Fracturing of viscoelastic geomaterials and application to sedimentary layered rocks

International audienceWe study analytically the behavior of a viscoelastic brittle solid loaded in tension, in which fractures may grow or not depending on the amount of dissipation allowed by the viscous behavior. We highlight a threshold in extension rate, below which the solid will not be fractured. Applied to sedimentary rocks, this model shows how viscous effects can prevent fracture growth in geological formations. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved