Abstract
Multiple artificial geothermal cracks in a hot dry rock are treated. During heat extraction, the surface of the geothermal cracks are cooled by circulating fluid and thermal contraction of the rock occurs. Then, the geothermal cracks begin to extend. The analysis is made on the basis of the two-dimensional theory of quasi-static thermoelasticity by using an alternate periodic array model of the unequal multiple geothermal cracks, and bifurcation on crack growth process of the interacting geothermal cracks is discussed with respect to stress intensity factors at the crack tips. Numerical calculations are carried out to show a stable bifurcation equilibrium path of the growth of the interacting geothermal cracks during extraction of heat.
