Dynamic responses of a poroelastic half‐space from moving trains caused by vertical track irregularities

The vibrations of railway tracks on a poroelastic half‐space generated by moving trains are investigated through a vehicle–track–ground coupling model. The theoretical model incorporates a vehicle, a track, and a fully saturated poroelastic half‐space soil medium. The source of vibration excitation is divided into two components: the quasi‐static loads and the dynamic loads. The quasi‐static loads are related to the static component of the axle loads, whereas the dynamic loads are due to the dynamic wheel–rail interaction. A linear Hertizian contact spring is introduced between each wheelset and the rail to consider the dynamic loads. Biot's dynamic theory is used to characterize the poroelastic half‐space soil medium. Using the Fourier transform, the governing equations for the track–ground system are solved and the numerical results are presented for a single axle vehicle model. The different dynamic characteristics of the elastic soil medium and the saturated poroelastic medium are investigated. In addition, the different roles of the moving axle loads and the roughness‐induced dynamic loads are identified. It is concluded that the vibration level of the free field off the track predicted by the poroelastic soil medium is smaller than that predicted by the elastic soil medium for vehicle speed below the Rayleigh wave speed of the poroelastic half‐space, whereas it is larger for vehicle speed above the Rayleigh wave speed. The dynamic loads play an important role in the dynamic responses of the track–ground system. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A new computational strategy for solving two‐phase flow in strongly heterogeneous poroelastic media of evolving scales

We develop a new computational methodology for solving two‐phase flow in highly heterogeneous porous media incorporating geomechanical coupling subject to uncertainty in the poromechanical parameters. Within the framework of a staggered‐in‐time coupling algorithm, the numerical method proposed herein relies on a Petrov–Galerkin postprocessing approach projected on the Raviart–Thomas space to compute the Darcy velocity of the mixture in conjunction with a locally conservative higher order finite volume discretization of the nonlinear transport equation for the saturation and an operator splitting procedure based on the difference in the time‐scales of transport and geomechanics to compute the effects of transient porosity upon saturation. Notable features of the numerical modeling proposed herein are the local conservation properties inherited by the discrete fluxes that are crucial to correctly capture the fingering patterns arising from the interaction between heterogeneity and nonlinear viscous coupling. Water flooding in a poroelastic formation subject to an overburden is simulated with the geology characterized by multiscale self‐similar permeability and Young modulus random fields with power‐law covariance structure. Statistical moments of the poromechanical unknowns are computed within the framework of a high‐resolution Monte Carlo method. Numerical results illustrate the necessity of adopting locally conservative schemes to obtain reliable predictions of secondary recovery and finger growth in strongly heterogeneous deformable reservoirs. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Squeezing a Sponge: A Three-Dimensional Solution in Poroelasticity

A three-dimensional solution is derived for the fluid flow in a deformable porous medium. It is assumed that the deformation of the medium is described by Hooke's law and the flow of the fluid by Darcy's law, i.e. the theory of poroelasticity applies. The governing equations are completed by suitable boundary conditions such that a compressed saturated cubic sponge is modelled. The solution is a three-dimensional generalisation of the one-dimensional solution of Terzaghi. A two-dimensional plane strain solution is derived also. Both solutions give excellent possibilities to test numerical codes.     

Poroelastic-plastic consolidation — analytical solution

Consolidation of a poroelastic material that yields according to Drucker–Prager or Mohr–Coulomb criteria leads to a Stefan problem for time-dependent pore fluid pressure. The solution to the Stefan problem for a column of infinite depth is known and is adapted to poroelastic/plastic consolidation of a weightless material under a uniform surface load applied instantaneously and subsequently maintained constant. In this approach, the plastic potential and yield criterion need not be the same. If yielding occurs concurrently with application of load, then collapse is instantaneous. Otherwise, yielding may occur during the consolidation period. If so, then the elastic–plastic zone first appears at the surface and subsequently moves down the column. Depth to the elastic–plastic boundary is given by the simple expression Z = 2β√t where β is a constant determined from continuity conditions at the elastic–plastic boundary. Time-dependent surface displacement that occurs during consolidation is directly proportional to Z. There is little difference between elastic–plastic and purely elastic results in a numerical example because there is little difference in the respective consolidation coefficients. Elastic–plastic finite element results obtained from a column of finite depth are in close agreement with analytical results as long as the pore pressure at the bottom of the column does not change significantly from the value induced by application of the surface load. The analytical solution provides for: (1) efficient evaluation of material properties effects on consolidation, including strength and fluid compressibility, and (2) an accurate way of validating poroelastic/plastic computer codes that are based on Drucker–Prager and Mohr–Coulomb criteria. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Linearized amplitude variation with offset and azimuth and anisotropic poroelasticity

