Virgin damage surface of a synthetic analogue to a reservoir sandstone

摘要

This paper is based on laboratory investigations of synthetic sandstone cemented under stress making it possible to perform mechanical tests directly from the simulated in situ stress state. We have mapped the acoustic emission damage surface, or Holcomb surface as we have called it here, around this stress state. The results show that this surface does not coincide with the "true" damage surface as damage is induced in the material even for very small load deviations from the forming stress state. The Holcomb surface mapping is done with a new technique that is able to better describe and quantify onset of acoustic emission.