Development and application of the GeoDFN and HydroDFN at the Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory

Bruines, P.*; Tanaka, Tatsuya*; Abumi, Kensho*; Hashimoto, Shuji*; Saegusa, Hiromitsu; Onoe, Hironori ; Ishibashi, Masayuki

This paper presents the methodology for constructing the geological discrete fracture network (GeoDFN) and hydrogeological discrete fracture network (HydroDFN) models using the data from the Surface-based Investigation and Construction Phases of the MIU Project. In particular, a methodology to determine the parameters for GeoDFN and HydroDFN models, such as the fracture transmissivity distribution, fracture size distribution and fracture density, are investigated. The up-scaled equivalent continuous porous media (ECPM) models, taking into account hydraulic heterogeneity at scales of up to several kilometers, have been developed based on the HydroDFN model. The results of groundwater flow analyses using the heterogeneous ECPM and homogeneous CPM hydrogeological models have been compared to confirm the importance of modeling hydraulic heterogeneity for understanding of groundwater flow condition at a scale of several kilometers.