scholarly journals The Fracturing Behavior of Tight Glutenites Subjected to Hydraulic Pressure

Processes ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (7) ◽  
pp. 96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhichao Li ◽  
Lianchong Li ◽  
Zilin Zhang ◽  
Ming Li ◽  
Liaoyuan Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Process Analysis ◽  
Failure Process ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Axial Ratio ◽  
Numerical Code ◽  
Hydraulic Fractures ◽  
Hydraulic Pressure ◽  
Gravel Size ◽  
Rock Failure Process ◽  
Common Laboratory

Tight glutenites are typically composed of heterogeneous sandstone and gravel. Due to low or ultra-low permeability, it is difficult to achieve commercial production in tight glutenites without hydraulic fracturing. Efficient exploitation requires an in-depth understanding of the fracturing behavior of these reservoirs. This paper provides a numerical method that integrates the digital image processing (DIP) technique into a numerical code rock failure process analysis (RFPA). This method could consider the glutenite heterogeneities, including intrarock and interrock heterogeneities, and the practicability is verified through two numerical tests. Two-dimensional (2D) simulations show hydraulic fractures (HFs) can penetrate or deflect to propagate along the gravels, depending on the magnitude of stress anisotropy and gravel strength. Three-dimensional (3D) simulations with the consideration of gravel distribution orientation, gravel size and axial ratio show HFs could propagate past the gravel with no deflection, forming a bypass fracture that is not easy to observe in common laboratory experiments. HFs could also deflect to propagate along the gravels. The impacts of the gravel distribution orientation, gravel size and axial ratio are discussed in detail. The main propagation modes of HFs intersecting the gravels are summarized as: (1) penetrating directly; (2) deflecting to propagate along the gravels to form distorted HFs; (3) propagating to bypass the gravels; (4) a combination of (1) and (2), or (2) and (3).

Numerical Simulation on Failure Patterns of Rock Discs and Rings Subject to Diametral Line Loads

2004 ◽  
Vol 261-263 ◽  
pp. 1517-1522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wan Cheng Zhu ◽  
K.T. Chau ◽  
Chun An Tang
Keyword(s):  
Tensile Strength ◽  
Standardized Test ◽  
Process Analysis ◽  
Failure Process ◽  
Brazilian Test ◽  
Rock Failure ◽  
Numerical Code ◽  
Failure Patterns ◽  
Rock Failure Process ◽  
Indirect Tensile

Brazilian test is a standardized test for measuring indirect tensile strength of rock and concrete disc (or cylinder). Similar test called indirect tensile test has also been used for other geomaterials. Although splitting of the disc into two halves is the expected failure mode, other rupture modes had also been observed. More importantly, the splitting tensile strength of rock can vary significantly with the specimen geometry and loading condition. In this study, a numerical code called RFPA2D (abbreviated from Rock Failure Process Analysis) is used to simulate the failure process of disc and ring specimens subject to Brazilian test. The failure patterns and splitting tensile strengths of specimens with different size and loading-strip-width are simulated and compared with existing experimental results. In addition, two distinct failure patterns observed in ring tests have been simulated using RFPA2D and thus this verifies the applicability of RFPA2D in simulating rock failure process under static loads.

Three-Dimensional Material Failure Process Analysis

2005 ◽  
Vol 297-300 ◽  
pp. 1196-1201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chun An Tang ◽  
Zheng Zhao Liang ◽  
Yong Bin Zhang ◽  
Tao Xu
Keyword(s):  
Process Analysis ◽  
Failure Process ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Brittle Materials ◽  
Constitutive Law ◽  
Numerical Code ◽  
Material Failure ◽  
Fibrous Materials ◽  
Material Stiffness ◽  
Cracking Process

This paper introduces a newly developed three-dimensional Material Failure Process Analysis code, MFPA3D to model the failure processes of brittle materials, such as concrete, ceramics, fibrous materials, and rocks. This numerical code, based on a stress analysis method (finite element method) and a material failure constitutive law, can be taken as a tool in numerical modeling analysis to enhance our understanding of the failure mechanisms of brittle materials. Properties of material heterogeneity are taken into account. The material is discretized into numerous small elements with fixed size. Fracture behavior can be modeled by reducing the material stiffness and strength after the peak strength of the material has been reached. The evolution of the cracking process down to full fracture implies strain softening, which describes the post-peak gradual decline of stress at increasing strain. In the present study, a Mohr-Coulomb criterion envelop with a tension cut-off is used so that the element may fail either in shear or in tension. Simulated fracture or crack patterns of two examples are found quite realistic, and the results strongly depend on the heterogeneity level.

