Campus Units
Geological and Atmospheric Sciences
Document Type
Article
Publication Version
Published Version
Publication Date
8-16-2016
Journal or Book Title
Geophysical Research Letters
Volume
43
Issue
15
First Page
7946
Last Page
7952
DOI
10.1002/2016GL069979
Abstract
Fractures that propagate off of weak slip planes are known as wing cracks and often play important roles in both tectonic deformation and fluid flow across reservoir seals. Previous numerical models have produced the basic kinematics of wing crack openings but generally have not been able to capture fracture geometries seen in nature. Here we present both a phase-field modeling approach and a physical experiment using gelatin for a wing crack formation. By treating the fracture surfaces as diffusive zones instead of as discontinuities, the phase-field model does not require consideration of unpredictable rock properties or stress inhomogeneities around crack tips. It is shown by benchmarking the models with physical experiments that the numerical assumptions in the phase-field approach do not affect the final model predictions of wing crack nucleation and growth. With this study, we demonstrate that it is feasible to implement the formation of wing cracks in large scale phase-field reservoir models.
Copyright Owner
American Geophysical Union
Copyright Date
2016
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Lee, Sanghyun; Reber, Jacqueline E.; Hayman, Nicholas W.; and Wheeler, Mary F., "Investigation of wing crack formation with a combined phase-field and experimental approach" (2016). Geological and Atmospheric Sciences Publications. 164.
https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/ge_at_pubs/164
Comments
This article is published as Lee, Sanghyun, Jacqueline E. Reber, Nicholas W. Hayman, and Mary F. Wheeler. "Investigation of wing crack formation with a combined phase‐field and experimental approach." Geophysical Research Letters 43, no. 15 (2016): 7946-7952. DOI:10.1002/2016GL069979. Posted with permission.