The normal-to-shear weakness ratio is commonly used as a fracture fluid indicator, but it depends not only on the fluid types but also on the fracture intensity and internal architecture. Amplitude variation with offset and azimuth is commonly used to perform the fluid identification and fracture characterization in fractured porous rocks. We demonstrate a direct inversion approach to utilize the observable azimuthal data to estimate the decoupled fluid (fluid/porosity term) and fracture (normal and shear weaknesses) parameters instead of the calculation of normal-to-shear weakness ratio to help reduce the uncertainties in fracture characterization and fluid identification of a gas-saturated porous medium permeated by a single set of parallel vertical fractures. Based on the anisotropic poroelasticity and perturbation theory, we first derive a linearized amplitude versus offset and azimuth approximation using the scattering function to decouple the fluid indicator and fracture parameters. Incorporating Bayes formula and convolution theory, we propose a feasible direct inversion approach in a Bayesian framework to obtain the direct estimations of model parameters, in which Cauchy and Gaussian distribution are used for the a priori information of model parameters and the likelihood function, respectively. We finally use the non-linear iteratively reweighted least squares to solve the maximum a posteriori solutions of model parameters. The synthetic examples containing a moderate noise demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed approach, and the real data illustrates the stabilities of estimated fluid indicator and dry fracture parameters in gas-saturated fractured porous rocks.     

Rocking vibrations of rigid foundations on multi-layered poroelastic media

Abstract

This paper presents rocking vibrations of a rigid foundation resting on a multi-layered poroelastic half-space. The foundation is assumed to be rigid and massless, and subjected to a time–harmonic moment. In addition, each layer of the multi-layered half-space is governed by Biot’s theory of poroelastodynamics. The contact surface between the foundation and the layered half-space is smooth, and either fully permeable or impermeable. This dynamic interaction problem is studied by employing a discretization technique and an exact stiffness matrix scheme. Comparisons with existing solutions on rocking vibrations of rigid foundations on elastic and poroelastic media are shown to verify the accuracy of the present scheme. Selected numerical results on rocking compliances of rigid foundations of various shapes and mudmat foundations are presented. In addition, a dynamic interaction problem involving closely spaced foundations under rocking vibrations is also presented to demonstrate the applicability of the present solution scheme.     

Capturing the two‐way hydromechanical coupling effect on fluid‐driven fracture in a dual‐graph lattice beam model

Fluid‐driven fractures of brittle rock is simulated via a dual‐graph lattice model. The new discrete hydromechanical model incorporates a two‐way coupling mechanism between the discrete element model and the flow network. By adopting an operator‐split algorithm, the coupling model is able to replicate the transient poroelasticity coupling mechanism and the resultant Mandel‐Cryer hydromechanical coupling effect in a discrete mechanics framework. As crack propagation, coalescence and branching are all path‐dependent and irreversible processes, capturing this transient coupling effect is important for capturing the essence of the fluid‐driven fracture in simulations. Injection simulations indicate that the onset and propagation of fractures is highly sensitive to the ratio between the injection rate and the effective permeability. Furthermore, we show that in a permeable rock, the borehole breakdown pressure, the pressure at which fractures start to grow from the borehole, depends on both the given ratio between injection rate and permeability and the Biot coefficient.     

A high‐resolution local RBF collocation method for steady‐state poroelasticity and hydromechanical damage analysis

In this work, we describe a meshless numerical method based on local collocation with RBFs for the solution of the poroelasticity equation. The RBF finite collocation approach forms a series of overlapping nodal stencils, over which an RBF collocation is performed. These local collocation systems enforce the governing PDE operator throughout their interior, with the intersystem communication occurring via the collocation of field variables at the stencil periphery. The method does not rely on a generalised finite differencing approach, whereby the governing partial differential operator is reconstructed at the global level to drive the solution of the PDE. Instead, the PDE governing and boundary operators are enforced directly within the local RBF collocation systems, and the sparse global assembly is formed by reconstructing the value of the field variables at the centrepoint of the local stencils. In this way, the solution of the PDE is driven entirely by the local RBF collocation, and the method more closely resembles the approach of the full‐domain RBF collocation method. By formulating the problem in this fashion, high rates of convergence may be attained without the computational cost and numerical ill‐conditioning issues that are associated with the full‐domain RBF collocation approach. An analytical solution is formulated for a 2D poroelastic fluid injection scenario and is used to verify the proposed implementation of the method. Highly accurate solutions are produced, and convergence rates in excess of sixth order are observed for each field variable (i.e. pressure and displacement) and field‐variable derivative (i.e. pressure gradients and stresses). The stress and displacement fields resulting from the solution of the poroelasticity equation are then used to describe the formation and propagation of microfractures and microfissures, which may form in the presence of large shear strain, in terms of a continuous damage variable which modifies the mechanical and hydraulic properties of the porous medium. The formation of such hydromechanical damage, and the resulting increase in hydraulic conductivity, is investigated for a pressurised injection into sandstone. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.