Influence of the stress field on the flow in rock joints

Predictive modeling of hydraulical coupled behaviours of rock fractures under stresses and with fluid pressure gradients, are objects of intensive research. Here are presented two complementary approaches : one is based on the modeling of a fracture in terms of geometry and mechanical behaviour of the joint walls; the other on the modeling of a fracture from a local compacity variable accounting for the modification process of the fracture space available to the fluid. The results of these two approaches are presented, together with hydro-mechanical tests results on granite samples.