Unveiling Irazu: a new geomechanical software package to simulate hydraulic fracturing
Irazu (http://irazu.geomechanica.com/) is an advanced general-purpose rock deformation and fracturing simulation software. In this video, an application of Irazu to simulate fluid injection into a permeable, fractured rock mass is presented (i.e., hydraulic fracturing).
The software is capable of capturing: fluid-driven fracturing of intact rock; energy dissipation due to fluid viscosity and fracture toughness; fluid leak-off into permeable matrix and natural discontinuities; interaction between natural and induced fractures; influence of rock mass fabric on stimulated volume.