Related papers: Why Fracking Works and How to Optimize It
Modeling the propagation of cracks at the microscopic level is fundamental to understand the effect of the microstructure on the fracture process. Nevertheless, microscopic propagation is often unstable and when using phase field fracture…
The paper treats the propagation of a hydraulically driven crack. We explicitly write the local speed equation, which facilitates using the theory of propagating interfaces. It is shown that when neglecting the lag between the liquid front…
Recent years have seen a significant interest in using phase field approaches to model hydraulic fracture, so as to optimise a process that is key to industries such as petroleum engineering, mining and geothermal energy extraction. Here,…
From cell development to space rockets, the mechanical stability of thin shells is crucial across many industrial and natural processes. However, predicting shells' failure properties remains an open challenge, owing to their sensitivity to…
In this paper, we'll answer several abstract, formal questions about the nature of crack growth and nucleation. Bringing a field theory point of view to fracture illuminates things in what I hope will be an entertaining way. Formally, what…
Polygonal desiccation crack patterns are commonly observed in natural systems. Despite their quotidian nature, it is unclear whether similar crack patterns which span orders of magnitude in length scales share the same underlying physics.…
Fracture networks are ubiquitous in nature, spanning scales from millimeter-sized cracks in botanical peels to hundred-kilometer-long lineae on planetary satellites. The propagation of a crack is a complex, nonlinear phenomenon governed by…
In this paper we demonstrate the influence of the pore pressure to the development of a hydraulically-driven fracture in a poroelastic medium. We present a novel numerical model for propagation of a planar hydraulic fracture and prove its…
Analytic relations that describe crack growth are vital for modeling experiments and building a theoretical understanding of fracture. Upon constructing an idealized model system for the crack and applying the principles of statistical…
In this paper the problem of a plane strain hydraulic fracture in elasto-plastic material is analyzed. The analysis is based on Finite Element Method computations of crack propagation and closure to simulate the Mini-Frac calibration test.…
When fast cracks become unstable to microscopic branching (micro-branching), fracture no longer occurs in an effective 2D medium. We follow in-plane crack front dynamics via real-time measurements in brittle gels as micro-branching unfolds…
The problem of crack pattern formation due to thermal shock loading at the surface of half-space is solved numerically using two-dimensional boundary element method. The results of numerical simulations with 100-200 random simultaneously…
Crack front waves are localized waves that propagate along the leading edge of a crack. They are generated by the interaction of a crack with a localized material inhomogeneity. We show that front waves are nonlinear entities that transport…
During brittle crack propagation, a smooth crack front curve frequently becomes disjoint, generating a stepped crack and a material ligament that unites the newly formed crack fronts. These universal features fundamentally alter the…
Extreme localization of damage in conventional brittle materials is the source of a host of undesirable effects. We show how artificially engineered metamaterials with all brittle constituents can be designed to ensure that every breakable…
Fault-damage zones comprise multiscale fracture networks that may slip dynamically and interact with the main fault during earthquake rupture. Using 3D dynamic rupture simulations and scale-dependent fracture energy, we examine dynamic…
We examine the effect of small, spatially localized, excitations applied periodically in different manners, on the crackling dynamics of a brittle crack driven slowly in a heterogeneous solid. When properly adjusted, these excitations are…
Deep saline aquifers are promising geological reservoirs for CO2 sequestration if they do not leak. The absence of leakage is provided by the caprock integrity. However, CO2 injection operations may change the geomechanical stresses and…
Failure and fault slip in crystalline rocks is associated with dilation. When pore fluids are present and drainage is insufficient, dilation leads to pore pressure drops, which in turn lead to strengthening of the material. We conducted…
Entangled networks are ubiquitous in tissues, polymers, and fabrics. However, their mechanics remain insufficiently understood due to the complexity of the topological constraints at the network level. Here, we develop a mathematical…