Doctoral Dissertations

Abstract

"Among the methods for determining the in-situ state of stress within the earth’s crust, hydraulic fracturing has been and is receiving much attention. This method, in principle, measures stress directly with no delicate electronic equipment required nor knowledge of the elastic modulus of the material.

This dissertation investigates experimentally whether or not control of fracture orientation can be achieved by the introduction of circular and elliptical prefractures along with sand inclusions into cast hydrostone blocks which are hydraulically fractured. A mathematical model is presented and analytically solved for the stress condition associated with a circular crack containing fluid pressure with a superimposed biaxial or uniaxial confining load. An analysis and correlation is made between the experimental results and the mathematical expectations.

It is concluded that under restricted stress conditions, fracture orientation and control can be achieved; however, for a general state of stress, fracture orientation cannot be achieved such that the plane of the hydraulic fracture will turn so as to become perpendicular to the least compressive stress"--Abstract, page ii.

Advisor(s)

Scott, James J.

Department(s)

Physics

Degree Name

Ph. D. in Physics

Sponsor(s)

National Science Foundation (U.S.)

Comments

Funded by the National Science Foundation Research Grant "NSF GP-3072"

Publisher

University of Missouri at Rolla

Publication Date

1966

Pagination

xiv, 153 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes bibliographical references (pages 115-120).

Rights

© 1966 William Joseph Kabeiseman, All rights reserved.

Document Type

Dissertation - Open Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Subject Headings

Oil wells -- Hydraulic fracturingFracture mechanicsRock mechanics

Thesis Number

T 1921

Print OCLC #

5977895

Electronic OCLC #

907550151

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