A computationally efficient approach to modeling contact problems and fracture closure using superposition method

TL;DR

This paper introduces a computationally efficient superposition-based method for modeling fracture closure on surface asperities, aiding in the analysis of subsurface fracture properties relevant to earth sciences and engineering applications.

Contribution

It presents a novel superposition method that significantly reduces computational effort in modeling fracture closure and surface asperities.

Findings

The method accurately predicts fracture closure behavior.

It enables efficient simulation of hydraulic and mechanical properties.

The approach is applicable to various earth science scenarios.

Abstract

Characterizing fracture closure behavior, surface roughness and fracture compliance is crucial in many earth sciences, such as fault zone studies, underground CO2 sequestration, nuclear waste repositories and geothermal energy exploitation. In this study, we present a computationally efficient method to model fracture closure on surface asperities, which can be can be used to quantify and simulate mechanical, hydraulic, and transport properties of subsurface fractures