Averaging-based approach to toughness homogenisation for radial hydraulic fracture

Abstract: The homogenisation of the fracture toughness is considered in the context of a propagating hydraulic fracture. The radial (penny-shape) model is utilized, in order to incorporate the impact of the viscosity-toughness regime transition over time. A homogenisation strategy based upon temporal-averaging is investigated. This approach incorporates the instantaneous fracture velocity, meaning that it should remain effective in the case of step-wise crack advancement. The effectiveness of the approach is demonstrated for periodic toughness distributions, including those which are unbalanced, utilizing a highly accurate solver.