title: Permeability of self-affine rough fractures
abstract: The permeability of two-dimensional fractures with self-affine fractal roughness is studied via analytic arguments and numerical simulations. The limit where the roughness amplitude is small compared with average fracture aperture is analyzed by a perturbation method, while in the opposite case of narrow aperture, we use heuristic arguments based on lubrication theory. Numerical simulations, using the lattice Boltzmann method, are used to examine the complete range of aperture sizes, and confirm the analytic arguments.
authors.affiliation: Benjamin Levich Institute and Department of Physics, City College of the City University of New York, New York, New York 10031, USA.
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Drazer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Koplik