AE (Acoustic Emission) or MS (Microseismicity) is a very useful method to understand fracture mechanism and to predict serious rock fracture like rockburst. This method can be applied to monitor reservoirs where water and gas are injected, for example, in underground sequestration of carbon dioxide and in EOR (Enhanced Oil Recovery) of petroleum industry. If a numerical simulation helps to interpret AE monitoring results, AE monitoring would become much more powerful tool for the rock engineering. Thus, in this paper, the authors review various methods that can simulate occurrence of AE events incorporating inhomogeneity of rock.
A code of Finite Element Method (FEM) developed by Tang et al., those of Boundary Element Method (BEM) by Napier's and Stephansson's groups and those of Distinct Element Method (DEM) by Shimizu et. al, Fakhimi et al. and Cai et al. are briefly introduced as simulation methods of brittle fracture like rockburst. For simulation of AE events induced by water or gas injection, DEM incorporating Fluid Flow Algorism by Shimizu et al. are introduced, with showing their simulation results of hydraulic fracturing.
