Pub Date : 2026-01-20DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrmms.2026.106420
Yang Xia , Yongtao Yang , Xuhai Tang , Hong Zheng , Changfu Wei , Zuliang Shao
To accurately simulate the seismic responses of geotechnical structures using the three-dimensional nodal-based continuous-discontinuous deformation analysis method (3D-NCDDAM), appropriate boundary conditions should be set at the artificial boundaries to avoid the generation of fictitious reflected waves. In this study, various boundary conditions are used to enhance the ability of 3D-NCDDAM for seismic response analyses of geotechnical structures: (1) a viscous boundary is incorporated to absorb wave energy; (2) a viscoelastic boundary is introduced, which not only absorbs wave energy but also captures the elastic recovery behavior of the geotechnical medium; (3) based on the seismic input boundary, seismic motion is accurately applied; (4) the free field boundary applied for wave propagation in the semi-infinite domain is extended to three-dimensional space. The generation algorithm of the free field model and its coupling calculation with the main computational domain are introduced in detail; (5) the static-dynamic unified boundary introduced into 3D-NCDDAM achieves the seamless transition of boundary conditions between the quasi-static and dynamic stages. The numerical results of several examples verify the accuracy of those boundary conditions, and the entire evolution process of the landslide trigged by earthquake is effectively simulated with the enriched 3D-NCDDAM.
{"title":"Investigation on artificial boundary problems in three-dimensional nodal-based continuous-discontinuous deformation analysis method for the seismic dynamic analyses of geotechnical structures","authors":"Yang Xia , Yongtao Yang , Xuhai Tang , Hong Zheng , Changfu Wei , Zuliang Shao","doi":"10.1016/j.ijrmms.2026.106420","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijrmms.2026.106420","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To accurately simulate the seismic responses of geotechnical structures using the three-dimensional nodal-based continuous-discontinuous deformation analysis method (3D-NCDDAM), appropriate boundary conditions should be set at the artificial boundaries to avoid the generation of fictitious reflected waves. In this study, various boundary conditions are used to enhance the ability of 3D-NCDDAM for seismic response analyses of geotechnical structures: (1) a viscous boundary is incorporated to absorb wave energy; (2) a viscoelastic boundary is introduced, which not only absorbs wave energy but also captures the elastic recovery behavior of the geotechnical medium; (3) based on the seismic input boundary, seismic motion is accurately applied; (4) the free field boundary applied for wave propagation in the semi-infinite domain is extended to three-dimensional space. The generation algorithm of the free field model and its coupling calculation with the main computational domain are introduced in detail; (5) the static-dynamic unified boundary introduced into 3D-NCDDAM achieves the seamless transition of boundary conditions between the quasi-static and dynamic stages. The numerical results of several examples verify the accuracy of those boundary conditions, and the entire evolution process of the landslide trigged by earthquake is effectively simulated with the enriched 3D-NCDDAM.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54941,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 106420"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146006408","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-19DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrmms.2026.106419
Shida Zhang , Yonggang Qiao , Nan Fan , Chaojun Fan , Danping Yuan , Xianke Wang , Yuqi Chang
Liquid carbon dioxide (LCO2) fracturing is an anhydrous technique developed to enhance coalbed methane (CBM) recovery. This study explored the influence of CO2 phase transitions on the deformation and permeability of coal subjected to LCO2 fracturing using integrated experimental observations and numerical simulations. A customized experimental setup was used to monitor temperature, pressure, coal strain, and CO2 phase transitions during distinct stages, including injection, freezing, pressure relief, and thawing. The CO2 phase exhibited dynamic evolution, transitioning sequentially from gaseous CO2 (GCO2) to liquid CO2 (LCO2), and back to GCO2. Coal was subjected to irreversible deformation driven by coupled stresses including vaporization-induced expansion, thermal stress, and freezing-induced expansion. A thermo-hydro-mechanical-damage (THMD) model accounting for variable thermophysical properties and phase transitions was established and validated experimentally. The effects of heat transfer, fluid characteristics, initial coal temperature, injection pressure, and injection temperature on CO2 phase behavior, coal damage, and permeability were systematically analyzed. The results revealed that the LCO2 freezing process involved three phases: GCO2, gas–liquid mixed CO2 (L-GCO2), and LCO2. Elevated coal temperatures intensified thermal stresses, vapor expansion forces, and freeze–thaw effects, thereby amplifying coal damage and permeability. Conversely, lower injection temperatures and higher injection pressures promoted deeper LCO2 penetration, accelerated damage progression, and significantly improved permeability. These findings offer essential theoretical insights into the optimization of the engineering performance of LCO2 fracturing technology.
