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https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-4442
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-4442
25 Sep 2025
 | 25 Sep 2025
Status: this preprint is open for discussion and under review for Solid Earth (SE).

Impact of differential stress on fracture due to volume increasing hydration

Jeremiah Jonathan McElwee, Ikuko Wada, Kazuki Yoshida, Hiroyuki Shimizu, and Atsushi Okamoto

Abstract. The volume increase that accompanies many hydration reactions can stress and fracture the surrounding rock, a process commonly called reaction-induced fracture. Reaction-induced fracture accelerates the rate of hydration by creating new pathways for fluids to migrate into reactive rock and by generating new reactive surface areas. The evolution of reaction-induced fracture also depends on the background stress state, which varies among different tectonic environments. We investigate the impact of tectonic stresses on reaction-induced fracture, using 2-D hydraulic-chemical-mechanical distinct element models. The results indicate that the general pattern of reaction-induced fracture depends on the orientation of background tectonic stresses relative to fluid-supplying channels. A spalling fracture pattern characterized by short cracks parallel to and along fluid-supplying channels occurs when the maximum principal tectonic stress is parallel to the channels whereas a branching fracture pattern characterized by long tensile cracks propagate in a hierarchical manner into unreacted part of the rock is expected when the tectonic stress is hydrostatic or when the maximum principal tectonic stress is normal to fluid-supplying channels. Spalling localizes hydration and fluid flow along the channels whereas branching promotes spatially extensive hydration and fluid flow away from the fluid supply. The results indicate tectonic stresses may guide the hydration distribution in the oceanic lithosphere at mid-ocean ridges and outer rises and in the cold mantle wedge corner in subduction zones.

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Jeremiah Jonathan McElwee, Ikuko Wada, Kazuki Yoshida, Hiroyuki Shimizu, and Atsushi Okamoto

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Jeremiah Jonathan McElwee, Ikuko Wada, Kazuki Yoshida, Hiroyuki Shimizu, and Atsushi Okamoto

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Impact of differential stress on fracture due to volume increasing hydration Jeremiah J. McElwee, Ikuko Wada, Kazuki Yoshida, Hiroyuki Shimizu, Atsushi Okamoto https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17121291

Jeremiah Jonathan McElwee, Ikuko Wada, Kazuki Yoshida, Hiroyuki Shimizu, and Atsushi Okamoto

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Short summary
The volume increase associated with many hydration reactions can fracture the surrounding rock, creating new fluid pathways that impact the distribution of fluids and hydration. However, it is unclear how this process is impacted by the background stress state, which varies between tectonic settings. We ran simulations that indicate the fracture pattern is sensitive to the background stress state, suggesting that it may be a key factor guiding hydration in the lithosphere.
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