Fully coupled hydraulic fracture simulation using the improved element partition method

The improved element partition method (IEPM) is a newly developed fracture simulation approach. IEPM allows a fracture to run across an element without introducing extra degrees of freedom. It can also simulate any number of fractures in a prescribed mesh without remeshing. In this study, the IEPM is extended to hydraulic fracture simulation. First, the seepage and volumetric storage matrix of a cracked element are derived using virtual nodes (the intersection points of a crack with element edges). Subsequently, the fully coupled hydromechanical equation is derived for this cracked element. To eliminate the extra degrees of freedom (virtual nodal quantities), the water pressure and displacement of the virtual nodes are associated with their adjacent nodes through least squares interpolation. Finally, the fully coupled equation in terms of nodal quantities is obtained. The verification cases validate the method. By using this method, the field-scale hydraulic fracturing process is well simulated. The proposed approach is simple and efficient for field-scale hydraulic fracture simulation.     

水平定向钻进虚拟仿真培训系统研究

虚拟仿真技术是目前计算机科学研究热点,将虚拟仿真技术应用到非开挖领域是非开挖教学及研究的发展趋势。针对水平定向钻进（Horizontal Directional Drilling,HDD）这一非开挖的主要施工工法,采用SolidWorks、3ds MAX、Photoshop等软件对三维场景、钻机以及钻头等施工设备进行三维建模,通过研究场景漫游技术、多摄像机跟随技术、物理效应仿真技术和轨迹记录及跟随等技术在Unity3D平台上开发培训系统,并将系统发布至桌面系统。该系统具有场景漫游、多视角显示、控制钻进、显示参数功能。测试结果表明培训系统运行流畅,场景切换迅速,具有良好的三维展示和教学功能。     

Seismicity and fault aseismic deformation caused by fluid injection in decametric in-situ experiments

Seismicity induced by fluid perturbations became an important societal concern since felt earthquakes (M_w up to 6) occurred after anthropogenic activities. In order to mitigate the risks associated with undesired seismicity, as well as to be able to use the micro-seismicity as a probe for in-depth investigation of fluid-driven processes, it is of crucial importance to understand the links between seismicity, fluid pressure and flow. We have developed a series of in-situ, decameter-scale experiments of fault zone reactivation by controlled fluid injection, in order to improve the near-source geophysical and hydromechanical observations. The deployed geophysical monitoring close to the injection allows one to cover the full frequency range of the fault responses from the static deformation to the very high-frequency seismic emissions (up to 4 kHz). Here, we focus on the microseismicity (M_w ∼ –4 to –3) recorded during two fluid injection experiments in low-permeable shale and highly-fractured limestone formations. In both experiments, the spatio-temporal distribution of the seismic events, the energy balance, and the seismic velocity changes of the fractured medium show that most of the deformation does not actually emit seismic signals. The induced deformation is mainly aseismic. Based on these high-resolution multiparametric observations in the near-field, we therefore proposed a new model for injection-induced seismicity: the seismicity is not directly induced by the increasing fluid pressure, but it is rather triggered by the stress perturbations transferred from the aseismic motion caused by the injection.     

Stress‐dependent hardening and failure surfaces of dry sand

During several triaxial compression experiments on plastic hardening, softening, and failure properties of dense sand specimens, it was found on various stress paths that the size of the failure surface was not constant. Instead, it changed depending on the current state of hydrostatic pressure. This finding is in contrast to the standard opinion consisting of the fact that the failure surface remains constant, once it has been reached during an experiment or in situ. In general, the behaviour of cohesionless granular‐material‐like sand is somehow characterised in between fluid and solid, where the solid behaviour results from the angle of internal friction and the confining pressure. Although the friction angle is an intrinsic material property, the confining pressure varies with the boundary conditions, thus defining different solid properties like plastic hardening, softening, and also failure. Based on our findings, it was the goal of the present contribution to introduce an improved setting for the plastic strain hardening and softening behaviour including the newly found yield properties at the limit state. For the identification of the material parameters, a complete triaxial experimental analysis of the tested sand is given. The overall elasto‐plasticity concept is validated by numerical computations of several laboratory foundation‐ and slope‐failure experiments. The performance of the proposed approach is compared with the standard concept of a constant failure surface, where the corresponding yield surfaces are understood as contours of equivalent plastic work or plastic strain. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fluid-bearing alkaline carbonate melts as the medium for the formation of diamonds in the Earth''s mantle: an experimental study

