LAUSR

Abstract The discretized virtual internal bond (DVIB) is further developed to model the thermo-poroelasticity rock behavior. It is then used to simulate the fracturing process of rock accounting for the thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) coupling effects. The DVIB approach consists of implementing the thermal, hydraulic and mechanical influences in a bond cell. The fluid and the heat are confined to flow through the bond and the porosity effect is considered on the cell level. The mechanical properties are represented by a bond potential. As a result, the thermal transport, the fluid diffusion, and the mechanical process are unified in the micro bond providing a convenient means for simulating fracturing with THM-coupled effects. The benchmark cases suggest that this method is effective. The temperature affects the hydraulic fracturing are manifested via thermal variation of fluid viscosity and the thermal deformation of rock.