Effect of heat treatment on microcracking behaviors and Mode-I fracture characteristics of granite: An experimental and numerical investigation

•Three-point bending test of heat-treated SCB granite specimens was simulated using GBM.•Mode-I fracture toughness exhibits an initial ascent followed by a descent as temperature rises.•Thermally induced cracks predominantly occur as inter- and intra-granular tensile cracks.•Thermally induced cracks can alter the propagation direction and path of mechanically induced cracks. Combining thermal stimulation and tensile fracture induced by cold water injection can synergistically enhance hydraulic fracturing, improving geothermal reservoir connectivity. To investigate the heat effect on the Mode-I fracture characteristics of granite, notched semi-circular bend (SCB) granite specimens were prepared and heat-treated at five temperatures ranging from 25 to 600 ℃. Mineralogical analysis and three-point bending tests were performed on the SCB specimens, and a grain-based model (GBM) incorporating four types of mineral particles was developed. The model was simulated for heat treatment and Mode-I loading and then validated against experimental results. The behavior and evolution of intra- and intergranular microcracks in the SCB specimens during heating, cooling, and mechanical loading were analyzed. Moreover, the fracture surface morphology and microcracking mechanisms observed in the SCB specimens at different heat-treatment temperatures were discussed. The results reveal a nonlinear trend in the Mode-I fracture toughness of the SCB specimens, initially increasing and then decreasing with heat-treatment temperature. The number of thermally induced cracks escalates with increasing heat-treatment temperature, predominantly as intergranular tensile cracks, followed by intragranular tensile cracks. Under Mode-I loading, the SCB specimens heat-treated below 450 ℃ predominantly exhibit intergranular cracks, while intragranular tensile cracks become more prevalent at 600 ℃. Thermally induced cracks can alter the propagation direction and path of mechanically induced cracks, causing macrocracks to deviate from the initial straight propagation path. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis illustrates that at 300 ℃ and above, the fracture surface morphology becomes more fragmented and longer microcracks appear.