Non-associative constitutive laws for low porosity rocks

Two simple constitutive laws appropriate for elastic–plastic deformation up to peak load of low porosity rocks are presented. Both laws account for mean stress dependence of yield hardening between yield and peak strength and non-associative plastic straining. The two constitutive laws are based on the Mohr–Coulomb and the Mises–Schleicher yield criteria. The yield criteria are matched at axisymmetric compression and the relationships among the constitutive parameters are given. The parameters are then evaluated for two evaporite rocks anhydrite and polyhalite based on axisymmetric compression data. Comparison of predicted stress–strain laws with those measured in the laboratory show that these laws can be used for engineering analysis.     

A micromechanics-based elastoplastic damage model for quasi-brittle rocks

This paper presents a micromechanics-based elastoplastic damage model for quasi-brittle rocks under a compressive stress state. The plastic strain is considered to be related to frictional sliding along micro-cracks, and it is coupled inherently with damage evolution. By following a homogenization procedure, we determine the free energy of the matrix-cracks system. The thermodynamic force associated with the inelastic strain contains a back stress, which controls material hardening. Next, in order to determine plastic flow and crack propagation, we propose a Coulomb-type friction criterion, which is used as the plastic yielding function, and a damage criterion based on strain energy release rate. These thermodynamic formulations with a micro–macro scale change allow reducing significantly the number of model parameters, as compared to phenomenological models. Our model is applied to simulate triaxial compression tests on two sets of diabase samples. The first sample set is cored from a fresh diabase rock mass, and the second from a slightly weathered one. Comparisons between numerical predictions and test data are presented.     

A new Cosserat-like constitutive model for bedded salt rocks

Salt rocks are commonly used as geologic host rocks for storage of gas and crude oil, and are being considered for the disposal of radioactive waste. Different from the salt rock domes in many countries, the salt rock formations in China are usually laminar with many alternating layers, i.e. rock salt, anhydrite, and/or mudstone. Considering the unique stratigraphic characteristics of these salt rocks, a new Cosserat-like medium constitutive model is proposed in order to facilitate efficient modeling of the mechanical behavior of these formations. In this model, a new representative volume element, containing two different layers, is employed to simulate the compatibility of the meso-displacement between two different layers and also the bending effect. A new method for the deformation and failure analysis of bedded salt rocks is derived therefrom. Having the macro-average stresses, the conventional stresses in the different layers can be obtained in sequence. The conventional stresses can then be utilized in a routine way for the strength and failure analysis. For the initial numerical modeling, the new Cosserat-like medium is reduced to a transversely isotropic one. The simplified constitutive model for layered media is then implemented into FLAC3D codes. A test sample validates that the results by using the numerical model are in good agreement with that by using the built-in model, and the mesh size for the new model is reduced greatly. Finally, an application for the stability of oil storage caverns in deep thinly bedded salt rocks is carried out. The effects on convergence of storage caverns and on the failure of surrounding rock due to the presence of the mudstone interlayers (hard phase) are discussed in detail. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Flow laws of multiphase materials and rocks from end-member flow laws

Rheological properties of polyphase rocks play an important role in the dynamics of the lithosphere and asthenosphere. However, flow laws for large portions of the polyphase rocks in the Earth's crust and mantle have not been well determined. An analysis based on the theory of mixtures has been made to calculate the general flow laws of coarse (≥5 μm), nearly equant-grained (aspect-ratio ≤3), and massive polyphase rocks and materials for which only the flow laws and volume fractions of the constituents are taken into consideration in the modeling of the bulk rheology and effects of microstructure could be ignored. The theoretical analysis is based on three assumptions: (1) the polyphase composite and the monophase aggregates of its constituents obey the same kind of flow laws (linear, power or exponential), (2) there is no change in the operative deformation mechanism of each phase when it is in the composite as compared to when it is in a monophase aggregate, and (3) neither chemical (metamorphic) reactions take place among the constituent phases nor eutectic melting occurs due to the phase mixing. The proposed iterative process allows to predict, to the first approximation, the flow laws for a large number of polyphase rocks in terms of the experimentally determined flow laws of a relatively small number of monomineralic aggregates. Applications of this approach to typical polyphase rocks such as granite, diorite, diabase, aplite and websterite as well as to synthetic two-phase materials such as forsterite–enstatite mixtures and water ice–ammonia dehydrate aggregates yield quite accurate approximations to the experimental values.     

