A three-phase coupled numerical model for the hydraulic fracturing of rock

Abstract

In this work, a three-phase coupled numerical model is developed for rock fracturing by integrating the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) and the distinct lattice spring model (DLSM). The multiphase flow is handled by using the LBM based on the Shan–Chen potential, whereas the rock fracturing is solved by using the DLSM with a cohesive-like model. During the calculation, the solid and fluid models are executed in their own timeline independently, and the coupling is realized from boundary exchange within each step. The influence of fracturing on the multiphase distribution is considered by using a phase update operation. The three-phase model is verified against a few multiphase benchmark problems. Then, its ability to model the fracturing of rock is demonstrated through a comparison with the hydraulic fracturing test. Following this, the influence phase distribution along cavities on the hydraulic fracturing path was investigated by using the coupled model. Our results show that the three-phase coupled model can be a useful numerical tool for handling rock fracturing problems involving multiphase fluids.