological disposal projects where positioning of deposition holes in tunnels is a major issue. This work presents a new conditional simulation framework for trace-constrained DFN extrapolation. A systematic classification of...
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Muhammad Raharsya Andiva (Uppsala University)09/06/2026, 14:15
The Progressive Failure (PF/PF-A) Experiment at the Mont Terri Underground Rock Laboratory offers a unique opportunity to investigate damage evolution around underground openings in faulted Opalinus Clay under in-situ stress conditions. We present a 3D numerical modelling framework developed to simulate progressive failure in structurally complex clay shale and its long-term evolution subject...
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Andrew Frampton (Department of Physical Geography, Stockholm University, Sweden)09/06/2026, 14:35
Modelling flow and transport in discrete fracture networks (DFNs) has developed considerably over the past decades, yet the field continues to be reshaped by new conceptual challenges, computational advances, and emerging applications. This talk provides a personal perspective on the evolution of DFN modelling, from foundational concepts to current challenges and future directions.
A...
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Weihong Yuan09/06/2026, 14:55
Supercritical CO2 fracturing is expected to create more complex fracture networks than water-based counterparts, thereby improving the permeability and heat extraction in geothermal reservoirs. The underlying fracture mechanisms driven by this low-viscosity fluid may differ from conventional hydraulic fracturing. In this study, we develop a stabilized hydromechanical phase-field fracture model...
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Eirik Keilegavlen (University of Bergen)10/06/2026, 10:00
We give an introduction to the open-source research software PorePy, which is a multiphysics simulation framework primarily aimed at fractured porous media. PorePy provides (semi)automatic mesh generation for complex fracture networks and comes with a set of multiphysics simulation setups that are ready to run and can easily be adapted to user demands. The framework emphasizes robust...
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Thomas Nagel (TU Bergakademie Freiberg), Dr Mostafa Mollaali (TU Bergakademie Freiberg)10/06/2026, 14:00
We will go through examples for simulating flow and transport in stressed fractures using OpenGeoSys. This will be done in a browser-based setting, so no prior installation is required this time. The examples include
- pathway-dominated flow through a rough fracture
- brittle fracture propagation in triaxial stress states using phase-field models
Other examples are available....
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Antti Joutsen (Posiva)11/06/2026, 10:00
This presentation examines how research data is used for deterministic models, which act as input information in Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) modelling. It highlights how geological, hydrogeological and geophysical observations and measurements are interpreted, structured, and translated into deterministic representations, forming the basis for DFN generation.
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Antti Poteri11/06/2026, 10:20
DFN-based modelling is essential for capturing the heterogeneity of the bedrock and enabling credible mechanical, flow, and transport modelling of the site. This presentation examines how fracture data are translated into discrete fracture network (DFN) models to support the safety case for a geological repository, with a focus on flow and transport pathways in fractured rock. The central...
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Virve Iisalmi (Posiva Oy)11/06/2026, 11:10
DFN modelling has been extensively used in Posiva’s safety case to represent fracture-controlled flow and transport across scales, capturing system behavior with a high level of complexity and detail. However, its computational demands limit its applicability in operational decision-making during the repository lifecycle. In contrast, current modelling on impact of construction and operations...
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