{"title":"Mechanisms of CO2 phase transition and heat transfer in response to damage-induced permeability in coal: insights from experiment and simulation","authors":"Shida Zhang , Yonggang Qiao , Nan Fan , Chaojun Fan , Danping Yuan , Xianke Wang , Yuqi Chang","doi":"10.1016/j.ijrmms.2026.106419","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijrmms.2026.106419","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Liquid carbon dioxide (LCO<sub>2</sub>) fracturing is an anhydrous technique developed to enhance coalbed methane (CBM) recovery. This study explored the influence of CO<sub>2</sub> phase transitions on the deformation and permeability of coal subjected to LCO<sub>2</sub> fracturing using integrated experimental observations and numerical simulations. A customized experimental setup was used to monitor temperature, pressure, coal strain, and CO<sub>2</sub> phase transitions during distinct stages, including injection, freezing, pressure relief, and thawing. The CO<sub>2</sub> phase exhibited dynamic evolution, transitioning sequentially from gaseous CO<sub>2</sub> (GCO<sub>2</sub>) to liquid CO<sub>2</sub> (LCO<sub>2</sub>), and back to GCO<sub>2</sub>. Coal was subjected to irreversible deformation driven by coupled stresses including vaporization-induced expansion, thermal stress, and freezing-induced expansion. A thermo-hydro-mechanical-damage (THMD) model accounting for variable thermophysical properties and phase transitions was established and validated experimentally. The effects of heat transfer, fluid characteristics, initial coal temperature, injection pressure, and injection temperature on CO<sub>2</sub> phase behavior, coal damage, and permeability were systematically analyzed. The results revealed that the LCO<sub>2</sub> freezing process involved three phases: GCO<sub>2</sub>, gas–liquid mixed CO<sub>2</sub> (L-GCO<sub>2</sub>), and LCO<sub>2</sub>. Elevated coal temperatures intensified thermal stresses, vapor expansion forces, and freeze–thaw effects, thereby amplifying coal damage and permeability. Conversely, lower injection temperatures and higher injection pressures promoted deeper LCO<sub>2</sub> penetration, accelerated damage progression, and significantly improved permeability. These findings offer essential theoretical insights into the optimization of the engineering performance of LCO<sub>2</sub> fracturing technology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54941,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 106419"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146000592","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-17DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrmms.2026.106397
M. Souley , C. De Lesquen , M.N. Vu , G. Armand
To support the feasibility of the Cigéo deep geological repository, Andra has carried out extensive thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) investigations on Callovo-Oxfordian (COx) claystone. These investigations combine in-situ experiments conducted at the Meuse/Haute-Marne Underground Research Laboratory (M-HM URL) with detailed laboratory-scale characterisations. This study introduces an enhanced rheological model that integrates temperature-dependent mechanical characteristics derived from recent experimental data. Implemented in COMSOL Multiphysics®, the model is validated against triaxial THM tests at different temperature levels (20°, 40°, 60° and 80 °C), accurately capturing short-term strength degradation and volumetric behaviour transitions under increasing temperature. Long-term behaviour simulations, including simulation of triaxial creep tests at 40° and 60 °C, show excellent agreement with the analytical results, with deviations remaining below 0.1 %. The proposed model was first applied at the underground structures scale to the GCS drift, which serves as a reference case for validating the constitutive models of the COx claystone. The simulation covered a 20-year period, and the results were successfully compared with the convergence measurements recorded since the gallery's excavation. The model is further applied to the HITEC near-field benchmark to assess thermal impacts on the Excavation-induced Fracture Zone (EFZ) surrounding a heat-emitting waste cell. The results confirm the robustness and applicability of the proposed THM framework for large-scale repository design under thermal loading conditions.
