Reaction‐Induced Fracturing: When Chemistry Breaks Rocks
François Renard
Abstract
Abstract Reaction‐induced fracturing occurs when fluid‐rock interactions lead to the growth of a mineral phase that produces a volume increase, which perturbs the stress field and can cause fracturing in the surrounding rock. This process may occur with a positive feedback loop because, as more fractures are formed, more water can infiltrate the pore space, enhancing the kinetics of reaction. Yoshida et al. (2020, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JB020268 ) have studied and modeled reaction‐induced fracturing in oceanic rocks collected during the Oman Drilling Project. These rocks have been intensively hydrated by a process called serpentinization, which has profound geodynamic implications. The authors couple detailed microstructural observations and numerical modeling of reaction‐induced fracturing that incorporates permeability evolution. Building on the outcomes of their study, I discuss here the current knowledge of the reaction‐induced fracturing process, in which chemical forces control rock fracture in various geological environments. Based on recent experimental results and molecular dynamics simulations, I discuss the conditions under which reaction‐induced fracturing may either self‐amplify or slow down and even stop.