We have experimentally studied the formation of diamonds in alkaline carbonate–carbon and carbonate–fluid–carbon systems at 5.7–7.0 GPa and 1150–1700 °C, using a split-sphere multi-anvil apparatus (BARS). The starting carbonate and fluid-generating materials were placed into Pt and Au ampoules. The main specific feature of the studied systems is a long period of induction, which precedes the nucleation and growth of diamonds. The period of induction considerably increases with decreasing P and T, but decreases when adding a C–O–H fluid to the system. In the range of P and T corresponding to the formation of diamonds in nature, this period lasts for tens of hours. The reactivity of the studied systems with respect to the diamond nucleation and growth decreases in this sequence: Na₂CO₃–H₂C₂O₄·2H₂O–C>K₂CO₃–H₂C₂O₄·2H₂O–C>>Na₂CO₃–C>K₂CO₃–C. The diamond morphology is independent of P and T, and is mainly governed by the composition of the crystallization medium. The stable growth form is a cubo-octahedron in the Na₂CO₃ melt, and an octahedron in the K₂CO₃ melt. Regardless of the composition of the carbonate melt, only octahedral diamond crystals formed in the presence of the C–O–H fluid. The growth rates of diamond varied in the range from 1.7 μm/h at 1420 °C to 0.1–0.01 μm/h at 1150 °C, and were used to estimate, for the first time, the possible duration of the crystallization of natural diamonds. From the analysis of the experimental results and the petrological evidence for the formation of diamonds in nature, we suggest that fluid-bearing alkaline carbonate melts are, most likely, the medium for the nucleation and growth of diamonds in the Earth's upper mantle.     

中国云南哀牢山含海蓝宝石伟晶岩的起源和成岩模拟实验研究

The Ailaoshan aquamarine-bearing pegmatites are associated with Proterozoic metamorphic rocks in the southern portion of the Ailaoshan fault-folded complex.The gem-bearing pegmatite mineralization zones of the region occur in areas generally consistent with the regional tectonic trend.The pegmatites are found in metamorphic rocks,migmatites and in the inner/outer contact zones of gneissoid granites. The Rb-Sr isochron drawn for the pegmatites is 26～31 Ma,(i.e.in Himalayan).The homogenization temperatures of melt and liquid inclusions in minerals vary from 185 to 920℃,which are comparable to the inclusions observed in banded migmatites and ptygmatic quartz veins in the surrounding metamorphic rocks. The mineralization fluids of the pegmatite were rich in HCO_3 and CO_2,and their compositional assemblages are comparable to metamorphic fluids.Results of H,O,C,Si etc.isotopic analyses and REE,and Be analyses indicates that the sources of mineralization components that formed the pegmatites are closely associated with metamorphic fluids and the enclosing metamorphic rocks. A pegmatite structure simulation experiment was conducted at high temperature and pressure(840℃and 1,500×105Pa.),with various metamorphic rock samples in a water-rich and volatile-rich environment.When the liquidus was reached,the temperature was gradually decreased at the rate of 5～10℃/day over a time period of three months.SEM energy-dispersive spectrum analyses were performed on the experimental products.A series of pegmatoid textures were observed including zonal texture,megacryst texture,drusy cavities,crystal druses,and vesicular texture along with more than ten types of minerals including plagioclase,microcline,quartz and biotite.Different metamorphic rock melts generated different mineral assemblages.Experiment results revealed that the partial melting of metamorphic rocks could form melts similar to pegmatite magmas. Based upon the geological characteristics,geochemistry,and pegmatite texture simulation experimental results,it is concluded that the mineralization components of Ailaoshan aquamarine-bearing pegmatites came from metamorphic rocks.The petrogenetic model for the origin of pegmatites is related to ultrametamorphism and metamorphic anatexis.     

从模拟实验的结果看底辟发育的力学机制

底辟构造在我国东部沉积盆地中有广泛的分布,并蕴藏有丰富的油气资源。作者模拟了隐刺穿构造的发育过程及其变形特征,从而分析底辟发育的力学机制。实验结果表明,底辟的形成时间和底辟核的形态对底辟变形有重大影响。绝大多数隐刺穿构造。在其顶部都发育一个地堑断裂系,这是底辟构造的共同特征。     

Breakdown of hydrous ringwoodite to pyroxene and spinelloid at high P and T and oxidizing conditions