{"title":"Advanced thermo-hydro-mechanical modelling of Callovo-Oxfordian claystone: Temperature effects and multi-scale applications for geological disposal safety","authors":"M. Souley , C. De Lesquen , M.N. Vu , G. Armand","doi":"10.1016/j.ijrmms.2026.106397","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijrmms.2026.106397","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To support the feasibility of the Cigéo deep geological repository, Andra has carried out extensive thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) investigations on Callovo-Oxfordian (COx) claystone. These investigations combine in-situ experiments conducted at the Meuse/Haute-Marne Underground Research Laboratory (M-HM URL) with detailed laboratory-scale characterisations. This study introduces an enhanced rheological model that integrates temperature-dependent mechanical characteristics derived from recent experimental data. Implemented in COMSOL Multiphysics®, the model is validated against triaxial THM tests at different temperature levels (20°, 40°, 60° and 80 °C), accurately capturing short-term strength degradation and volumetric behaviour transitions under increasing temperature. Long-term behaviour simulations, including simulation of triaxial creep tests at 40° and 60 °C, show excellent agreement with the analytical results, with deviations remaining below 0.1 %. The proposed model was first applied at the underground structures scale to the GCS drift, which serves as a reference case for validating the constitutive models of the COx claystone. The simulation covered a 20-year period, and the results were successfully compared with the convergence measurements recorded since the gallery's excavation. The model is further applied to the HITEC near-field benchmark to assess thermal impacts on the Excavation-induced Fracture Zone (EFZ) surrounding a heat-emitting waste cell. The results confirm the robustness and applicability of the proposed THM framework for large-scale repository design under thermal loading conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54941,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 106397"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145980632","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-16DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrmms.2026.106421
Zhiqiang Yi , Yueping Yin , Zhihua Zhang , Luqi Wang , Xuebing Wang , Peng Zhao , Limei Zhang
Since 2008, the water level in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area has fluctuated annually between 145 and 175 m. This fluctuation has caused significant deterioration and damage to the rock masses within the fluctuating zone. In this zone, the elevation difference can reach up to 30 m. This study uses the Longmen dangerous rock as a typical case to comprehensively reveal the deterioration and damage characteristics of rock masses through sonic CT (Computed Tomography) imaging. This is further supported by field geological surveys, drilling engineering, and underground television. The following findings were obtained: (1) The degree of deterioration and damage below the 175 m elevation decreases with depth. Specifically, the RQD (Rock Quality Designation) generally follows an exponential distribution function. (2) The development of fractures and fragmentation zones within the fluctuating zone is higher than in areas below the fluctuating zone. (3) The degree of deterioration and damage below the 175 m elevation is heterogeneous and exhibits surface to inside pattern. (4) The essential cause of deterioration and damage effects is the RWLF (Reservoir Water Level Fluctuation). Detailed, weakly alkaline erosive flowing water in the study area initiates chemical corrosion, leading to deterioration and damage effects on the rock masses. Under the influence of gravity from the overlying high and steep dangerous rocks, leading to the prominent manifestation of joint fissures. Furthermore, mechanical dynamic effects, such as scour, erosion, and washout, occur due to the RWLF and vessels. These effects cause small portions of the rock masses to gradually detach and be carried away into the water. As a result, phenomena such as corrosion and dissolution cavities are formed. The insights gained from this study are significant for understanding the instability mechanisms of high and steep dangerous submerged rocks.
