Stratigraphically Controlled Stress Variations at the Hydraulic Fracture Test Site-1 in the Midland Basin, TX

We investigated the relationship between stratigraphy, stress, and microseismicity at the Hydraulic Fracture Test Site-1. The site comprises two sets of horizontal wells in the Wolfcamp shale and a deviated well drilled after hydraulic fracturing. Regional stresses indicate normal/strike-slip faulting with E-W compression. Stress measurements in vertical and horizontal wells show that the minimum principal stress varies with depth. Strata with high clay and organic content show high values of the least compressive stress, consistent with the theory of viscous stress relaxation. By integrating data from core, logs, and the hydraulic fracturing stages, we constructed a stress profile for the Wolfcamp sequence, which predicts how much pressure is required for hydraulic fracture growth. We applied the results to fracture orientation data from image logs to determine the population of pre-existing faults that are expected to slip during stimulation. We also determined microseismic focal plane mechanisms and found slip on steeply dipping planes striking NW, consistent with the orientations of potentially active faults predicted by the stress model. This case study represents a general approach for integrating stress measurements and rock properties to predict hydraulic fracture growth and the characteristics of injection-induced microseismicity.

Flow-Particle Coupling in a Channel Flow Laden with Elongated Particles: The Role of Aspect Ratio

A turbulent channel flow laden with elongated, fiber-like particles is investigated experimentally by optical techniques. The flow-particle inter-coupling is analyzed in the case of particles with an aspect ratio of 40 and 80, at two volume fractions, 10−5 and 10−4. An image processing technique is presented, which is employed to simultaneously obtain carrier flow velocimetry data and distribution and orientation data of dispersed particles. Turbulence enhancement is reported in the near-wall region, with a higher level of increase associated with higher aspect ratio particles. Comparison to fiber data suggests that this mechanism of turbulence modulation stems from a particles orientational behavior. The preferential particle distribution is reported to be dependent on the aspect ratio in the region close to the wall. The probability density function of the fibers’ orientation angle appears to be independent of the particle aspect ratio once it is conditioned to the fibers’ characteristic size.

The recent stress state of Germany – results of a geomechanical–numerical 3D model

A decisive criterion for the selection and the long-term safety of a deep geological repository for high radioactive waste is the crustal stress state and its future changes. The basis of any prognosis is the recent crustal stress state, but the state of knowledge in Germany is quite low in this respect. There are stress orientation data provided by the World Stress Map (WSM, Heidbach et al., 2018) and stress magnitude data from a database (Morawietz et al., 2020) for Germany, both providing selective information on the recent stress field. However, these data are often incomplete, of low quality and spatially unevenly distributed. Therefore, a 3D continuous description is not possible with these data so far, at most for the orientation of the maximum horizontal stress (SHmax), but not for the most important magnitudes of the minimum (Shmin) and SHmax. In the course of the SpannEnD project, a geomechanical–numerical 3D model of Germany is created, with which a continuous description of the complete tensor of the recent stress field in Germany is possible. The model covers an area of 1250×1000 km2 from Poland in the east, to France in the west, from Italy in the south to Scandinavia in the north. The depth extent is 100 km. Even though the focus is primarily on Germany, the model area was chosen to be so wide to minimize boundary effects and for a simplified definition of the displacement boundary conditions, which are ideally oriented perpendicular or parallel to the orientation of SHmax. The model contains a total of 21 units: The upper part of the lithospheric mantle, the lower crust, four laterally overlapping units of the upper crust, and 14 stratigraphic units of the sedimentary cover. The stratigraphic subdivision of the sedimentary cover is only done in the core area of the model; because this area is the focus of our study, our calibration data are mainly from this region and well-resolved geometry data are available. Outside of the core area, the sediments are grouped into an undifferentiated unit. The units are parameterized with density and elastic material parameters (Poisson's ratio and Young's modulus). The model has a lateral resolution of 2.5×2.5 km2 and a vertical resolution of a maximum of 240 m; in total it includes 11.1 million hexahedral elements. The equilibrium of forces between body and surface forces is solved by finite element method. The model is calibrated with Shmin and SHmax magnitudes from the WSM and data from the stress magnitude database. First, an initial stress state is generated and in a second step displacement boundary conditions are defined at the model edges, which are adjusted until a best-fit to the calibration data is found. The results show good agreement with both the SHmax orientation data from the WSM and the magnitudes of the two principal horizontal stresses (Shmin and SHmax) from the magnitude database.