To get deeper insight into the phase relations in the end-member system Fe₂SiO₄ and in the system (Fe, Mg)₂SiO₄ experiments were performed in a multi-anvil apparatus at 7 and 13 GPa and 1,000–1,200°C as a function of oxygen fugacity. The oxygen fugacity was varied using the solid oxygen buffer systems Fe/FeO, quartz–fayalite–magnetite, MtW and Ni/NiO. The run products were characterized by electron microprobe, Raman- and FTIR-spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. At fO₂ corresponding to Ni/NiO Fe-ringwoodite transforms to ferrosilite and spinelloid according to the reaction: 9 Fe₂SiO₄ + O₂ = 6 FeSiO₃ + 5 Fe_2.40Si_0.60O₄. Refinement of site occupancies in combination with stoichiometric Fe³⁺ calculations show that 32% of the total Fe is incorporated as Fe³⁺ according to From the Rietveld refinement we identified spl as spinelloid III (isostructural with wadsleyite) and/or spinelloid V. As we used water in excess in the experiments the run products were also analyzed for structural water incorporation. Adding Mg to the system increases the stability field of ringwoodite to higher oxygen fugacity and the spinel structure seems to accept higher Fe³⁺ but also water concentrations that may be linked. At oxygen fugacity corresponding to MtW conditions similar phase relations in respect to the breakdown reaction in the Fe-end-member system were observed but with a strong fractionation of Fe into spl and Mg into coexisting cpx. Thus, through this strong fractionation it is possible to stabilize very Fe-rich wadsleyite with considerable Fe³⁺ concentrations even at an intermediate Fe–Mg bulk composition: assuming constant K _D independent on composition and a bulk composition of x _Fe = 0.44 this fractionation would stabilize spl with x _Fe = 0.72. Thus, spl could be a potential Fe³⁺ bearing phase at P–T conditions of the transition zone but because of the oxidizing conditions and the Fe-rich bulk composition needed one would expect it more in subduction zone environments than in the transition zone in senso stricto.

绿柱石与硅铍石原位结晶实验研究

绿柱石与硅铍石均为铍矿物家族中的主要成员,是重要的工业铍矿物,利用背散射和电子探针研究矿物特性时,常可见两者共生或发生交代的现象（饶灿,2009;Reyf, 2008; Evensen, 1999）,其结晶条件对于成矿环境与成矿机制均具有重要的指示意义。前人已进行了关于绿柱石,硅铍石等铍矿物稳定性的实验研究,但研究多采用高温淬火的高温高压实验装置,误差大,且无法原位观测矿物结晶习性（王振杰, 1992;Sirbescu et al., 2009）,本文利用热液金刚石压腔,原位观测了绿柱石与硅铍石的结晶过程,得到了它们结晶的温压条件及结晶习性。     

Phase Equilibria of the Lyngdal Granodiorite (Norway): Implications for the Origin of Metaluminous Ferroan Granitoids

The Proterozoic (950 Ma) Lyngdal granodiorite of southern Norwaybelongs to a series of hornblende–biotite metaluminousferroan granitoids (HBG suite) coeval with the post-collisionalRogaland Anorthosite–Mangerite–Charnockite (AMC)suite. This granitoid massif shares many geochemical characteristicswith rapakivi granitoids, yet granodiorites dominate over granites.To constrain both crystallization (P, T, fO₂, H₂O in melt) andmagma generation conditions, we performed crystallization experimentson two samples of the Lyngdal granodiorite (with 60 and 65 wt% SiO₂) at 4–2 kbar, mainly at fO₂ of NNO (nickel–nickeloxide) to NNO + 1, and under fluid-saturated conditions withvarious H₂O–CO₂ ratios for each temperature. Comparisonbetween experimental phase equilibria and the mineral assemblagein the Lyngdal granodiorite indicates that it crystallized between4 and 2 kbar, from a magma with 5–6 wt % H₂O at an fO₂of NNO to NNO + 1. These oxidized and wet conditions sharplycontrast with the dry and reduced conditions inferred for thepetrogenesis of the AMC suite and many other rapakivi granitesworldwide. The high liquidus temperature and H₂O content ofthe Lyngdal granodiorite imply that it is not a primary magmaproduced by the partial melting of the crust but is derivedby the fractionation of a mafic magma. Lyngdal-type magmas appearto have volcanic equivalents in the geological record. In particular,our results show that oxidized high-silica rhyolites, such asthe Bishop Tuff, could be derived via fractionation of oxidizedintermediate magmas and do not necessarily represent primarycrustal melts. This study underlines the great variability ofcrystallization conditions (from anhydrous to hydrous and reducedto oxidized) and petrogenetic processes among the metaluminousferroan magmas of intermediate compositions (granodiorites,quartz mangerites, quartz latites), suggesting that there isnot a single model to explain these rocks. KEY WORDS: ferroan granitoids; crystallization conditions; experiments; Norway; Sveconorwegian; Bishop Tuff