Numerical Study of Elastic-Brittle Failure of Notched Openings in Rocks

2005 ◽  
Vol 297-300 ◽  
pp. 2605-2611
Author(s):  
Shan Yong Wang ◽  
S.K. Au ◽  
K.C. Lam ◽  
Chun An Tang
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Study ◽  
Progressive Failure ◽  
Process Analysis ◽  
Failure Process ◽  
Confining Pressure ◽  
Numerical Code ◽  
Tunnel Wall ◽  
Model Studies ◽  
Borehole Breakout ◽  
Rock Failure Process

Borehole breakout is the process by which portions of borehole or tunnel wall fracture or spall when subjected to compressive stresses. The stress-strain characteristics of rock during loading and unloading confining pressure are studied firstly. To overcome the difficulties in analytical model studies, a numerical code, RFPA2D (Rock Failure Process Analysis), developed by CRISR, Northeastern University, China, is used to investigate the progressive failure of breakout around tunnel. The heterogeneity of rock was also taken into account in the software. The numerical simulation reproduces the formation notch in rocks by the growth, interaction and coalescence of randomly distributed macrocracks. It is illustrated from the numerical simulated results that breakout direction of tunnel is parallel with the minor stress tensor in the plane perpendicular to the borehole axis. Specifically due to the inclusion of heterogeneity, some peculiarities are studied both in the evolution of fracture and the influence of borehole on the peak intensity of specimen as well as the AE event patterns.

Numerical Study on the Fracture Evolution around Cavities in Rock

2005 ◽  
Vol 297-300 ◽  
pp. 2598-2604
Author(s):  
Shan Yong Wang ◽  
S.K. Au ◽  
K.C. Lam ◽  
Chun An Tang
Keyword(s):  
Shear Fracture ◽  
Model Simulation ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Process Analysis ◽  
Failure Process ◽  
Confining Pressure ◽  
Numerical Code ◽  
Tensile Fracture ◽  
Fracture Evolution ◽  
Rock Failure Process

By using numerical code RFPA2D (Rock Failure Process Analysis), the evolution of fracture around cavities subjected to uniaxial and polyaxial compression is examined through a series of model simulation. It is shown from the numerical results that the chain of events leading to the collapse of the cavity may involve all or some of the fractures designated as primary tensile, shear and remote fracture. Numerical simulated results reproduce the evolution of three types of fractures. Under the condition of no confining pressure, the tensile mode dominates with collapse coinciding with the sudden and explosive appearance of the secondary tensile fracture; at moderate higher confining pressure, the tensile mode is depressed, comparatively, the shear effect is strengthened. Nevertheless, tensile fractures especially in remote fractures stage still play a role; at higher pressure, the shear fracture dominates the remote fractures. In addition, the evolution and interact of fractures between multiple cavities is investigated, considering the stress redistribution and transference in compressive and tensile stress field.

Digital Image Based Simulation on Failure Process of Heterogeneous Brittle Materials

2006 ◽  
Vol 324-325 ◽  
pp. 315-318
Author(s):  
Wan Cheng Zhu ◽  
Jin Chao Duan ◽  
Chun An Tang ◽  
Shan Yong Wang
Keyword(s):  
Digital Image ◽  
Progressive Failure ◽  
Process Analysis ◽  
Failure Process ◽  
Brittle Materials ◽  
Heterogeneous Material ◽  
Numerical Code ◽  
Mechanical Responses ◽  
Macro Scale ◽  
Rock Failure Process

Rock and concrete are typical heterogeneous material that the meso-scale heterogeneity may have a significant effect on their macro-scale mechanical responses. In this work, a digital image-based (DIB) technique is employed to characterize and quantify the heterogeneity of concrete, and the obtained data is directly imported into a numerical code named RFPA (Rock Failure Process Analysis) to study the effect of heterogeneity on the failure process of concrete. The upgraded RFPA is capable to simulate the progressive failure of brittle materials such as rock and concrete, representing both the growth of existing fractures and the formation of new fractures, obviating the need to identify crack tips and their interaction explicitly. The simulated results are in reasonable agreement with experimental measurements and phenomenological observations reported in previous studies.

Numerical Analysis of Faults on Deep-Buried Tunnel Surrounding Rock Damaged Zones

2011 ◽  
Vol 90-93 ◽  
pp. 74-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Hu ◽  
Ling Xu ◽  
Nu Wen Xu
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Analysis ◽  
Mechanical Response ◽  
Progressive Failure ◽  
Process Analysis ◽  
Failure Process ◽  
Water Inrush ◽  
Surrounding Rock ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Rock Failure Process ◽  
Tunnel Instability

Fault is one of the most important factors affecting tunnel instability. As a significant and casual construction of Jinping II hydropower station, when the drain tunnel is excavated at depth of 1600 m, rockbursts and water inrush induced by several huge faults and zone of fracture have restricted the development of the whole construction. In this paper, a progressive failure progress numerical analysis code-RFPA (abbreviated from Rock Failure Process Analysis) is applied to investigate the influence of faults on tunnel instability and damaged zones. Numerical simulation is performed to analyze the stress distribution and wreck regions of the tunnel, and the results are consistent with the phenomena obtained from field observation. Moreover, the effects of fault characteristics and positions on the construction mechanical response are studied in details. Some distribution rules of surrounding rock stress of deep-buried tunnel are summarized to provide the reasonable references to TBM excavation and post-support of the drain tunnel, as well as the design and construction of similar engineering in future.

