Subsurface fluid flow through fractures in sedimentary basins. This project aims to improve understanding of subsurface fluid transport through fractures. Fractures in rock provide interconnected, hydraulically conductive networks enabling large-volume fluid transport through sedimentary basins. The ability of a fracture to transmit fluid is primarily controlled by the in situ stress field, but also by rock strength, fracture plane orientation and roughness and pore-fluid pressure. We have a goo ....Subsurface fluid flow through fractures in sedimentary basins. This project aims to improve understanding of subsurface fluid transport through fractures. Fractures in rock provide interconnected, hydraulically conductive networks enabling large-volume fluid transport through sedimentary basins. The ability of a fracture to transmit fluid is primarily controlled by the in situ stress field, but also by rock strength, fracture plane orientation and roughness and pore-fluid pressure. We have a good understanding of in situ stress within many sedimentary basins, but know very little about the nature and origin of natural fractures. This project aims to provide a detailed, quantitative understanding of the nature and origin of natural fractures in the subsurface, which is critical for predicting fluid migration within aquifers, carbon dioxide storage sites, and geothermal and hydrocarbon reservoirs.Read moreRead less
Add mountains and shake: plate boundary fault and earthquake patterns. This project aims to determine the fundamental physical processes that link topography, seismic shaking and volcanism to the evolution of seismogenic fault networks in obliquely convergent (transpressional) plate boundary settings. We will combine detailed field and remote sensing-based structural analyses in transpressional mountain belts with advanced laboratory analogue and numerical experiments to evaluate: 1) how bursts ....Add mountains and shake: plate boundary fault and earthquake patterns. This project aims to determine the fundamental physical processes that link topography, seismic shaking and volcanism to the evolution of seismogenic fault networks in obliquely convergent (transpressional) plate boundary settings. We will combine detailed field and remote sensing-based structural analyses in transpressional mountain belts with advanced laboratory analogue and numerical experiments to evaluate: 1) how bursts of strong seismic shaking perturb fault zone evolution through time; 2) the contribution of topography and gravitation loading to fault interactions and earthquake generation; and 3) feedbacks between fault network development, the spatial distribution of volcanic centres, seismic shaking and ore deposits.Read moreRead less