Spatial agents for geological surface modelling

Increased availability and use of 3D-rendered geological models have provided society with predictive capabilities, supporting natural resource assessments, hazard awareness, and infrastructure development. The Geological Survey of Canada, along with other such institutions, has been trying to standardize and operationalize this modelling practice. Knowing what is in the subsurface, however, is not an easy exercise, especially when it is difficult or impossible to sample at greater depths. Existing approaches for creating 3D geological models involve developing surface components that represent spatial geological features, horizons, faults, and folds, and then assembling them into a framework model as context for downstream property modelling applications (e.g. geophysical inversions, thermo-mechanical simulations, and fracture density models). The current challenge is to develop geologically reasonable starting framework models from regions with sparser data when we have more complicated geology. This study explores the problem of geological data sparsity and presents a new approach that may be useful to open up the logjam in modelling the more challenging terrains using an agent-based approach. Semi-autonomous software entities called spatial agents can be programmed to perform spatial and property interrogation functions, estimations and construction operations for simple graphical objects, that may be usable in building 3D geological surfaces. These surfaces form the building blocks from which full geological and topological models are built and may be useful in sparse-data environments, where ancillary or a priori information is available. Critical in developing natural domain models is the use of gradient information. Increasing the density of spatial gradient information (fabric dips, fold plunges, and local or regional trends) from geologic feature orientations (planar and linear) is the key to more accurate geologic modelling and is core to the functions of spatial agents presented herein. This study, for the first time, examines the potential use of spatial agents to increase gradient constraints in the context of the Loop project (https://loop3d.github.io/, last access: 1 October 2021​​​​​​​) in which new complementary methods are being developed for modelling complex geology for regional applications. The spatial agent codes presented may act to densify and supplement gradient as well as on-contact control points used in LoopStructural (https://www.github.com/Loop3d/LoopStructural, last access: 1 October 2021) and Map2Loop (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4288476, de Rose et al., 2020). Spatial agents are used to represent common geological data constraints, such as interface locations and gradient geometry, and simple but topologically consistent triangulated meshes. Spatial agents can potentially be used to develop surfaces that conform to reasonable geological patterns of interest, provided that they are embedded with behaviours that are reflective of the knowledge of their geological environment. Initially, this would involve detecting simple geological constraints: locations, trajectories, and trends of geological interfaces. Local and global eigenvectors enable spatial continuity estimates, which can reflect geological trends, with rotational bias, using a quaternion implementation. Spatial interpolation of structural geology orientation data with spatial agents employs a range of simple nearest-neighbour to inverse-distance-weighted (IDW) and quaternion-based spherical linear rotation interpolation (SLERP) schemes. This simulation environment implemented in NetLogo 3D is potentially useful for complex-geology–sparse-data environments where extension, projection, and propagation functions are needed to create more realistic geological forms.

Combined Field and Structure from Motion Survey to Identify Rock Discontinuity Sets of Aa Shallow Rockslide

The present work shows the results of a combined field and Structure from Motion (SfM) survey performed on the detachment surface of a shallow rockslide that occurred in the Rosandra Valley (Trieste, NE Italy), which was aimed at testing the use of 3D models obtained from Remote Sensing (RS) techniques to identify joint sets affecting unstable rock masses. According to discontinuity orientation data acquired from the field (N = 223), the investigated rock mass is affected by at least nine joint sets characterised by a notable variability. The extraction of joint sets from the 3D point cloud representing the surveyed rock outcrop was strongly sensitive to the point cloud density and the values of the controlling parameters of the density function embedded within the discontinuity extractor. This work demonstrates that, in order to properly identify rock joint sets, the exclusive application of a RS approach cannot fully substitute the traditional field survey, and the estimation of discontinuity sets should be integrated with joint orientation data acquired using a geological compass. To maximise its capabilities, the semi-automatic discontinuity set extraction from 3D point clouds should always be supported by a significant statistical sample of joint orientation measurements that are preliminarily collected from the field.

Novel Methods In Training Autonomous Vehicles For Urban Roads

<div>This thesis presents the development and application of a novel platform to train autonomous vehicles (AV) for urban roads. Interactive and immersive virtual reality (VR) environments are developed for the collection of mobility preference, behaviour, movement, and orientation data. The resulting naturalistic data can be used directly to train AV control systems. This platform is exemplified in an end-to-end case study resulting in a multi-objective braking system which maximizes both pedestrian safety and passenger comfort. It begins with the development of an immersive VR pedestrian road-crossing environment and compilation of a unique, naturalistic dataset. A vehicle agent is then successfully trained against the dataset, learning a multi-objective brake control policy using deep reinforcement learning methods and reducing the negative influence on passenger comfort by half while maintaining safe braking operation. This platform offers the opportunity to simulate complex, human-in-the-loop scenarios AVs will inevitably face and train them for these scenarios.</div>

Supplemental Material: Tectonostratigraphy and major structures of the Georgian Greater Caucasus: Implications for structural architecture, along-strike continuity, and orogen evolution

Structural orientation data and raw data from geochemical and thermochronological analyses.

Supplemental Material: Tectonostratigraphy and major structures of the Georgian Greater Caucasus: Implications for structural architecture, along-strike continuity, and orogen evolution

Structural orientation data and raw data from geochemical and thermochronological analyses.