Computational dynamic homogenization for the analysis of dispersive waves in layered rock masses with periodic fractures

The analysis of the wave propagation in layered rocks masses with periodic fractures is tackled via a two-scale approach in order to consider shape and size of the rock inhomogeneities. To match the displacement fields at the two scales, an approximation of the micro-displacement field is assumed that depends on the first and second gradients of the macro-displacement through micro-fluctuation displacement functions obtained by the finite element solution of cell problems derived by the classical asymptotic homogenization. The resulting equations of motion of the equivalent continuum at the macro-scale result to be not local in space, thus a dispersive wave propagation is obtained from the model. The simplifying hypotheses assumed in the multi-scale kinematics limit the validity of the model to the first dispersive branch in the frequency spectrum corresponding to the lowest modes.Although the homogenization procedure is developed to study the macro-scale wave propagation in rock masses with bounded domain, the reliability of the proposed method has been evaluated in the examples by considering unbounded rock masses and by comparing the dispersion curves provided by the rigorous process of Floquet–Bloch with those obtained by the method presented. The accuracy of the method is analyzed for compressional and shear waves propagating in the intact-layered rocks along the orthotropic axes. Therefore, the influence of crack density in the layered rock mass has been analyzed. Vertical cracks have been considered, periodically located in the stiffer layer, and two different crack densities have been analyzed, which are differentiated in the crack spacing. A good agreement is obtained in case of compressional waves travelling along the layering direction and in case of both shear and compressional waves normal to the layering. The comparison between two crack systems with different spacing has shown this aspect to have a remarkable effect on waves travelling along the direction of layering, and limited in the case of waves propagating normal to the layers.The equivalent continuous model obtained through the dynamic homogenization technique here presented may be applied to the computational analysis of non-stationary wave propagation in rock masses of finite size, also consisting of sub-domains with different macro-mechanical characteristics. This avoids the use of computational models represented at the scale of the heterogeneities, which may be too burdensome or even unfeasible.     

Modeling nonlinear response of fractured rocks and reservoirs

Since the early work of Athey (1930), there have been many attempts to describe the various nonlinear behaviors of rocks and soils in terms of functionals having only a few parameters, while nevertheless being able to fit the complicated available data with satisfactory accuracy. Such approaches have not been universally applied however, and the present analyses are intended to draw attention to the possibility of using such nonlinear fitting methods on old as well as new data sets. In particular, some special emphasis is placed here on re‐examining the well‐known laboratory data of Coyner (1984) on rocks in light of such modeling tools, and we find that the nonlinear approach again has several clear advantages – especially in terms of reducing the number of variables needed to describe the observed behavior of both bulk modulus and porosity of rocks undergoing large changes in pressure. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于Drucker-Prager准则的岩石弹塑性损伤本构模型研究

大多数岩石材料软化本构模型在硬化函数中引入塑性内变量来表示材料的硬化/软化性质,但并不能反映岩石微裂隙损伤对材料力学性能的影响及单轴拉伸和压缩所表现的初始屈服强度f0与屈服极限fu的差异。基于D-P准则同时考虑塑性软化及损伤软化,建立岩石类材料的弹塑性本构关系及其数值算法。塑性屈服函数采用Borja等的应力张量的硬化/软化函数,反映塑性内变量及应力状态对硬化函数的影响;由于岩石损伤软化是微裂隙扩展所导致的体积膨胀引起的,因此,提出用体积应变表征岩石损伤变量的演化,并用回映隐式积分算法编制了岩石的弹塑性损伤本构程序。对单轴压缩及拉伸荷载作用下的岩石材料试验进行数值模拟,结果表明,所提出的岩石弹塑性损伤本构模型可以较好地符合岩石材料的力学特性。     

裂隙岩体溶质运移模型综述

本文综述了裂隙岩体系统中溶质运移的概念模型和数学模型。分析了目前各种裂隙岩体系统中溶质运移的数学模型的适用性和优缺点，为选取合理的数学模型求解具体的问题提供了参考依据。最后提出了有待进一步研究的问题。     

A constitutive model based on modified mixture theory for unsaturated rocks

Non-equilibrium thermodynamics and Biot poro-elasticity have been combined to give a coupled hydro-mechanical formulation for unsaturated rock. Darcy’s law for unsaturated flow has been derived from the dissipation process by using standard arguments of non-equilibrium thermodynamics, whereas Helmholtz free energy has been used to derive the relationship between stress and pore pressure changes. The resulting general framework accommodates both large and small deformation theories. When small deformations are assumed, the formulation is comparable with coupled equations derived using an alternative approach. For illustrative purposes, the formulation has been used to analyse a seasonally affected tunnel model. Numerical results for the desaturation in winter and resaturation in summer, of the zone near the tunnel wall, have been evaluated and compared with the findings of other researchers.     

