Advances and Applications of Non-Explosive Rock Fracturing in Exploitation of Geological Resources

Explosive blasting is widely adopted in the exploitation of geological resources, due to its nature of being economic and high-efficient. Developed as a safe and environment-friendly alternative to traditional explosive blasting, non-explosive rock fracturing (NERF) has been experiencing a boom in the exploitation of deep earth energy and resources, such as coal mining, geothermal energy, and unconventional gas extraction. The NERF techniques encompass a great variety, including carbon dioxide phase-transition blasting, liquid nitrogen cold shock, hydraulic fracturing, high-velocity water jet, and controllable shock wave fracturing. Yet less is known about fracturing and control mechanisms behind these techniques. In this regard, how to enrich the understanding of these mechanisms for different NERF techniques is the key to sound operationalization of exploiting geological resources.

This Research Topic focuses on gathering original experimental, theoretical, and numerical research articles that underline recent advances and applications of NERF in exploitation of geological resources, particularly unveiling the fracturing and control mechanisms for different NERF techniques.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Mechanical characteristics of fractured rock masses
• Impact stress characteristics produced by physical fracturing
• Fracturing mechanism of new fracking techniques
• Fracture characterization and non-explosive fracturing in geological reservoirs
• New and advanced apparatus and methods for exploitation of geological resources
• New and advanced numerical simulations for exploitation of geological resources