MODELING FRACTURE COALESCENCE USING GROWTH BY OPTIMIZATION OF WORK (GROW)

Growth by Optimization of Work (GROW) is a recently developed tool for modeling the propagation and coalescence of faults utilizing the 2D BEM code Fric2D to grow new segments of faults oriented to minimize work within the modeled system. Using GROW, we simulate the coalescence of a network of small unconnected fractures. Model results are compared to new detailed 3D observations of crack coalescence from deformation experiments performed with the HADES apparatus at University of Oslo, which uses X-rays to create detailed 3D images of the evolution of damage in triaxial deformation experiments on rock cores as they are driven to failure.