relation: http://miis.maths.ox.ac.uk/miis/58/
title: Fracturing rock with ultra high pressure water
creator: Fitt, A.D.
creator: Fowkes, N.D.
creator: Mason, D.P.
creator: Myers, T.G.
creator: Moss, E.A.
creator: Cheng, J.
subject: Energy and utilities
subject: Materials
description: Modelling issues are considered for the process of cracking rock in mines using ultra high pressure water. The elevated pressures are caused by the ignition of a propellant and may be as large as 1000MPa. We first consider time, length and pressure scales and then derive a model for the propagation of a two-dimensional crack. A number of aspects of this model are considered and similarity solutions and behaviour near the crack tip are investigated. Consideration is given to a simplified model where the elastic component of the interaction between the rock and the fluid is handled using an elementary closure law: in this case much progress may be made and closed-form solutions may be determined. Conditions are also identified where a model based on “impulsive” lubrication theory is appropriate. However, this leads to a very challenging problem. Finally, some other ways of extending the model to include (for example) fluid leak-off into the rock are discussed.
date: 2004
type: Study Group Report
type: NonPeerReviewed
format: application/pdf
language: en
identifier: http://miis.maths.ox.ac.uk/miis/58/1/cracksv5.pdf
identifier:   Fitt, A.D. and Fowkes, N.D. and Mason, D.P. and Myers, T.G. and Moss, E.A. and Cheng, J.  (2004) Fracturing rock with ultra high pressure water.  [Study Group Report]