Publications

Translating the micro-scale to the macro-scale: Signatures of fracture evolution

Pyrak-Nolte, L.J.; Jiang, L.; Modiriasari, A.; Yoon, Hongkyu Y.; Bobet, A.

In this paper, the role of micro-scale properties and behavior on the detection of crack initiation, propagation and geochemical alteration is examined through three topics: (1) identification of a geophysical precursor for a system transitioning from meta-stability to unstable behavior with specific focus on crack nucleation, propagation and coalescence; (2) demonstration of acoustic emissions from geochemically-induced fractures; and (3) understanding the role of depositional layers and mineral fabric on tensile crack formation. The results from these studies advance current understanding of which microscopic properties of evolving fracture systems are most useful for predicting macroscopic behavior and the best imaging modalities to use to identify the seismic signatures of time evolving fracture properties.