{"title":"Deterioration and damage characteristics of rock masses within the fluctuating zone, Three Gorges Reservoir Area, China","authors":"Zhiqiang Yi , Yueping Yin , Zhihua Zhang , Luqi Wang , Xuebing Wang , Peng Zhao , Limei Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.ijrmms.2026.106421","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijrmms.2026.106421","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Since 2008, the water level in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area has fluctuated annually between 145 and 175 m. This fluctuation has caused significant deterioration and damage to the rock masses within the fluctuating zone. In this zone, the elevation difference can reach up to 30 m. This study uses the Longmen dangerous rock as a typical case to comprehensively reveal the deterioration and damage characteristics of rock masses through sonic CT (Computed Tomography) imaging. This is further supported by field geological surveys, drilling engineering, and underground television. The following findings were obtained: (1) The degree of deterioration and damage below the 175 m elevation decreases with depth. Specifically, the RQD (Rock Quality Designation) generally follows an exponential distribution function. (2) The development of fractures and fragmentation zones within the fluctuating zone is higher than in areas below the fluctuating zone. (3) The degree of deterioration and damage below the 175 m elevation is heterogeneous and exhibits surface to inside pattern. (4) The essential cause of deterioration and damage effects is the RWLF (Reservoir Water Level Fluctuation). Detailed, weakly alkaline erosive flowing water in the study area initiates chemical corrosion, leading to deterioration and damage effects on the rock masses. Under the influence of gravity from the overlying high and steep dangerous rocks, leading to the prominent manifestation of joint fissures. Furthermore, mechanical dynamic effects, such as scour, erosion, and washout, occur due to the RWLF and vessels. These effects cause small portions of the rock masses to gradually detach and be carried away into the water. As a result, phenomena such as corrosion and dissolution cavities are formed. The insights gained from this study are significant for understanding the instability mechanisms of high and steep dangerous submerged rocks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54941,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 106421"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145980630","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-15DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrmms.2025.106383
Ghassan Shahin , Michael J. Heap , Marie Violay
Harnessing geothermal energy and storing carbon dioxide in volcanic systems require reliable constitutive models to predict rock deformation and failure under extreme pressure and temperature. However, existing models are limited, especially when compared to the more advanced predictive tools available for sedimentary rocks. In this study, we integrate elastoplasticity, strain hardening, nonassociative plasticity, phenomenological thermomechanics, and bifurcation analysis to establish a novel constitutive model for porous lava. The model is calibrated against a unique dataset that provides the stress–strain and strain localization responses of porous andesite deformed at temperatures ranging from room temperature up to 800 °C and at effective confining pressures from room pressure to 50 MPa. These mechanical and thermal conditions are representative of deep geothermal reservoirs. Finite element simulations of laboratory experiments are used to demonstrate the model’s capabilities in terms of reproducing key mechanical characteristics, including the differential stress required for the first stress drop and deformation mechanisms, across varying pressure and temperature conditions. Further validation via full-field finite element computations, simulating borehole excavation in low- to high-temperature systems, underscores the model’s predictive capabilities. In particular, the field-scale simulations demonstrate the model’s efficacy in reproducing variable forms of deformation structures and deformation modes around boreholes with capabilities to provide more information about the displacement in the borehole walls. The proposed modeling framework can be integrated into commercial numerical tools and used to facilitate the engineering of safe and cost-effective geothermal energy production and carbon geostorage, as well as numerical models designed to better understand the stability and therefore the hazard potential of volcanic structures.
