Skip to main content
Log in

Use of acoustic emission to determine the effects of bedding and stress paths on micro-cracking evolution of anisotropic shale under cyclic loading tests

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Shale formations suffer dynamic loading and unloading stresses during hydraulic fracturing processes that cause cracks to open and shear-slip to develop, while simultaneously producing microseismicity. Incremental cyclic loading tests were conducted on shale specimens using various stress levels and measured via real-time acoustic emission (AE) monitoring at the laboratory scale because AE parameters are useful in understanding heterogeneous material damage behaviour. Parallel (θ = 0°) and vertically (θ = 90°) cored shale specimens were cyclically loaded from lower stress levels of 0.3 and 0.47 and higher stress levels of 0.8 and 0.84, respectively, to analyze the effects of the bedding plane and loading level on the fracture process. Based on temporal variation of the AE amplitude in response to the stress paths, the longer AE activity quiet period noted during the loading stage in each cycle for 90° shale specimens shows that the Kaiser effect is more pronounced for vertically cored specimens than for parallel cored specimens. This phenomenon is also evidenced by the smaller load ratios observed with θ = 0° (as compared to θ = 90°) specimens. This indicates easier crack generation at lower stresses and is independent of the loading path. Meanwhile, high calm ratios indicate the initiation of numerous cracks during the unloading stage. Therefore, the load ratio can be combined with the calm ratio to evaluate the difficulty of crack generation in shale. In addition, the AE amplitude distribution shows that the proportion of large cracks increases when shale specimens are loaded from higher stress levels. Moreover, the average frequency and RA value (obtained from the rise time and amplitude) were used to characterize damage mechanisms. A decreasing average frequency and increasing RA value for parallel cored specimens from lower stress levels or small average frequency and large RA value from higher stress levels both indicate the dominant shear type that contributes to the failure process and causes splitting along the bedding plane. The higher average frequency and lower RA values noted for vertically cored specimens imply that tensile modes control the failure process and cause finally side-step main fracture plane across the bedding plane.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig.2
Fig.3
Fig.4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig.11
Fig. 12
Fig.13
Fig. 14
Fig.15

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aggelis DG, Mpalaskas AC, Matikas TE (2013) Investigation of different fracture modes in cement-based materials by acoustic emission. Cem Concr Res 48:1–8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amann F, Button EA, Evans KF, Gischig VS, Blümel M (2011) Experimental study of the brittle behavior of clay shale in rapid unconfined compression. Rock Mech Rock Eng 44(4):415–430

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cai M, Kaiser PK, Martin CD (2001) Quantification of rock mass damage in underground excavations from microseismic event monitoring. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 38(8):1135–1145

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carpinteri A, Lacidogna G, Corrado M, Di Battista E (2016) Cracking and crackling in concrete-like materials: a dynamic energy balance. Eng Fract Mech 155:130–144

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen SY, Liu JW, Gong WX et al (2010) Study and application on network fracturing technology in fractured reservoir. Oil Drill Prod Technol 32(06):67–71 ((in Chinese))

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen L, Lu Y, Jiang S, Li J, Guo T, Luo C (2015) Heterogeneity of the lower Silurian Longmaxi marine shale in the southeast Sichuan Basin of China. Mar Pet Geol 65:232–246

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng C, Li X (2018) Cyclic Experimental studies on damage evolution behaviors of shale dependent on structural orientations and confining pressures. Energies 11(1):160

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Colombo IS, Main IG, Forde MC (2003) Assessing damage of reinforced concrete beam using “b-value” analysis of acoustic emission signals. J Mater Civ Eng 15(3):280–286

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cox SJD, Meredith PG (1993) Microcrack formation and material softening in rock measured by monitoring acoustic emissions. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech 30(1):11–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Davies RJ, Mathias SA, Moss J, Hustoft S, Newport L (2012) Hydraulic fractures: how far can they go? Mar Petrol Geol 37(1):1–6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eberhardt E, Stead D, Stimpson B (1999) Quantifying progressive pre-peak brittle fracture damage in rock during uniaxial compression. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 36(3):361–380

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graham CC, Stanchits S, Main IG, Dresen G (2010) Comparison of polarity and moment tensor inversion methods for source analysis of acoustic emission data. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 47(1):161–169

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guo Y, Yang C, Wang L, Xu F (2018) Effects of cyclic loading on the mechanical properties of mature bedding shale. Adv Civ Eng 2018:1–9

    Google Scholar 

  • He PT, Huang ZP (2003) Studies of strength and deformation characteristics for stratified rock. Rock Soil Mech 24(S1):1–5 ((in Chinese))

