AUTHOR=Andresen Christian A., Hansen Alex , Le Goc Romain , Davy Philippe , Hope Sigmund M.

TITLE=Topology of fracture networks

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physics

VOLUME=1

YEAR=2013

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physics/articles/10.3389/fphy.2013.00007

DOI=10.3389/fphy.2013.00007

ISSN=2296-424X

ABSTRACT=<p>We propose a mapping from fracture systems consisting of intersecting fracture sheets in three dimensions to an abstract network consisting of nodes and links. This makes it possible to analyze fracture systems with the methods developed within modern network theory. We test the mapping for two-dimensional geological fracture outcrops and find that the equivalent networks are small-world and dissasortative. By analyzing the Discrete Fracture Network model, which is used to generate artificial fracture outcrop networks, we also find small world networks. However, the networks turn out to be assortative.</p>