Numerical simulation of water inrush in fault zone considering seepage paths

Fault zones provide water flow paths and have often been the focus of water inrush prevention and control in coal mines. In previous studies, fault zones have been modeled as a straight line, but due to the influence of changes in the rock structure and weathering, fault zones are actually not linear. Therefore, the focus of this research is to examine the effect of considering the nonlinearity of a fault by using numerical simulations to examine water inrush from a fault zone that is characterized by fractures with different seepage paths. The model simulates water inrush from a nonuniform channel to explore the influence of seepage paths under confined flow conditions and high water pressures on seepage velocity in a fault. The determination of boundary conditions and calculation parameters in the numerical model is based on the experimental results of injection test in the fault of study area. The results show that in the compression zones of the fault, the flow velocity is higher and the potential energy of the water is increased due to changes in the cross section of the fault. Water inrush in the compression zones of the fault will lead to more serious inrush events. In addition, high water pressure from the water source of the inrush also has a substantial influence on the velocity of the water body. The flow medium in the fracture, which has a low permeability and is more or less impermeable, plays an important role in controlling the severity of water inrush.