Experiment on Hydraulic Fracturing in Rock and Induced Earthquake

Experiment on rock hydraulic fracturing strength under different confining pressures was conducted on a series of test specimens with various pre-cracks prepared from 7 types of rock. Combining the data of an actual reservoir-induced earthquake with the experimental results of the contemporary tectonic stress field according to the theory of rock strength and the principle and method of rock fracture mechanics, the authors tentatively investigated the earthquakes induced by pore-water pressure in rock and obtained the initial results as follows: （1） One type of induced earthquake may occur in the case of larger tectonic stress on such weak planes that strike in similar orientation of principle tectonic compressional stress in the shallows of the rock mass; the pore-water pressure σp may generate tensile fracture on them and induce small earthquakes; （2） Two types of induced earthquake may occur in the case of larger tectonic stress, i.e.,① on such weakness planes that strike in similar orientation of principle tectonic compressional stress, σ1, in the shallows of the rockmass, the pore-water pressure, σp, may generate tensile fracture on them and induce small earthquakes; ② When the tectonic stress approximates the shear strength of the fracture, the pore-water pressure σp may reduce the normal stress, σn, on the fracture face causing failure of the originally stable fracture, producing gliding fracture and thus inducing an earthquake. σp may also increase the fracture depth, leading to an induced earthquake with the magnitude larger than the previous potential magnitude; （3） There is a depth limit for each type of rock mass, and no induced earthquake will occur beyond this limit.