A modified 3D mean strain energy density criterion for predicting shale mixed-mode Ⅰ/Ⅲ fracture toughness

The fracture toughness of rocks is a critical fracturing parameter in geo-energy exploitation playing a significant role in fracture mechanics and hydraulic fracturing.The edge-notched disk bending(ENDB)specimens are employed to measure the entire range of mixed-modeⅠ/Ⅲfracture toughness of Longmaxi shale.To theoretically interpret the fracture mechanisms,this research first introduces the detailed derivations of three established fracture criteria.By distinguishing the volumetric and distortional strain energy densities,an improved three-dimensional mean strain energy density(MSED)criterion is proposed.As the critical volumetric to distortional MSED ratio decreases,the transition from tensiondominated fracture to shear-dominated fracture is observed.Our results indicate that both peak load and applied energy increase significantly with the transition from pure mode I(i.e.,tension)to pure modeⅢ(i.e.,torsion or tearing)since mode-Ⅲcracking happens in a twisted manner and mode-Ⅰcracking occurs in a coplanar manner.The macroscopic fracture signatures are consistent with those of triaxial hydraulic fracturing.The average ratio of pure mode-Ⅲfracture toughness to pure mode-Ⅰfracture toughness is 0.68,indicating that the obtained mode-Ⅲfracture resistance for a tensionbased loading system is apparent rather than true.Compared to the three mainstream fracture criteria,the present fracture criterion exhibits greater competitiveness and can successfully evaluate and predict mixed-modeⅠ/Ⅲfracture toughness of distinct materials and loading methods.

A phase-field model for simulating the propagation behavior of mixed-mode cracks during the hydraulic fracturing process in fractured reservoirs

A novel phase-field model for the propagation of mixed-mode hydraulic fractures,characterized by the formation of mixed-mode fractures due to the interactions between fluids and solids,is proposed.In this model,the driving force for the phase field consists of both tensile and shear components,with the fluid contribution primarily manifesting in the tension driving force.The displacement and pressure are solved simultaneously by an implicit method.The numerical solution's iterative format is established by the finite element discretization and Newton-Raphson(NR)iterative methods.The correctness of the model is verified through the uniaxial compression physical experiments on fluid-pressurized rocks,and the limitations of the hydraulic fracture expansion phase-field model,which only considers mode I fractures,are revealed.In addition,the influence of matrix mode II fracture toughness value,natural fracture mode II toughness value,and fracturing fluid injection rate on the hydraulic fracture propagation in porous media with natural fractures is studied.

Mixed-mode fracture behavior in deep shale reservoirs under different loading rates and temperatures

In the last years,shale gas has gradually substituted oil and coal as the main sources of energy in the world.Compared with shallow shale gas reservoirs,deep shale is characterized by low permeability,low porosity,strong heterogeneity,and strong anisotropy.In the process of multi-cluster fracturing of horizontal wells,the whole deformation process and destruction modes are significantly influenced by loading rates.In this investigation,the servo press was used to carry out semi-circular bend(SCB)mixedmode fracture experiments in deep shales(130,160,190℃)with prefabricated fractures under different loading rates(0.02,0.05,0.1,0.2 mm/min).The fracture propagation process was monitored using acoustic emission.The deformation characteristics,displacementeload curve,and acoustic emission parameters of shale under different loading rates were studied during the mixed-mode fracture propagation.Our results showed that during the deformation and fracture of the specimen,the acoustic emission energy and charge significantly increased near the stress peak,showing at this point the most intense acoustic emission activity.With the increase in loading rate,the fracture peak load of the deep shale specimen also increased.However,the maximum displacement decreased to different extents.With the increase in temperature,the effective fracture toughness of the deep shale gradually decreased.Also,the maximum displacement decreased.Under different loading rates,the deformation of the prefabricated cracks showed a nonlinear slow growthelinear growth trend.The slope of the linear growth stage increased with the increase in loading rate.In addition,as the loading rate increased,an increase in tension failure and a decrease in shear failure were observed.Moreover,the control chart showing the relationship between tension and the shear failure under different temperatures and loading rates was determined.

