Microscale flow modelling in geologic materials

Three-dimensional imaging techniques, numerical methods for simulating flow and transport, and emergent computational architectures are combined to enable fundamental studies of fluid flow at the pore scale. High resolution reconstructions of porous media obtained using laser scanning confocal microscopy reduce sampling artifacts to sub-micron features, and simultaneously capture multiple grain length scales. However, the volumetric image data sets are extremely large, and there are significant computational challenges in utilising this information effectively. The principal problem lies in the complexity of the geometry and the retention of this structure in numerical analyses. Lattice Boltzmann (LB) methods provide a direct means to simulate transport processes in complex geometric domains due to the unique ability to treat accurately and efficiently the multitude of discrete boundary conditions. LB methods are numerically explicit as formulated, and this characteristic is exploited through a mapping of the numerical domain to distributed computing architectures. These techniques are applied to perform single phase flow simulations in 3D data sets obtained from cores of Berea sandstone using confocal microscopy. Simulations are performed using both a purpose-built distributed processor computer and a massively parallel processer (MPP) platform.     

A hypoplastic constitutive model for debris materials

Debris flow is a very common and destructive natural hazard in mountainous regions. Pore water pressure is the major triggering factor in the initiation of debris flow. Excessive pore water pressure is also observed during the runout and deposition of debris flow. Debris materials are normally treated as solid particle–viscous fluid mixture in the constitutive modeling. A suitable constitutive model which can capture the solid-like and fluid-like behavior of solid–fluid mixture should have the capability to describe the developing of pore water pressure (or effective stresses) in the initiation stage and determine the residual effective stresses exactly. In this paper, a constitutive model of debris materials is developed based on a framework where a static portion for the frictional behavior and a dynamic portion for the viscous behavior are combined. The frictional behavior is described by a hypoplastic model with critical state for granular materials. The model performance is demonstrated by simulating undrained simple shear tests of saturated sand, which are particularly relevant for the initiation of debris flows. The partial and full liquefaction of saturated granular material under undrained condition is reproduced by the hypoplastic model. The viscous behavior is described by the tensor form of a modified Bagnold’s theory for solid–fluid suspension, in which the drag force of the interstitial fluid and the particle collisions are considered. The complete model by combining the static and dynamic parts is used to simulate two annular shear tests. The predicted residual strength in the quasi-static stage combined with the stresses in the flowing stage agrees well with the experimental data. The non-quadratic dependence between the stresses and the shear rate in the slow shear stage for the relatively dense specimens is captured.     

A fiber-reinforced constitutive model for earthen materials

Acta Geotechnica - A new elasto-plastic constitutive model for fiber-reinforced materials is developed. The model considers the effect of distributed fibers embedded in a matrix. A numerical...     

A hierarchical single yield surface for frictional materials

This paper extends the formulation of a recent yield and failure criterion [Mortara G. A new yield and failure criterion for geomaterials. Géotechnique 2008;58(2):125–32] by modifying its shape in the deviatoric representation. Such a modification improves the performance of the surface introducing a constitutive parameter associated to the variation of the Lode angle. The criterion is validated through the comparison with experimental data obtained from multiaxial tests on soils, rocks and concrete. A special form of the criterion will be also derived for numerical applications in order to remove singularities of the previous criterion.     

A spectrophotometric method for the determination of rhenium in geologic materials

Existing methods for the chemical determination of rhenium have been modified and adapted for the analysis of rock, sediment, water, brine, and mineral concentrates.Little restriction is placed on sample size, but usually between 0.1 g and 100 g of solid sample is used which contains between 1 and 200 μg of rhenium giving a detection limit of 10 p.p.b. in the sample. Several liters of water sample may be used giving a detection limit of less than 1 p.p.b.The spectrophotometric method concentrates and isolates the rhenium from the sample by using carbon adsorption and solvent extraction.     

Strain-softening of brittle geologic materials

Stability equations for a strain-softening system are derived from expressions describing the energy variation in a variable stiffness stiff testing machine and a brittle rock specimen. A normal strain-softening expression and a shear strain-softening expression are derived to predict the stability of laboratory tests on brittle rocks, which through machine stiffness adjustment, exhibited critical stability in the strain-softening range. From these comparisons it was found that the shear strain-softening model gave consistently good results. The analytical and laboratory modelling indicates that strain-softening in brittle geologic media is closely connected with joints, faults, and interfaces where shear distortions take place.     

On constitutive modelling of unsaturated soils

The paper presents a review of constitutive modelling of unsaturated soils. After a brief historical perspective, a number of existing constitutive models are classified and discussed according to the type of stress variables adopted in their formulation. Afterwards, attention is given to recent developments in the proposal of coupled hydraulic-mechanical models and the possibility of casting them in a sound thermodynamical framework. Finally, a double structure model for expansive soils is described. The incorporation of microstructural considerations and its use as a platform for incorporating the influence of new variables are highlighted.     

New basis for the constitutive modelling of aggregated soils

Natural and compacted soils are usually characterized by aggregation of particles. The mechanical behaviour of these materials depends on soil structure. The oedometric compression tests performed on aggregated samples presented here showed that these materials exhibit a yield limit depending not only on stress history and stress state but also on soil structure. Evidence is provided using the neutron tomography technique. These results revealed that soil structure modification occurs together with plastic deformations. The experimental results are used to propose a new state parameter to quantify the soil structure. Based on pore-scale experimental observations, an evolution law for this parameter is proposed as a function of associated plastic strains. Considering both soil fabric and inter-particle bonding effects, a new yield limit depending on stress state, stress history and soil structure is introduced for the aggregated soils. Accordingly, a new constitutive framework consistent with strain hardening plasticity is proposed to consider soil structure effects in the modelling of aggregated soils.     

