Dynamic fracture network generation : A new method for growing fractures according to their deformation history

• This paper presents a new method for generation of simulated fractures where fractures ‘grow’ dynamically, permitting interaction during formation. These interactions mimic the natural processes of stress shadowing, termination of fractures on other fractures, linking of fractures, and the varied growth on a single fracture due to contrasting rock properties. By simulating these interactions and providing the user with fine control over them, the new fracture generation method can create simulated fracture networks that match natural fracture networks more closely than other established methods. These behaviours are implemented mechanistically, allowing fracture generation to be achieved without the significant additional computational cost required to explicitly model the stresses in a fracturing rock volume. A suite of test cases is demonstrated, illustrating how different configurations of the dynamic fracture model allows different connectivity characteristics to be modelled.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Dynamics

Rock mechanics

Rocks

Computational costs

Deformation history

Dynamic fractures

Generation method

Natural fracture

Natural process

Simulated fracture

Single fracture

Fracture

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kon (subject category)