Experimental Study on Mixed-Mode(Ⅰ–Ⅱ)Fracture Toughness of Freshwater Ice

In recent years,the issue of aircraft icing has gained widespread recognition.The breaking and detachment of dynamic ice can pose a threat to flight safety.However,the shedding and fracture mechanisms of dynamic ice are unclear and cannot meet the engineering needs of ice-shedding hazard assessment.Therefore,studying the fracture toughness of ice bodies has extremely important practical significance.To address this issue,this article uses a centrally cracked Brazilian disk(CCBD)specimen to measure the pure modeⅠtoughness and pure modeⅡfracture toughness of freshwater ice at different loading rates.The mixed-mode(Ⅰ–Ⅱ)fracture characteristics of ice are discussed,and the experimental results are compared and analyzed with the theoretical values of the generalized maximum tangential stress(GMTS)criterion considering the influence of T-stress.The results indicated that as the loading rate increases,the pure modeⅠtoughness and pure modeⅡfracture toughness of freshwater ice decrease,and the fracture toughness of freshwater ice is more sensitive to the loading rate.Ⅰn terms of fracture criteria,the theoretical value of the ratio of pure modeⅡfracture toughness to pure modeⅠfracture toughness based on the GMTS criterion is in good agreement with the experimental value,while the theoretical value based on the maximum tangential stress(MTS)criterion deviates significantly from the experimental value,indicating that the GMTS criterion considering the influence of T-stress can better predict the experimental results.

Simulation of 3D fracture propagation under I-II-III mixed-mode loading

Fracture propagation under mixed-mode loading conditions prevails in many natural geological processes and deep engineering projects,while the corresponding numerical simulation is very challenging in rock mechanics,especially in 3D cases.In most previous studies,the complexity of 3D fracture geometry was over-simplified,and model III loading was often not considered.In this study,we propose to use an efficient stress-based Sch€ollmann criterion combined with Displacement Discontinuity Method(DDM)to model 3D fracture propagation under arbitrary I+II+III mixed-mode loading conditions.A novel curve-smoothing algorithm is developed to smoothen the fracture front during propagation,which significantly enhances the model's ability in dealing with complex 3D fracture geometry.In particular,we adopt two different solution schemes,namely staggered and monolithic,to simulate mode I fracture propagation in the case of hydraulic fracturing.The accuracy,efficiency and convergency of the two solution schemes are compared in detail.Our research findings suggest that the degree of coupling between fracture aperture and fluid pressure in hydraulic fracturing lies somewhere between one-way and two-way,which favors the staggered solution scheme.To further test our new model,we provide three additional numerical examples associated with 3D fracture propagation under various mixed-mode loading conditions.Our model shows excellent performance in efficiently locating the new fracture front and reliably capturing the complex 3D fracture geometry.This study provides a generic algorithm to model high-fidelity 3D fracture propagation without simplifying fracture geometry or loading conditions,making it widely applicable to fracture-propagation-related problems.

Development of X-FEM methodology and study on mixed-mode crack propagation

The extended finite element method（X-FEM） is a novel numerical methodology with a great potential for using in multi-scale computation and multi-phase coupling problems. The algorithm is discussed and a program is developed based on X-FEM for simulating mixed-mode crack propagation. The maximum circumferential stress criterion and interaction integral are deduced. Some numerical results are compared with the experimental data to prove the capability and efficiency of the algorithm and the program. Numerical analyses of sub-interfacial crack growth in bi-materials give a clear description of the effiect on fracture made by interface and loading condition.