Mechanical and transport constitutive models for fractures subject to dissolution and precipitation

Transient changes in the permeability of fractures in systems driven far‐from‐equilibrium are described in terms of proxy roles of stress, temperature and chemistry. The combined effects of stress and temperature are accommodated in the response of asperity bridges where mineral mass is mobilized from the bridge to the surrounding fluid. Mass balance within the fluid accommodates mineral mass either removed from the flow system by precipitation or advection, or augmented by either dissolution or advection. Where the system is hydraulically closed and initially at equilibrium, reduction in aperture driven by the effects of applied stresses and temperatures will be augmented by precipitation on the fracture walls. Where the system is open, the initial drop in aperture may continue, and accelerate, where the influent fluid is oversaturated with respect to the equilibrium mineral concentration within the fluid, or may reverse, if undersaturated. This simple zero‐dimensional model is capable of representing the intricate behavior observed in experiments where the feasibility of fracture sealing concurrent with net dissolution is observed. This zero‐order model is developed as a constitutive model capable of representing key aspects of changes in the transport parameters of the continuum response of fractured media to changes in stress, temperature and chemistry. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

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。     

Kinematics of throughgoing fractures in jointed rocks

Throughgoing fractures play a major role in subsurface fluid flow yet the kinematics of their formation, which directly impact rock flow properties, are often difficult to establish. We investigate throughgoing fractures in the Monterey Formation of California that developed by the coalescence of pre-existing joints. At Lompoc Landing, throughgoing fractures fall into three main groups: linked, linked with aperture, and breccia zones. The segmented nature of their walls provides numerous piercing points to firmly establish the sense of displacement. Analysis of displacement vectors derived from piercing points demonstrates that the NW–SE trending throughgoing fractures, often interpreted as strike–slip faults, are in fact extensional structures in origin. We suggest that this method may be applied to throughgoing fractures that form by the same mechanism in other geologic settings. Establishing kinematics of throughgoing fractures will lead to a better understanding of their contribution to subsurface fluid flow.     

Aligned fractures in carbonate rocks: laboratory and in situ measurements of seismic anisotropy

By vertical seismic profiling and shear wave analysis we show that a packet of carbonate reservoir rocks, found at nearly 3000 m depth in the North German Basin, is seismically anisotropic. For vertical paths of wave propagation the estimated velocity difference of the split shear waves is 10%. No shear wave birefrigence is observed within the hangingwall which, therefore, has to be regarded as isotropic or transversely isotropic. Additional laboratory investigations of the petrography of drilled carbonate samples and of their seismic velocities show that the anisotropy is most probably caused by subvertical fractures with preferred azimuthal orientation. The strike direction of the aligned fractures determined by analysis of split shear waves is approximately N55°E. This value agrees with recently published directions of maximum horizontal tectonic stress in pre-Zechstein sediments in the eastern part of the North German Basin, but it is in contrast to the world stress map. Received: 20 April 1999 / Accepted: 25 August 1999     

断裂岩石蠕剪中的细观接触损伤试验研究

为深刻理解构成断裂岩体长期抗剪强度的细观机制,对岩石断裂面的细观接触和损伤演化进行了试验研究。采用压剪方式和巴西劈裂方式制作出两类断裂岩石,在恒定法向力作用下对破坏岩石试件进行分级施加剪切力的蠕变试验。在加载前、中、后对断裂岩石分别进行CT和激光扫描,观察到不同蠕变阶段断裂岩石的细观接触和损伤状态,获得不同性质的断裂岩石抗剪强度特征。试验研究表明：构成断裂岩石长期抗剪强度的机制主要有两个：一是细观凹凸啮合体的抗剪断能力;二是表观凹凸接触体的抗摩擦能力。拉破裂岩石表面局部粗糙度相对较大,抗剪强度以第1种破坏机制为主,剪切破坏岩石表面宏观起伏度较大,抗剪强度是以第2种破坏机制为主。在蠕变剪切过程中,两种机制交织在一起,并随时间或剪位移的增加而相互转换。     

非饱和裂隙岩体渗流的统计模型研究方法

常规方法研究非饱和裂隙介质往往采用宏观连续体的概念,然而现场试验证明,非饱和裂隙岩体中的渗流具有相当的非均质性。天然裂隙岩体的非饱和渗流是发生在三维裂隙网络中的多场非等温流,要在不完整的信息基础上刻画和表现介质的不均匀性,通常借助随机模拟的手段。将三维裂隙系统近似为概化的二维非均匀多孔介质的二维平面裂隙。采用模拟退火法将取自各种来源的信息资料通过建立适当的目标函数汇集至模型之中,以此模拟裂隙的空间特征。     

Scaling laws for hydraulic fractures driven by a power-law fluid in homogeneous anisotropic rocks

