Influence of pore pressure on tensile fracture growth in rocks: a new explanation based on numerical testing

doi:10.1007/s11707-014-0481-4

Front. Earth Sci.

2015, Vol. 9

Issue (3) : 412-426 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11707-014-0481-4

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Influence of pore pressure on tensile fracture growth in rocks: a new explanation based on numerical testing

Shou MA^1,^2,^*(

),Jianchun GUO¹,Lianchong LI³,Leslie George THAM⁴,Yingjie XIA³,Chun’an TANG³

1. State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Geology and Exploitation, Southwest Petroleum University, Chengdu 610500, China
2. SINOPEC Shengli Oilfield Company, Dongying 257000, China
3. School of Civil Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
4. Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

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Abstract

The diffusion of pore fluid pressures may create both spatial and temporal effective stress gradients that influence or control the development and evolution of fractures within rock masses. To better understand the controls on fracturing behavior, numerical simulations are performed using a progressive fracture modeling approach that shares many of the same natural kinematic features in rocks, such as fracture growth, nucleation, and termination. First, the pinch-off breaking test is numerically performed to investigate the tensile failure of a rock specimen in a uniform pore pressure field. In this numerical simulation, both mechanical and hydrological properties of a suite of rocks are measured under simulated laboratory conditions. The complete tensional failure process of the rock specimen under pore pressure was reproduced. Second, a double-notched specimen is numerically extended to investigate how the water flow direction or pore pressure gradient influences the fracture growth. An exhaustive sensitivity study is conducted that examines the effects of varying both hydrological and mechanical boundary conditions. The simulation results indicate that local fluid pressure gradients strongly influence the state of stress in the solids and, thereby, fracture growth. Fracture and strength behavior is influenced not only by the pore pressure magnitude on a local scale around the fracture tip, but also by the orientation and distribution of pore pressure gradients on a global scale. Increasing the fracture growth rate increases the local model permeability and decreases the sample strength. The results of this study may provide useful information concerning the degree of hydrological and mechanical coupling action under geologic conditions.

Keywords pore pressure effective stress heterogeneous numerical simulation fracture growth rock

Corresponding Author(s): Shou MA

Just Accepted Date: 03 December 2014 Online First Date: 19 January 2015 Issue Date: 20 July 2015

Cite this article:

Shou MA,Jianchun GUO,Lianchong LI, et al. Influence of pore pressure on tensile fracture growth in rocks: a new explanation based on numerical testing[J]. Front. Earth Sci., 2015, 9(3): 412-426.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fesci/EN/10.1007/s11707-014-0481-4
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fesci/EN/Y2015/V9/I3/412

Fig.1 Configuration for the pinch-off breaking experiment, (a) the experiment setup in the laboratory (Bruno and Nakagawa, 1991), and (b) the 3D numerical model represented with elastic modulus (the variance in the gray colors represent different values of the mechanical properties of the individual elements).

Tab.1 Physico-mechanical parameters used in numerical simulation

Fig.2 Numerical calculation for the back analysis of the mechanical parameters, (a) model used for back analysis, (b) experimental laboratory result, (c) numerically obtained failure process, and (d) numerically obtained failure process (maximum shear stress evolution).

Fig.3 The fitted stress-strain relationship.

Fig.4 Numerically obtained pore pressure and effective stress along the central line across the numerical specimen.

Fig.5 Numerically obtained failure process of specimen under pure pore water pressure, (a) progressive failure process represented with elastic modulus, and (b) progressive failure process represented with pore pressure.

Fig.6 Numerically simulated stress–strain curve and corresponding failure process for the case under direct pull tension.

Fig.7 The conceptual models of pore pressure gradient orientation affecting fracture extension, (a) fluid flow directed toward fracture extension, and (b) fluid flow directed away from potential fracture path (Bruno and Nakagawa, 1991).

Fig.8 The conceptual model of planar tensile fracture extension.

Fig.9 The employed numerical model.

Tab.2 Cases with different pore pressure applied on the left and right notches

Fig.10 Numerically obtained pore pressure and effective stress along the central line of the numerical specimen.

Fig.11 Numerically simulated load–displacement curve and corresponding failure process for Case 2.

Fig.12 Numerically obtained failure process of Case 2, (a) fracture growth process represented with elastic modulus, and (b) fracture growth represented with flow velocity.

Fig.13 Numerically obtained failure process for the cases under an asymmetrical pore pressure gradient (represented with pore pressure).

Fig.14 The length variation of primary fractures initiated from the left and right notches with asymmetrical pore pressure, (a) left side, and (b) right side.

Fig.15 Numerically obtained failure process for the cases under symmetric pore pressure gradient (represented with pore pressure).

Fig.16 The length variation of primary fractures initiated from the left and right notches with symmetric pore pressure, (a) left side, and (b) right side.

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