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Inter-event Creep of Rock Fractures During Fluid Injection: Laboratory Investigation and Implications for Injection-Induced Moment Release.

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Title: Inter-event Creep of Rock Fractures During Fluid Injection: Laboratory Investigation and Implications for Injection-Induced Moment Release.
Authors: Fang, Zhou1 (AUTHOR), Wu, Wei1 (AUTHOR) wu.wei@ntu.edu.sg
Source: Rock Mechanics & Rock Engineering. Aug2025, Vol. 58 Issue 8, p9147-9162. 16p.
Subjects: Fluid injection, Induced seismicity, Rock deformation, Energy dissipation, Laboratory techniques, Earthquake hazard analysis, Shear strength
Abstract: Strengthening and weakening of fault friction control strain energy accumulation and dissipation in the seismic cycle. Massive fluid injection leads to a dramatic change in fault friction and largely impacts the associated energy release. However, the mechanisms behind induced seismicity during continuous fluid injection remain enigmatic, and understanding the variation of major energy output is essential to assess and mitigate the induced seismic hazards. Here, we conducted laboratory fluid injection experiments on critically stressed fractures in granite and observed the inter-event creep between consecutive dynamic slip events to study the evolution of friction and energy budget. Our results demonstrate that a non-uniform distribution of fluid pressure over the fracture impedes the full recovery of frictional strength in the primary creep, promotes the extension of slipping patch in the secondary creep, and results in a transitional behavior from frictional strengthening to weakening in the tertiary creep. We found that the energy output is dominated by the strain energy for dynamic slip during the early-occurring slip events and the frictional work during the late-occurring slip events. We thus interpreted that the strain energy released during the dynamic slip event is modulated by the inter-event energy. We further explained the cumulative moment release during fluid injection at the Soultz-sous-Forêts and Pohang geothermal sites and revealed the modulation of seismic moment release during fluid injection into isolated faults, if not interacting with neighboring faults. Unveiling the variation of major energy output during continuous fluid injection provides a new revenue for assessing and mitigating injection-induced earthquakes. Highlights: Inter-event creep provides new insights into the evolution of friction and energy budget due to fluid injection. Major energy output changes from the strain energy for dynamic slip to the frictional work during continuous fluid injection. Injection-induced strain energy released during dynamic slip of isolated fractures is modulated by inter-event energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Rock Mechanics & Rock Engineering is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Inter-event Creep of Rock Fractures During Fluid Injection: Laboratory Investigation and Implications for Injection-Induced Moment Release.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fluid+injection%22">Fluid injection</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Induced+seismicity%22">Induced seismicity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Rock+deformation%22">Rock deformation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Energy+dissipation%22">Energy dissipation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Laboratory+techniques%22">Laboratory techniques</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Earthquake+hazard+analysis%22">Earthquake hazard analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Shear+strength%22">Shear strength</searchLink>
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  Data: Strengthening and weakening of fault friction control strain energy accumulation and dissipation in the seismic cycle. Massive fluid injection leads to a dramatic change in fault friction and largely impacts the associated energy release. However, the mechanisms behind induced seismicity during continuous fluid injection remain enigmatic, and understanding the variation of major energy output is essential to assess and mitigate the induced seismic hazards. Here, we conducted laboratory fluid injection experiments on critically stressed fractures in granite and observed the inter-event creep between consecutive dynamic slip events to study the evolution of friction and energy budget. Our results demonstrate that a non-uniform distribution of fluid pressure over the fracture impedes the full recovery of frictional strength in the primary creep, promotes the extension of slipping patch in the secondary creep, and results in a transitional behavior from frictional strengthening to weakening in the tertiary creep. We found that the energy output is dominated by the strain energy for dynamic slip during the early-occurring slip events and the frictional work during the late-occurring slip events. We thus interpreted that the strain energy released during the dynamic slip event is modulated by the inter-event energy. We further explained the cumulative moment release during fluid injection at the Soultz-sous-Forêts and Pohang geothermal sites and revealed the modulation of seismic moment release during fluid injection into isolated faults, if not interacting with neighboring faults. Unveiling the variation of major energy output during continuous fluid injection provides a new revenue for assessing and mitigating injection-induced earthquakes. Highlights: Inter-event creep provides new insights into the evolution of friction and energy budget due to fluid injection. Major energy output changes from the strain energy for dynamic slip to the frictional work during continuous fluid injection. Injection-induced strain energy released during dynamic slip of isolated fractures is modulated by inter-event energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Rock Mechanics & Rock Engineering is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Induced seismicity
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      – SubjectFull: Rock deformation
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      – SubjectFull: Earthquake hazard analysis
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      – SubjectFull: Shear strength
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Inter-event Creep of Rock Fractures During Fluid Injection: Laboratory Investigation and Implications for Injection-Induced Moment Release.
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              Text: Aug2025
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