    Google Scholar 

  • Holcomb DJ (1993) General theory of the Kaiser effect. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 30(7):929–935

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hossain MM, Rahman MK, Rahman SS (2000) Hydraulic fracture initiation and propagation: roles of wellbore trajectory, perforation and stress regimes. J Petrol Sci Eng 27(3):129–149

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang C, Lu T, Zhang D, Li G, Duan M, Chen Y, Liu C (2018) An experimental study of deformation and fracture characteristics of shale with pore-water pressure and under triaxial cyclic loading. R Soc Open Sci 5:180670

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kamali-Asl A, Ghazanfari E, Newell P, Stevens M (2018a) Elastic, viscoelastic, and strength properties of Marcellus Shale specimens. J Petrol Sci Eng 171:662–679

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kamali-Asl A, Ghazanfari E, Hedayat A, Deering L (2018b) Investigation of static/dynamic moduli and plastic response of shale specimens. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 110:231–245

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li Z, Wu G, Huang T, Liu Y (2018) Variation of energy and criteria for strength failure of shale under traixial cyclic loading. Chin J Rock Mech Eng 37(3):662–670 ((in Chinese))

    Google Scholar 

  • Liang C, Jiang Z, Zhang C, Guo L, Yang Y, Li J (2014) The shale characteristics and shale gas exploration prospects of the Lower Silurian Longmaxi shale, Sichuan Basin, South China. J Nat Gas Sci Eng 21:636–648

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu GF, Jiang Q, Feng GL, Chen DF, Zhao ZN (2021) Microseismicity-based method for the dynamic estimation of the potential rockburst scale during tunnel excavation. Bull Eng Geol Env 4:1–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Lockner D (1993) The role of acoustic emission in the study of rock fracture. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 30(7):883–899

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meredith PG, Main IG, Jones C (1990) Temporal variations in seismicity during quasi-static and dynamic rock failure. Tectnophysics 175:249–268

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mullen M, Roundtree R, Barree R et al (2007) A composite determination of mechanical rock properties for stimulation design (what to do when you don’t have a sonic log) [R]. SPE. https://doi.org/10.2118/108139-MS

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nguyen-Tat T, Ranaivomanana N, Balayssac J (2018) Characterization of damage in concrete beams under bending with Acoustic Emission Technique (AET). Constr Build Mater 187:487–500

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Niandou H, Shao JF, Henry JP, Fourmaintraux D (1997) Laboratory investigation of the mechanical behaviour of Tournemire shale. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 34(1):3–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ohno K, Ohtsu M (2010) Crack classification in concrete based on acoustic emission. Constr Build Mater 24(12):2339–2346

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ohtsu M (2010a) Recommendation of RILEM TC 212-ACD: acoustic emission and related NDE techniques for crack detection and damage evaluation in concrete*. Mater Struct 43(9):1183–1186

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ohtsu M (2010b) Recommendation of RILEM TC 212-ACD: acoustic emission and related NDE techniques for crack detection and damage evaluation in concrete*. Mater Struct 43(9):1187–1189

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sagar RV, Prasad BKR (2012) Damage limit states of reinforced concrete beams subjected to incremental cyclic loading using relaxation ratio analysis of AE parameters. Constr Build Mater 35:139–148

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang H, Liu D, Cui Z, Cheng C, Jian Z (2016) Investigation of the fracture modes of red sandstone using XFEM and acoustic emissions. Theor Appl Fract Mech 85:283–293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wei YL, Yang CH, Guo YT, Liu W, Wang L, Heng S (2015) Experimental investigation on deformation and fracture characteristics of brittle shale with natural cracks under uniaxial cyclic loading. Rock Soil Mech 36(6):1649–1658 ((in Chinese))

    Google Scholar 

  • Xiao J, Ding D, Jiang F et al (2010) Fatigue damage variable and evolution of rock subjected to cyclic loading. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 47(3):461–468

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhai H, Chang X, Wang Y, Lei X, Xue Z (2020) Analysis of acoustic emission events induced during stress unloading of a hydraulic fractured Longmaxi shale sample. J Petrol Sci Eng 189:106990

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang C, Liang W, Li Z, Xu S, Zhao Y (2015) Observations of acoustic emission of three salt rocks under uniaxial compression. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 77:19–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Shaanxi Province (2020JQ-356) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, CHD (No.300102219113).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Miaomiao Wang.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wang, M., Shao, X., Zhu, L. et al. Use of acoustic emission to determine the effects of bedding and stress paths on micro-cracking evolution of anisotropic shale under cyclic loading tests. Environ Earth Sci 80, 476 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-021-09761-w

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-021-09761-w

Keywords

Navigation