Growth rate of a penny-shaped crack in hydraulic fracturing of rocks
The stable growth of a crack created by the hydraulic pressurizing of a penny-shaped crack in a dry rock mass is investigated. The rock mass is infinitely extended, homogeneous, and isotropic. It is verified on the basis of the equations of fluid dynamics that the fracturing fluid cannot penetrate the entire domain of a crack when the crack is moving. The effects of various terms in the basic equations also are studied. The solution of some typical examples is given, and the significant effect of the stress intensity factor of the rock on the crack propagation is shown. When the crack is expanding under a constant flow rate, the classical solution by Sack is found to be approx. valid for very large cracks, and nevertheless the crack is stable. (11 refs.)
- Research Organization:
- Tohoku Univ
- OSTI ID:
- 6559881
- Journal Information:
- J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Vol. 81:29
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Growth rate of a penny-shaped crack in hydraulic fracturing of rocks