Print Email Facebook Twitter Mechanical Factors Controlling the Development of Orthogonal and Nested Fracture Network Geometries Title Mechanical Factors Controlling the Development of Orthogonal and Nested Fracture Network Geometries Author Boersma, Q.D. (TU Delft Applied Geology) Hardebol, N.J. (TU Delft Applied Geology) Barnhoorn, A. (TU Delft Applied Geophysics and Petrophysics) Bertotti, G. (TU Delft Applied Geology) Date 2018-07-14 Abstract Orthogonal fracture networks form an arrangement of open well-connected fractures which have perpendicular abutment angles and sometimes show topological relations by which fracture sets abut against each other, thus forming a nested network. Previous modelling studies have shown that orthogonal fractures may be caused by a local stress perturbation rather than a rotation in remote stresses. In this study, we expand on the implications of these local stress perturbations using a static finite element approach. The derived stress field is examined to assess the development of implemented microfractures. The results show that the continuous infill of fractures leads to a gradual decrease in the local tensile stresses and strain energies, and, therefore, results in the development of a saturated network, at which further fracture placement is inhibit. The geometry of this fully developed network is dependent on the remote effective stresses and partly on the material properties. Saturated networks range from: (1) a set of closely spaced parallel fractures; (2) a ladder-like geometry; and (3) an interconnected nested arrangement. Finally, we show that our modelling results at which we apply effective tension, are equivalent to having a uniformly distributed internal pore fluid pressure, when assuming static steady state conditions and no dynamic fluid behaviour. Subject Nested arrangementOpening mode fracturingOrthogonal networkPore pressureSubcritical crack growth To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:a334e1fa-08bd-470f-bf05-6ab8a0145056 DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-018-1552-8 ISSN 0723-2632 Source Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 51 (11), 3455–3469 Part of collection Institutional Repository Document type journal article Rights © 2018 Q.D. Boersma, N.J. Hardebol, A. Barnhoorn, G. Bertotti Files PDF 10.1007_s00603_018_1552_8.pdf 6.08 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:a334e1fa-08bd-470f-bf05-6ab8a0145056/datastream/OBJ/view