Research on Energy and Instability Criterion of Sandstone Hydraulic Fracturing in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, Chongqing, China

At present, the understanding of structural failure and energy analysis of sandstone under hydrofracture is still insufficient. This time, we selected the sandstone in Chongqing Three Gorges Reservoir Area as the main analysis object to discuss and compare the characteristics of conventional uniaxia...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Xiaojun Tang, Hongwei Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2023-01-01
Series:Geofluids
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2023/9985452
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Summary:At present, the understanding of structural failure and energy analysis of sandstone under hydrofracture is still insufficient. This time, we selected the sandstone in Chongqing Three Gorges Reservoir Area as the main analysis object to discuss and compare the characteristics of conventional uniaxial (triaxial) compression strength test and uniaxial (triaxial) compression hydraulic fracturing strength test and conduct instability analysis from the perspective of energy. Based on the mechanical characteristics and parameters about the uniaxial (triaxial) compressive strength test and uniaxial (triaxial) compressive hydrofracture strength test, we focus on the analysis of the evolution rules of the hydraulic pressure-strain curve, analyzing the criteria of crack expanding and instability by using energy principle. According to the viewpoint of fracture mechanics, the fracture morphology and failure type of sandstone under hydrofracture were discussed. The test results show that the deformation evolution rules of rock hydrofracture can be divided into four stages, including the characteristics of pore fissure water injection stage (OA), the elastic deformation stage (AB), the volume expansion stage (BC), and global rupture stage (CD). Using the P/C modulus (the ratio of hydraulic pressure and cohesive force, abbreviated as P/C), the ability of hydraulic pressure overcoming cohesive force can be evaluated during hydrofracture. Using energy variables (expressed by Ek) about crack expanding from beginning to end, the unexpanded state, critical state, unstable state, and unstable failure of crack can be estimated. There is an interaction between tensile deformation and shear deformation from the crack initial stage to crack expanding stage.
ISSN:1468-8123