| Geological fracture mechanics | |
| This research is aimed at extending geological fracture mechanics beyond purely mechanical modes of failure. Of interest is the formation of fractures in chemically reactive environments such as siliceous shale altered during early burial diagenesis or during high-temperature/low pressure in situ combustion (Figure 1). Unlike "brittle" fractures, these fractures are inferred to form by pore growth and coalescence (Figure 2), similar to ductile fracture in metals and in ceramics during high-temperature sintering. This research demonstrated that fracturing is not limited to low temperature conditions but may occur under a wide range of subsurface conditions (Figure 3). |
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| Figure 1. Blunt-tipped opening-mode fractures with large apertures are characteristic of clinker that formed by in-situ combustion of hydrocarbons in siliceous shale. Pen for scale. | Figure 2. Photo-micrograph of clinker. Macroscopic opening-mode fractures form by the growth and coalescence of elongate pores. |
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| Figure 3. Fracture mechanism map in space of normalized temperature and stress for a given strain rate. This map suggests that the formation of fractures is not limited to low-temperature, upper crustal conditions but may occur under a wide range of subsurface conditions. | |
Selected publications
last update: 02/22/04 |
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