Phase‐field modeling of rock fractures with roughness

Phase-field modeling—a continuous approach to discontinuities—is gaining popularity for simulating rock fractures due its ability handle complex, discontinuous geometry without an explicit surface tracking algorithm. None of the existing phase-field models, however, incorporates impact roughness on mechanical response fractures—such as elastic deformability and shear-induced dilation—despite importance this behavior subsurface systems. To fill gap, here we introduce first framework modeling rough fractures. The transforms a displacement-jump-based discrete constitutive model discontinuities into strain-based model, any additional parameter, then casts it formulation frictional interfaces. We illustrate by constructing particular form employing joint originally formulated modeling. results obtained new show excellent agreement with those well-established method variety problems ranging from shearing single discontinuity compression fractured rocks. It is further demonstrated that can well simulate complex crack growth discontinuities. Consequently, our provides unprecedented bridge between discontinuities—common in mechanics—and finite element method—standard computational mechanics—without algorithm explicitly represent geometry.