{"title":"Modeling the thermo-mechanical behavior of porous lava under reservoir conditions","authors":"Ghassan Shahin , Michael J. Heap , Marie Violay","doi":"10.1016/j.ijrmms.2025.106383","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijrmms.2025.106383","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Harnessing geothermal energy and storing carbon dioxide in volcanic systems require reliable constitutive models to predict rock deformation and failure under extreme pressure and temperature. However, existing models are limited, especially when compared to the more advanced predictive tools available for sedimentary rocks. In this study, we integrate elastoplasticity, strain hardening, nonassociative plasticity, phenomenological thermomechanics, and bifurcation analysis to establish a novel constitutive model for porous lava. The model is calibrated against a unique dataset that provides the stress–strain and strain localization responses of porous andesite deformed at temperatures ranging from room temperature up to 800 °C and at effective confining pressures from room pressure to 50 MPa. These mechanical and thermal conditions are representative of deep geothermal reservoirs. Finite element simulations of laboratory experiments are used to demonstrate the model’s capabilities in terms of reproducing key mechanical characteristics, including the differential stress required for the first stress drop and deformation mechanisms, across varying pressure and temperature conditions. Further validation via full-field finite element computations, simulating borehole excavation in low- to high-temperature systems, underscores the model’s predictive capabilities. In particular, the field-scale simulations demonstrate the model’s efficacy in reproducing variable forms of deformation structures and deformation modes around boreholes with capabilities to provide more information about the displacement in the borehole walls. The proposed modeling framework can be integrated into commercial numerical tools and used to facilitate the engineering of safe and cost-effective geothermal energy production and carbon geostorage, as well as numerical models designed to better understand the stability and therefore the hazard potential of volcanic structures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54941,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 106383"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145980631","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-14DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrmms.2026.106414
Xiao-Jie Tang , Si-Han Zhou , Man-Man Hu
For chemically assisted cracking in tight low-permeable carbonate-rich reservoirs, crack growth and coalescence are driven by a complex interplay between stress redistribution, mineral dissolution, elasto-viscoplastic deformation, damage-enhanced specific surface area, and evolving permeability. Albeit that extensive research exists on crack initiation and growth, little has been found focusing on the underlying mechanism of how two adjacent cracks interact and coalesce through their tips - driven by a combined effect of chemical erosion and internal pressurization. Here we adopt a fully coupled reactive chemo-mechanical model for investigating the coalescence of the propagating plasticity zones around two adjacent crack-tips that precede the subcritical growth of the cracks. The constitutive framework captures time-dependent processes including proton diffusion, dissolution-induced stiffness degradation, damage evolution, chemical alteration of the yield limits, and micro-cracking feedback. The implemented formulation is applied to a pair of internally pressurized blunt-tip collinear cracks exposed to a weak-acidic solution. Our results show that the crack pair coalescence undergoes a multi-stage subcritical development: (i) a quasi-linear mechanically dominated initial (incubation) phase, (ii) a dissolution-enhanced softening phase once an accumulated mass-removal threshold is reached, and (iii) a secondary acceleration phase upon the onset when the two propagating plasticity zones coalesce in the ligament between the crack-tips. It is illustrated that an intensified acidity, or a higher rock susceptibility to micro-cracking, amplifies positive feedback between damage evolution and chemical dissolution, markedly enhancing crack growth. Mild intrinsic heterogeneity seeds further accelerate the process zone interaction and crack coalescence, through forming networks of orthogonal micro-deformation bands in front of the crack-tips.
