Direct observations of hydraulic fracturing in rock bridge of granite specimens in grain-scale

Abstract In recent years, numerical fracturing simulation has seen an unprecedented emphasis on capturing the complexities that arise in hydraulic fracturing to better design and execute hydraulic fracturing jobs. As the need for more sophisticated simulators grows, so does the need for more sophisticated physical models that can be used to study the mechanics of the fracturing process under a controlled environment, and to validate the numerical predictions of advanced hydraulic fracturing simulators. We developed and utilized novel laboratory capabilities to perform an extensive set of fracturing experiments across various aspects of hydraulic fracture propagation including the effect of far-field stress contrast, rock mechanical heterogeneity, multi-well injection, borehole notching, fluid injection method, type of injection fluid, and interaction with natural fractures. Numerous direct observations and digital image analyses are documented to provide fundamental insights in hydraulic fracturing. As demonstrated through a few case studies from the literature, our laboratory experiments are very useful for validating hydraulic fracturing simulators due to the small-scale, two-dimensional (2-D) nature, controlled environment, and well-characterized properties of the test specimens used in the experiments.

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Experimental and Theoretical Study on Dynamic Hydraulic Fracture

Energies ◽

10.3390/en12030397 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 397 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Jingnan Dong ◽

Mian Chen ◽

Yuwei Li ◽

Shiyong Wang ◽

Chao Zeng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hydraulic Fracturing ◽

Hydraulic Fracture ◽

Oil And Gas ◽

Fluid Velocity ◽

Crack Tip ◽

Momentum Balance ◽

Gas Reservoirs ◽

Direct Observations ◽

Total Input ◽

Theoretical Predictions

Hydraulic fracturing is vital in the stimulation of oil and gas reservoirs, whereas the dynamic process during hydraulic fracturing is still unclear due to the difficulty in capturing the behavior of both fluid and fracture in the transient process. For the first time, the direct observations and theoretical analyses of the relationship between the crack tip and the fluid front in a dynamic hydraulic fracture are presented. A laboratory-scale hydraulic fracturing device is built. The momentum-balance equation of the fracturing fluid is established and numerically solved. The theoretical predictions conform well to the directly observed relationship between the crack tip and the fluid front. The kinetic energy of the fluid occupies over half of the total input energy. Using dimensionless analyses, the existence of equilibrium state of the driving fluid in this dynamic system is theoretically established and experimentally verified. The dimensionless separation criterion of the crack tip and the fluid front in the dynamic situation is established and conforms well to the experimental data. The dynamic analyses show that the separation of crack tip and fluid front is dominated by the crack profile and the equilibrium fluid velocity. This study provides a better understanding of the dynamic hydraulic fracture.

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Direct observations of radiation-enhanced transformations in glass

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100075543 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 41 ◽

pp. 354-355

Author(s):

J. F. DeNatale ◽

D. G. Howitt

Keyword(s):

Glass Matrix ◽

Diffusion Mechanism ◽

Bubble Formation ◽

Silicate Glasses ◽

Phase Decomposition ◽

Direct Observations ◽

Thin Foils ◽

Oxygen Bubble ◽

Electron Energy Loss ◽

Kinetics Of

The electron irradiation of silicate glasses containing metal cations produces various types of phase separation and decomposition which includes oxygen bubble formation at intermediate temperatures figure I. The kinetics of bubble formation are too rapid to be accounted for by oxygen diffusion but the behavior is consistent with a cation diffusion mechanism if the amount of oxygen in the bubble is not significantly different from that in the same volume of silicate glass. The formation of oxygen bubbles is often accompanied by precipitation of crystalline phases and/or amorphous phase decomposition in the regions between the bubbles and the detection of differences in oxygen concentration between the bubble and matrix by electron energy loss spectroscopy cannot be discerned (figure 2) even when the bubble occupies the majority of the foil depth.The oxygen bubbles are stable, even in the thin foils, months after irradiation and if van der Waals behavior of the interior gas is assumed an oxygen pressure of about 4000 atmospheres must be sustained for a 100 bubble if the surface tension with the glass matrix is to balance against it at intermediate temperatures.

