Hydromechanical Modeling of High-Voltage Electropulse-Assisted Fluid Injection for Rock Fracturing

This paper presents a computational analysis of the evolution of mechanical characteristics in natural rock formations under the combined action of high-voltage electro-pulse and fluid injection. To solve the combined problem, a numerical solution based on a hydromechanical model is proposed. A system of anisotropic damage model is applied to capture tensile and shear damage. Innovative numerical simulations reveal that high-voltage electro-pulse can significantly enhance the effectiveness of rock-breaking in fluid injection. The simulation consists of two primary phases. First, high-voltage electro-pulse causes pre-damage and radial fissures in the rock formation, which creates a more favorable environment for subsequent fluid injection. The fluid flux is then conducted in the pre-damaged hole to fracture the rock formation further. The unique numerical method may have consequences for optimizing the rock-breaking strategy in geoengineering applications, such as the development of geothermal systems and the exploitation of oil/gas resources.