Modeling the interaction between fluid-driven fracture and natural fault using an enriched-FEM technique

In this paper, the interaction between the fluid-driven fracture and frictional natural fault is modeled using an enriched-FEM technique based on the partition of unity method. The intersection between two discontinuities is modeled by introducing a junction enrichment function. In order to model the fluid effect within the fracture, the fluid pressure is assumed to be constant throughout the propagation process. The frictional contact behavior along the fault faces is modeled using an X-FEM penalty method within the context of the plasticity theory of friction. Finally, several numerical examples are solved to illustrate the accuracy and robustness of proposed computational algorithm as well as to investigate the mechanism of interaction between the fluid-driven fracture and the natural fault.

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