A damage hypoplasticity constitutive model for cemented sand and gravel materials

Acta Geotechnica - A hypoplastic constitutive model is proposed to model the cementation-induced enhanced stiffness, strength and dilative behavior of cemented sand and gravel materials. The model...     

堆石料状态相关弹塑性本构模型

堆石料的强度变形特性与初始孔隙及应力状态等因素相关。建立了能够预测不同初始孔隙与初始围压影响的堆石料弹塑性本构模型。在剑桥类本构模型框架内,模型能够反映随着孔隙与围压的增大,变形特性由剪胀趋于剪缩的规律。模型采用了基于颗粒体材料细观结构变化的屈服函数和非关联流动准则,提出了能够反映堆石料正常固结线不唯一的硬化参数。为了反映状态相关性,假定堆石料存在唯一的临界状态面,探讨了考虑状态相关性需要满足的数学条件,从而对剪胀方程与硬化参数进行了修正。提出了基于粒子群优化算法的模型参数快速确定方法,将某筑坝堆石料不同初始孔隙比与围压条件下模型预测结果与三轴试验结果对比,验证了模型的合理性。     

A two-scale constitutive framework for modelling localised deformation in saturated dilative hardening material

Undrained deformation of dilative sand generates negative excess pore pressure. It enhances the strength, which is called dilative hardening. This increased suction is not permanent. The heterogeneity at the grain scale triggers localisations causing local volume changes. The negative hydraulic gradient drives fluid into dilating shear zones. It loosens the soil and diminishes the shear strength. It is essential to understand the mechanism behind this internal drainage and to capture it numerically. The purpose of this paper is to develop a macroscopic constitutive relationship for the undrained deformation of saturated dense sand in the presence of a locally fully or partially drained shear band. Separate constitutive relations are generated for the band and intact material. Both time and scale dependence during pore fluid diffusion in saturated sand are captured, eliminating the mesh dependency for finite element implementations. The model is applied to the Gauss points that satisfy the bifurcation criterion. The proposed method is calibrated to recreate the undrained macroscopic response bestowed by an extra-small mesh. The microscopic behaviours inside and outside shear band predicted by this model are qualitatively in good agreement with individual material point behaviours inside and outside the shear band in the extra-small mesh. Depending on the loading rate and the shear band thickness, the response inside the band can be fully or partially drained, which governs the ultimate global strength. The calibrated model is exploited to simulate an upscaled biaxial compression test with semipermeable boundaries.     

Viscoplastic model for geologic materials with generalized flow rule

The general yield function in the hierarchical approach for constitutive modelling of materials is used with Perzyna's theory to characterize viscoplastic behaviour of geologic materials: a sand and rock salt. Particular attention is given to determination of the constants from laboratory quasistatic or short term, and creep tests. The proposed model is verified with respect to observed laboratory response of the sand and salt. It is implemented in a non-linear finite element procedure and applied to analyse time-dependent behaviour of a cavity in the rock salt.     

一种模拟堆石料颗粒破碎的离散元-比例边界有限元结合法

试验研究和数值模拟都表明,颗粒破碎对颗粒岩土材料的宏观力学响应具有重要的影响。结合离散元与比例边界有限元法,提出一种用于研究堆石料颗粒破碎行为的新的数值计算方法,可以将两种方法各自的优势同时发挥出来。离散单元法将被用于求解颗粒的运动以及相互作用。在每一个时间步尾,采用比例边界有限单元法计算颗粒内部的应力分布。比例边界有限单元法可以仅用一个任意边数的多边形来描述一个颗粒,大大节约应力计算的成本。当应力状态确定之后,Hoek-Brown准则将被引入用于确定颗粒内部的破坏点,当破坏点达到一定的比例时,即视为这个颗粒将破坏。为简化起见,假设破坏路径为直线,如果破坏发生,则该颗粒一分为二,各个新的颗粒将直接参与离散元和比例边界有限元的计算。该方法无需预定义任何子颗粒或网格重划分。最后以一个简单的双轴试验的模拟展现方法的可行性。     

循环荷载作用下考虑颗粒破碎的堆石体本构模型

中国西部兴建的很多200～300 m高的堆石坝处于高烈度地震区。应力水平高时堆石体的颗粒破碎对其在循环荷载作用下的应力、应变特性有重要的影响。基于广义塑性理论,通过引入状态参数,建立了循环荷载作用下考虑颗粒破碎的堆石体的本构模型,并给出了模型参数的确定方法。与堆石体在400、800、1 500、2 200 kPa围压作用时的试验结果对比,表明所提出的本构模型可以较好地模拟循环荷载作用下颗粒破碎时堆石体的动应力和动应变响应。     

基于Plesha本构的岩石节理多层结构模型研究

在Dong等工作的基础上[1],研究了基于Plesha本构的岩石节理多层结构模型。模型将节理面分解为不同层次细观结构面,每层结构面代表一级粗糙度,力学响应发生在最底层（基本面）,上层结构面受力性状由其下层结构面平均化得到,依次进行得到节理宏观力学性状。节理破坏由下而上分层次进行,基本面破坏后,其上层结构面转化为基本面,基本面采用Plesha节理模型。模型能模拟弹性变形、滑动变形、磨损、剪断、压碎、分离等作用机理。定义的接触因子与绕流因子能考虑节理接触面积及粗糙度变化对渗流的影响。通过将粗糙度定义为等效起伏角,可以模拟节理循环剪切性状。采用ABAQUS的用户子程序UEL进行了模型验证与参数分析。