This study investigates parametric space of solutions for a planar hydraulic fracture propagating in a homogeneous anisotropic rock. It is assumed that the fracture has an elliptical shape and is driven by a power-law fluid. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of anisotropy and power-law fluid rheology on the parametric space of solutions. Rock anisotropy is represented by having two values of fracture toughness, one in the vertical direction and another one in the horizontal direction. Similarly, the effect of elastic anisotropy is approximated by using two different effective elastic moduli in the vertical and horizontal directions. In contrast to the isotropic case, for which there are four limiting solutions, the problem for anisotropic rocks features six different limiting cases. These cases represent competition between toughness and viscosity in the vertical and horizontal directions and competition between fluid storage inside the fracture and fluid leak-off into formation. Approximate expressions for the limiting solutions are obtained using global volume balance and tip asymptotic solutions. Despite the developed solutions rely on a series of approximations, they precisely capture all the scaling laws associated with the problem. Zones of applicability of these limiting solutions are calculated, and their dependence on the problem parameters is investigated.     

A semi‐analytical modeling approach for three‐dimensional heat transfer in sparsely fractured rocks with water flow and distributed heat source

A semi‐analytical approach is developed for modeling 3D heat transfer in sparsely fractured rocks with prescribed water flow and heat source. The governing differential equations are formulated, and the corresponding integral equations over the fracture faces and the distributed heat source are established in the Laplace transformed domain using the Green function method with local systems of coordinates. The algebraic equations of the Laplace transformed temperatures of water in the fractures are formed by dividing the integrals into elemental ones; in particular, the fracture faces are discretized into rectangular elements, over which the integrations are carried out either analytically for singular integrals when the base point is involved or numerically for regular integrals when otherwise. The solutions of the algebraic equations are inverted numerically to obtain the real‐time temperatures of water in the fractures, which may be employed to calculate the temperatures at prescribed locations of the rock matrix. Three example calculations are presented to illustrate the workability of the developed approach. The calculations found that water flux in the fractures may decrease the rate of temperature rise in regions close to the distributed heat source and increase the rate of temperature rise in regions downstream away from the distributed heat source and that the temperature distribution and evolvement in a sparsely fractured rock mass may be significantly influenced by water flow exchange at intersection of fractures. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

海相沉积软黏土的弹塑性本构模型研究

在深入探讨海相沉积原状软黏土压缩、变形等力学特性和详细分析加载屈服面随荷载情况变化的基础上,确认了海相沉积原状软黏土的强度、变形特性与结构屈服应力密切相关。即当固结压力小于结构屈服应力时,其力学特性与超固结重塑土的力学特性类似;当固结压力大于结构屈服应力时,其力学特性与正常固结重塑土的力学特性类似。为描述海相沉积原状软黏土的上述力学特性,将姚仰平等提出的超固结重塑土本构模型引入到海相沉积软黏土弹塑性本构模型的构建中。在本构模型构建过程中,考虑了海相沉积原状软黏土具有的抗拉强度及其演化规律,软黏土强度包线的特点及其进一步修正的表达式,使模型更符合海相原状软黏土的强度、变形特性。最后,将3种不同海相沉积软黏土固结排水剪切试验得到的应力-应变-体变曲线与模型预测结果进行对比。比较结果显示,本文提出的弹塑性本构模型能很好地描述海相沉积原状软黏土的剪缩硬化、剪胀软化以及变形的应力水平依存性等力学特性。     

A new versatile constitutive law for modelling the monotonic response of soft rocks and structured fine-grained soils

This paper deals with a new critical state–based constitutive model for soft rocks and fine-grained soils. The model, formulated in the single-surface plasticity framework, is characterised by the following main features: (i) a generalised three-invariant yield surface capable of reproducing a wide set of well-known criteria, (ii) the dependency of the elastic stiffness on the current stress state by means of a hyperelastic formulation, (iii) the ability of simulating the plastic strain–driven structure degradation processes by a set of appropriate isotropic hardening laws, and (iv) a nonassociate flow rule in the meridian plane. The adopted formulation is hierarchical, such that the various features of the model can be activated or excluded depending on the specific kind of geomaterial to be modelled and on the quality and quantity of the related available experimental results. The constitutive model was implemented in a commercial finite element code by means of an explicit modified Euler scheme with automatic substepping and error control. The procedure does not require any form of stress correction to prevent drift from the yield surface. The performance of the model is first analysed by means of a wide set of parametric analyses, in order to highlight the main features and to evaluate the sensitivity of the formulation with reference to the input parameters. The model is then adopted to simulate the experimental response observed on three different geomaterials, ranging from soft clays to soft rocks.