Comparative Study on Mineral-Scale Microcrack Propagation of Shale under Different Loading Methods

Figure 2

(a) 2D geometric model with its dimensions. The notch was 0.3 mm wide and 1.15 mm high. For the ease of reference, the left boundary of the model is marked as L, the lower left boundary is marked as LD, the right boundary is marked as R, and the upper right boundary is marked as RU. (b) Heterogeneous rock mineral model, quartz, feldspar, kaolinite, and illite are represented by gray scales from high to low.