A hydro‐mechanically‐coupled XFEM model for the injection‐induced evolution of multiple fractures

In this paper, a two-dimensional eXtended Finite Element Method (XFEM) solution is presented for the hydro-mechanically coupled hydro-frac-induced propagation of multiple fractures in rocks. Fractures are considered one-dimensional objects, and rock matrix regarded as medium. Rules improving accuracy included to deal with transfer variables between coupling process. The main include fluid pressure fracture aperture. following assumptions made: (1) inside applied net pressure; (2) leak-off ignored; (3) front provided that area lag has small effect on compared at which applied. flow governed by lubrication equation, while XFEM used describe behaviour elastic simulation results analytical solutions single hydraulic model verify validate proposed algorithm. A also performed investigate interference propagation. shadow caused analysed manifest stress variation along path.