Numerical Simulation of 3-D Failure Process of Reinforced Concrete Specimen under Uniaxial Tension

2007 ◽  
Vol 353-358 ◽  
pp. 949-952 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Xia Zhang ◽  
Chun An Tang ◽  
Xiu Yan Zhou ◽  
Xing Jie Hui ◽  
Zheng Zhao Liang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Elastic Modulus ◽  
Reinforced Concrete ◽  
Uniaxial Tension ◽  
Process Analysis ◽  
Failure Process ◽  
Plain Concrete ◽  
Concrete Specimen ◽  
Numerical Code ◽  
Concrete Prism

The periodically distributed fracture spacing phenomenon exists in the failure process of the reinforced concrete prism under uniaxial tension. In this paper, A numerical code RFPA3D (3D Realistic Failure Process Analysis) is used to simulate the three-dimensional failure process of plain concrete prism specimen and reinforced concrete prism specimen under uniaxial tension. The reinforced concrete is represented by a set of elements with same size and different mechanical properties. They are uniform cubic elements and their mechanical properties, including elastic modulus and peak strength, are distributed through the specimens according to a certain statistical distribution. The elastic modulus and other mechanical properties are weakened gradually when the stresses in the elements meet the specific failure criterion. The displacement-controlled loading scheme is used to simulate the complete failure process of reinforced concrete. The analyses focus on the failure mechanisms of the concrete and reinforcement. The complete process of the fracture for the plain concrete prism and the fracture initiation, infilling and saturation of the reinforced concrete prism is reproduced. It agrees well with the theoretical analysis. Through 3D numerical tests for the specimen, it can be investigated the interaction between the reinforcement and concrete mechanical properties in meso-level and the numerical code is proved to be an effective way to help thoroughly understand the rule of the reinforcement and concrete and also help the design of the structural concrete components and systems.

Numerical Simulation of Short Cracks in Fiber-Reinforced Ceramics

2006 ◽  
Vol 324-325 ◽  
pp. 947-950 ◽  
Author(s):  
Da Guo Wang ◽  
Ju Ying Yang ◽  
Li Chong Li ◽  
Wei Jiang
Keyword(s):  
Process Analysis ◽  
Failure Process ◽  
Microscopic Analysis ◽  
Numerical Code ◽  
Fiber Reinforced ◽  
Short Cracks ◽  
Fiber Spacing ◽  
Load Carrying ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Tension Loading

In this paper, a numerical code, Realistic Failure Process Analysis code (RFPA), was used to perform a microscopic analysis of a crack in a fiber-reinforced ceramic, when the crack length is the same order of magnitude as the fiber spacing. The numerical results performed in the paper shown the failure process of fiber-reinforced ceramic subjected to tension loading, which indicate that the reinforcing fibers in a ceramic composite have a significant effect in inhibiting crack propagation even during the stages of the development of crack. Moreover, the fiber evidently increased the load-carrying capacity.

Numerical Simulation on Fracture Formation on Surfaces of Bi-Layered Materials

2007 ◽  
Vol 353-358 ◽  
pp. 993-996
Author(s):  
Tian Hui Ma ◽  
Ju Ying Yang ◽  
Zheng Zhao Liang ◽  
Yong Bin Zhang ◽  
Tao Xu
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Simulation ◽  
Numerical Solutions ◽  
Process Analysis ◽  
Failure Process ◽  
Layered Materials ◽  
Numerical Code ◽  
Material Layer ◽  
Fracture Formation ◽  
Constant State ◽  
The Individual

Fracture formation on surfaces of bi-layered materials is studied numerically. A simplified two-layered materials model like growing tree trunk is present. This work is focused on patterns of fractures and fracture saturation. We consider the formation of crack pattern in bark as an example of pattern formation due to expansion of one material layer with respect to another. As a result of this expansion, the bark stretches until it reaches its limit of deformation and cracks. A novel numerical code, 3D Realistic Failure Process Analysis code (abbreviated as RFPA3D) is used to obtain numerical solutions. In this numerical code, the heterogeneity of materials is taken into account by assigning different properties to the individual elements according to statistical distribution function. Elastic-brittle constitutive relation with residual strength for elements and a Mohr-Coulomb criterion with a tensile cut-off are adopted so that the elements may fail either in shear or in tension. The discontinuity feature of the initiated crack is automatically induced by using degraded stiffness approach when the tensile strain of the failed elements reaching a certain value. The different patterns are obtained by varying simulation parameters, the thickness of the material layer. Numerical simulation clearly demonstrates that the stress state transition precludes further infilling of fractures and the fracture spacing reaches constant state,i.e. the socalled fracture saturation. It also indicates that RFPA code is a viable tool for modeling fracture formation and studying fracture patterns.

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