Asymptotic analysis of an elasticity equation for a finger-like hydraulic fracture (Q2465431)

The authors derive a novel integral equation relating the fluid pressure in a finger-like hydraulic fracture PKN model to the fracture width, and perform an asymptotic analysis in the small aspect ratio (height to length) limit of a two-dimensional elastic boundary integral equation for plane fracture having a rectangular footprint. More precisely, first the classical PKN model is described. Then the two-dimensional elasticity integral equation is presented which incorporates the nonlocal effect of width variations across the length of the fracture. Assuming a constant pressure in vertical cross-sections for which the width profile is elliptic, the two-dimensional hyper-singular integral equation is reduced to a one-dimensional integral equation involving a kernel that is expressed in terms of complete elliptic integrals having a Cauchy-type singularity. Further an asymptotic analysis of the one-dimensional integral equation is given to establish the reduction of this integral equation to local pressure-width equation or to Fredholm integral equation of second kind in which the integral terms appear as small perturbations. In this analysis three separate expansions (outer, inner and intermediate) are shown to be valid in three distinct regions relative to the fracture tip. Detailed expressions for some integrals required in the asymptotic analysis are provided in three appendices.