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Metallurgical Effects of Grain Boundary Ledges

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100078225 ◽

1977 ◽

Vol 35 ◽

pp. 126-129

Author(s):

L.E. Murr

Keyword(s):

Grain Boundary ◽

Quantitative Data ◽

Mechanical Treatment ◽

Unit Length ◽

Physical And Mechanical Properties ◽

Direct Observations ◽

Transmission Electron ◽

Properties Of Materials ◽

Thermo Mechanical Treatment ◽

Ledge Density

Ledges in grain boundaries can be identified by their characteristic contrast features (straight, black-white lines) distinct from those of lattice dislocations, for example1,2 [see Fig. 1(a) and (b)]. Simple contrast rules as pointed out by Murr and Venkatesh2, can be established so that ledges may be recognized with come confidence, and the number of ledges per unit length of grain boundary (referred to as the ledge density, m) measured by direct observations in the transmission electron microscope. Such measurements can then give rise to quantitative data which can be used to provide evidence for the influence of ledges on the physical and mechanical properties of materials.It has been shown that ledge density can be systematically altered in some metals by thermo-mechanical treatment3,4.

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Direct Observations of the Epitaxial Growth of Sputtered Ag on Si

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100071053 ◽

1973 ◽

Vol 31 ◽

pp. 122-123

Author(s):

J. S. Maa ◽

Thos. E. Hutchinson

Keyword(s):

Epitaxial Growth ◽

Film Growth ◽

Ion Beam ◽

Ion Beam Sputtering ◽

Microscopy Technique ◽

Direct Observations ◽

In Situ Electron Microscopy ◽

Beam Sputtering ◽

The Subject

The growth of Ag films deposited on various substrate materials such as MoS2, mica, graphite, and MgO has been investigated extensively using the in situ electron microscopy technique. The three stages of film growth, namely, the nucleation, growth of islands followed by liquid-like coalescence have been observed in both the vacuum vapor deposited and ion beam sputtered thin films. The mechanisms of nucleation and growth of silver films formed by ion beam sputtering on the (111) plane of silicon comprise the subject of this paper. A novel mode of epitaxial growth is observed to that seen previously.The experimental arrangement for the present study is the same as previous experiments, and the preparation procedure for obtaining thin silicon substrate is presented in a separate paper.

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Void-Lattice Formation in Natural Fluorite by Electron Irradiation

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100093031 ◽

1976 ◽

Vol 34 ◽

pp. 614-615 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

L.E. Murr

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscope ◽

Electron Irradiation ◽

Heavy Ion ◽

High Energy ◽

Stoichiometric Ratio ◽

Direct Observations ◽

Transmission Electron ◽

Anion Vacancies ◽

Cation And Anion Vacancies ◽

Lattice Formation

The production of void lattices in metals as a result of displacement damage associated with high energy and heavy ion bombardment is now well documented. More recently, Murr has shown that a void lattice can be developed in natural (colored) fluorites observed in the transmission electron microscope. These were the first observations of a void lattice in an irradiated nonmetal, and the first, direct observations of color-center aggregates. Clinard, et al. have also recently observed a void lattice (described as a high density of aligned "pores") in neutron irradiated Al2O3 and Y2O3. In this latter work, itwas pointed out that in order that a cavity be formed,a near-stoichiometric ratio of cation and anion vacancies must aggregate. It was reasoned that two other alternatives to explain the pores were cation metal colloids and highpressure anion gas bubbles.Evans has proposed that void lattices result from the presence of a pre-existing impurity lattice, and predicted that the formation of a void lattice should restrict swelling in irradiated materials because it represents a state of saturation.

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Direct observation of Fe-Al-Zn ternary intermetallic compound and its transformation during the early stage of hot-dip galvanizing

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100151416 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 51 ◽

pp. 1116-1117

Author(s):

C. S. Lin ◽

W. A. Chiou ◽

M. Meshii

Keyword(s):

Intermetallic Compound ◽

Reaction Rate ◽

Diffusion Rate ◽

Early Stage ◽

Zinc Bath ◽

Steel Sheets ◽

Direct Observations ◽

Solid Iron ◽

Iron And Zinc ◽

Ternary Intermetallic Compound

The galvannealed steel sheets have received ever increased attention because of their excellent post-painting corrosion resistance and good weldability. However, its powdering and flaking tendency during press forming processes strongly impairs its performance. In order to optimize the properties of galvanneal coatings, it is critical to control the reaction rate between solid iron and molten zinc.In commercial galvannealing line, aluminum is added to zinc bath to retard the diffusion rate between iron and zinc by the formation of a thin layer of Al intermetallic compound on the surface of steel at initial hot-dip galvanizing. However, the form of this compound and its transformation are still speculated. In this paper, we report the direct observations of this compound and its transformation.The specimens were prepared in a hot-dip simulator in which the steel was galvanized in the zinc bath containing 0.14 wt% of Al at a temperature of 480 °C for 5 seconds and was quenched by liquid nitrogen.

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