{"title":"Coalescence of a subcritical crack pair in carbonate rocks upon acidizing","authors":"Xiao-Jie Tang , Si-Han Zhou , Man-Man Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.ijrmms.2026.106414","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijrmms.2026.106414","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>For chemically assisted cracking in tight low-permeable carbonate-rich reservoirs, crack growth and coalescence are driven by a complex interplay between stress redistribution, mineral dissolution, elasto-viscoplastic deformation, damage-enhanced specific surface area, and evolving permeability. Albeit that extensive research exists on crack initiation and growth, little has been found focusing on the underlying mechanism of how two adjacent cracks interact and coalesce through their tips - driven by a combined effect of chemical erosion and internal pressurization. Here we adopt a fully coupled reactive chemo-mechanical model for investigating the coalescence of the propagating plasticity zones around two adjacent crack-tips that precede the subcritical growth of the cracks. The constitutive framework captures time-dependent processes including proton diffusion, dissolution-induced stiffness degradation, damage evolution, chemical alteration of the yield limits, and micro-cracking feedback. The implemented formulation is applied to a pair of internally pressurized blunt-tip collinear cracks exposed to a weak-acidic solution. Our results show that the crack pair coalescence undergoes a multi-stage subcritical development: (i) a quasi-linear mechanically dominated initial (incubation) phase, (ii) a dissolution-enhanced softening phase once an accumulated mass-removal threshold is reached, and (iii) a secondary acceleration phase upon the onset when the two propagating plasticity zones coalesce in the ligament between the crack-tips. It is illustrated that an intensified acidity, or a higher rock susceptibility to micro-cracking, amplifies positive feedback between damage evolution and chemical dissolution, markedly enhancing crack growth. Mild intrinsic heterogeneity seeds further accelerate the process zone interaction and crack coalescence, through forming networks of orthogonal micro-deformation bands in front of the crack-tips.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54941,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 106414"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145980633","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrmms.2026.106417
Wenxiang Xu , Li Wang , Dingcheng Dai , Jiaping Liu , Jinyang Jiang
Intricate morphologies of pores have great influences on the percolation threshold of pore space and even the permeability of porous media. Despite extensive efforts to numerically explore the large design space for continuum percolation models of pore space constituted by overlapping objects with rich convexities and their impacts on the permeability, there is a critical knowledge gap on our understanding of the effect of nature of non-convex pore on the percolation threshold and permeability of porous media. This missing understanding hinders the precise evaluation of sewage transport in marine and soil, the durability optimization of hydropower dam, and the fast development of oil and shale gas exploitation. In this work, we develop and validate a high-fidelity numerical description to bridge this knowledge gap. Our description contains three major powerful models. Starting from a 3D morphology reconstruction of realistic surface of non-convex pore, we propose a mathematically-controllable parameterized method to realize arbitrary-shaped pore. Accordingly, the excluded volume of non-convex pore and its dependence on non-convex morphologies are obtained using large-scale Monte Carlo simulations (LSMCs). Then, we combine LSMCs and finite-size scaling method to accurately determine the long-range percolation threshold of non-convex pore space. By analyzing 311 statistical data for the percolation threshold affected by excluded volume of convex/non-convex objects, a generic exclusion-dependent percolation threshold model is proposed that does not only demonstrate the universality of the excluded-volume theory but is capable of estimating the percolation threshold of overlapping arbitrary-shaped objects from convexity to non-convexity. We also develop a multi-relaxation-time lattice Boltzmann method to precisely capture the permeability of porous media over the entire range of porosities, specifically its non-linear saltation behavior near the percolation threshold of non-convex pore space. Altogether, these results shed fresh light on non-convex pore morphologies that dominate the excluded volume, percolation threshold and permeability. Our description illuminates the universal relationship of “excluded volume-percolation threshold-permeability” in porous media, which in turn can guide the design of geological materials and the pore-level optimization in ways previously unattainable for critical water/gas/oil-energy applications.