Application of scaled boundary finite element method in static and dynamic fracture problems

The scaled boundary finite element method （SBFEM） is a recently developed numerical method combining advantages of both finite element methods （FEM） and boundary element methods （BEM） and with its own special features as well. One of the most prominent advantages is its capability of calculating stress intensity factors （SIFs） directly from the stress solutions whose singularities at crack tips are analytically represented. This advantage is taken in this study to model static and dynamic fracture problems. For static problems, a remeshing algorithm as simple as used in the BEM is developed while retaining the generality and flexibility of the FEM. Fully-automatic modelling of the mixed-mode crack propagation is then realised by combining the remeshing algorithm with a propagation criterion. For dynamic fracture problems, a newly developed series-increasing solution to the SBFEM governing equations in the frequency domain is applied to calculate dynamic SIFs. Three plane problems are modelled. The numerical results show that the SBFEM can accurately predict static and dynamic SIFs, cracking paths and load-displacement curves, using only a fraction of degrees of freedom generally needed by the traditional finite element methods.

DYNAMIC MIXED MODE FRACTURE INITIATION IN ROCK^+

In this paper, a distortion dynamic strain energy density factor criterion for dynamic mixed-mode fracture initiation in rock is suggested.The results of the investigation on 14 three-point bending (TPB) and four-point bending(FPB) rock specimens tested u

Experimental investigation of three-dimensional mixed-mode fracture of a titanium alloy at room and elevated temperatures

Damage tolerance of titanium alloy structures is very important for the safety of modern aircraft under complex loading and environmental conditions. However, there is no available systematic knowledge about the effect of alloy thickness under mixed-mode loading at elevated temperatures. In the present study, a newly developed fracture experimental technique based on high-temperature moiré interferometry was employed to investigate experimentally I-II mixed-mode fracture in titanium alloy TC11 of various thicknesses at room and elevated temperatures. Compact shear specimens with thickness ranging from 1.8 to 7.1 mm were tested. The effects of temperature, thickness, and loading angle on the load capacity and crack initiation angle were investigated systematically. The TC11 alloy was shown to possess varied fracture performance at elevated tem-perature, and an opposite thickness effect at room temperature. Increasing temperature would enhance the fracture load capacity of thick specimens but reduce the fracture load capacity of thin specimens. Crack initiation angles under I-II mixed-mode loading showed the thickness-temperature coupling effects. These complex effects call for new development in three-dimensional mixed-mode fracture theory and technologies for damage tolerance assessment.

Mechanisms of hydraulic fracturing in cohesive soil

Hydraulic fracturing in the soil core of earth-rockfill dams is a common problem affecting the safety of the dams. Based on fracture tests, a new criterion for hydraulic fracturing in cohesive soil was suggested. Using this criterion, the mechanisms of hydraulic fracturing in cubic soil specimens were investigated. The results indicate that the propagation of the crack in a cubic specimen under water pressure occurs in a mixed mode I-II if the crack face is not perpendicular to any of the principal stresses, and the crack most likely to propagate is the one that is perpendicular to the minor principal stress and propagates in mode I.

Determination of mixed-mode interfacial fracture toughness for thermal barrier coatings

In this work, a test method was developed to determine the interfacial fracture toughness of the air plasma sprayed （APS） thermal barrier coatings （TBCs） over a wide range of mode mixities. For this mixed-mode test method, the analytical expres- sions for the energy release rate and stress intensity factors were derived based on the energy theory and the concept of ＂equi- valence＂. The fidelity of these expressions was affirmed by selected finite element analysis. The experimental results showed that the critical energy release rate increased with the increase of the positive mode mixity, which was mainly due to the increase in contact/friction effect and plastic work dissipation with increasing shear mode loading. Furthermore, an elliptical interfacial failure criterion in terms of the stress intensity factors was proposed. The agreement between the experimental results in the literature and those in our work indicated that our test method and the corresponding analytical solutions can well determine the interfaeial fracture toughness of the TBCs over a wide range of mode mixities.

Simulation of Dynamic 3D Crack Propagation within the Material Point Method

This paper presents the principles and algorithms for simulation of dynamic crack propagation in elastic bodies by the material point method(MPM),from relatively simple two-dimensional cases to full three-dimensional,mixed-mode crack propagation.The paper is intended to give a summary of the latest achievements on simulation of three-dimensional dynamic crack propagation,which is essentially an unexplored area.Application of the methodology presented in this paper to several dynamic crack propagation problems has shown that the MPM is a reliable and powerful approach for simulating three-dimensional,mixed-mode crack propagation.