Determination of Principal Permeabilities in Two-Dimensional Fissured Rocks Using Permeability Circle (TECHNICAL NOTE)

Abstract

Among the many parameters affecting the design of hydraulic structures on fissured rocks are orientation of principal permeability axes and degree of anisotropy of fissured rocks. Geological explorations rarely provide this type of information. If at all the information is available, methods employed are computationally cumbersome and inefficient. A new concept of simple equations and geometrical method termed as Permeability Circle similar to Mohr’s circle of stresses has been developed for determination of principal permeability and their orientation from the known characteristics of two-dimensional fissured rock mass.