Report Topic: Numerical Modelling of Fluid-Driven Fracture Growth

Reporter: Prof.Xi Zhang, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Australia

Time: 03:00 pm, Apr 8, 2015

Location: Academic hall of state key laboratory

In this talk, a 2D BEM-based numerical method is presented for rigorously solving the fully coupled problems of rock deformation and fluid flow in fractures. The developed simulator is versatile in dealing with multiple layers, multiple fractures, fracture nucleation, growth and coalescence, friction and permeability variations of natural fractures, various injection conditions, and so on. As examples, the talk will focus on the development of fracture networks by crack growth and coalescence, the propagation of multiple closely spaced fractures and the injection-induced slow earthquakes and landslides.

Dr. Xi Zhang is a principal research scientist at Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), the federal government agency for research in Australia. He obtained BE from Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, ME from Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and PhD from the University of Sydney, Australia. He has worked on numerical modelling of hydraulic fracture growth since he joined CSIRO in 2000 and has developed a BEM-based numerical simulator on natural and man-made fluid-driven fracture growth. He has published 40 SCI journal papers based on the research outcomes.