Abstract:The construction technology of underground storage caverns was introduced into China a few years ago. At present,there is no extensive experience on the design and construction of groundwater curtaining system. Design principles and inter-connectivity determination method of groundwater curtaining system were investigated with reference to a case study on a pilot underground crude oil storage caverns in China. The influences of hydrogeological condition on the sealing method,arrangement method of groundwater curtaining system and inter-connectivity determination method were obtained. From field tests on the inter-connectivity of groundwater curtaining system for the pilot caverns,an improved inter-connectivity testing procedure was proposed to determine the inter-connectivity of boreholes in the curtaining system. From this study,it is found that the sealing method of underground storage caverns depends on the hydrogeological conditions of the sites;and vertical hydraulic gradient is an important parameter for the sealing property of storage caverns. For artificial sealing method,the axes of boreholes in groundwater curtaining system are suggested to be perpendicular to the orientation of dominant joints. The inter-connectivity of the boreholes could be determined using a procedure combining groundwater pressure dropdown test of single boreholes with inter-connectivity test for multiple boreholes. The distribution and variation of groundwater seepage field around the site could impose great influence on the testing results. The improved testing procedure could be employed to determine the inter-connectivity of groundwater curtaining system in different hydrogeological conditions. This study will provide an important reference for the construction of underground storage caverns with groundwater curtaining system;and provide a critical benchmark for the study of seepage behavior of jointed rock mass.
LI Z,WANG K,WANG A,et al. Experimental study of water curtain performance for gas storage in an underground cavern[J]. Journal of Rock Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering,2009,1(1):89-96.
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