{"title":"Exclusion-dependent percolation threshold of non-convex pores and permeability of porous media","authors":"Wenxiang Xu , Li Wang , Dingcheng Dai , Jiaping Liu , Jinyang Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.ijrmms.2026.106417","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijrmms.2026.106417","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Intricate morphologies of pores have great influences on the percolation threshold of pore space and even the permeability of porous media. Despite extensive efforts to numerically explore the large design space for continuum percolation models of pore space constituted by overlapping objects with rich convexities and their impacts on the permeability, there is a critical knowledge gap on our understanding of the effect of nature of non-convex pore on the percolation threshold and permeability of porous media. This missing understanding hinders the precise evaluation of sewage transport in marine and soil, the durability optimization of hydropower dam, and the fast development of oil and shale gas exploitation. In this work, we develop and validate a high-fidelity numerical description to bridge this knowledge gap. Our description contains three major powerful models. Starting from a 3D morphology reconstruction of realistic surface of non-convex pore, we propose a mathematically-controllable parameterized method to realize arbitrary-shaped pore. Accordingly, the excluded volume of non-convex pore and its dependence on non-convex morphologies are obtained using large-scale Monte Carlo simulations (LSMCs). Then, we combine LSMCs and finite-size scaling method to accurately determine the long-range percolation threshold of non-convex pore space. By analyzing 311 statistical data for the percolation threshold affected by excluded volume of convex/non-convex objects, a generic exclusion-dependent percolation threshold model is proposed that does not only demonstrate the universality of the excluded-volume theory but is capable of estimating the percolation threshold of overlapping arbitrary-shaped objects from convexity to non-convexity. We also develop a multi-relaxation-time lattice Boltzmann method to precisely capture the permeability of porous media over the entire range of porosities, specifically its non-linear saltation behavior near the percolation threshold of non-convex pore space. Altogether, these results shed fresh light on non-convex pore morphologies that dominate the excluded volume, percolation threshold and permeability. Our description illuminates the universal relationship of “excluded volume-percolation threshold-permeability” in porous media, which in turn can guide the design of geological materials and the pore-level optimization in ways previously unattainable for critical water/gas/oil-energy applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54941,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 106417"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145962149","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrmms.2026.106404
Ali Aminzadeh , Prasanna Salasiya , Joseph F. Labuz , Mohammad Nooraiepour , Bojan B. Guzina
Mineral carbon storage in rock formations has gained significant interest in recent years. In principle, changes in mechanical rock properties driven by carbon mineralization could be quantified using seismic methods, opening the door toward field monitoring of carbon storage. However, these changes may vary spatially within a rock mass when reactive transport occurs. In this vein, full-field ultrasonic characterization of reacted specimens can help shed light on the process. We use a 3D Scanning Laser Doppler Vibrometer to perform full-field monitoring of one-dimensional (1D) ultrasonic waves in rod-shaped sandstone specimens exposed to NaCl-rich fluid. Our initial experiments were conducted on intact sandstone specimens with high aspect ratio () to cater for 1D axial wave propagation. To investigate the evolution of the Young’s modulus and attenuation of rock due to reactive transport, we exposed the specimens to an under-saturated NaCl solution, achieving supersaturation – and so mineralization – through evaporation. The upward movement of the fluid, supplied at the bottom of each specimen, was achieved through capillary action. We deploy an elastography-type approach to back-analysis, known as modified-error-in-constitutive-relation (MECR) approach, to expose the spatially-heterogeneous evolution of mechanical rock properties due to reactive transport. Our results consistently demonstrate (i) an approximately 30% degradation of the Young’s modulus and (ii) 7-fold increase in ultrasonic attenuation due to mineralization. To better understand the root causes of these changes, we made use of the X-ray micro-computed tomography and scanning electron microscopy of selected cross-sections. The grain-scale information suggests that pore filling with powder-like participate is responsible for the increase in attenuation, while microcracking – observed by acoustic emission monitoring – is behind the observed damage of rock.
{"title":"Ultrasonic sensing of the mechanical fingerprint of reactive transport in rock","authors":"Ali Aminzadeh , Prasanna Salasiya , Joseph F. Labuz , Mohammad Nooraiepour , Bojan B. Guzina","doi":"10.1016/j.ijrmms.2026.106404","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijrmms.2026.106404","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mineral carbon storage in rock formations has gained significant interest in recent years. In principle, changes in mechanical rock properties driven by carbon mineralization could be quantified using seismic methods, opening the door toward field monitoring of carbon storage. However, these changes may vary spatially within a rock mass when reactive transport occurs. In this vein, full-field ultrasonic characterization of reacted specimens can help shed light on the process. We use a 3D Scanning Laser Doppler Vibrometer to perform full-field monitoring of one-dimensional (1D) ultrasonic waves in rod-shaped sandstone specimens exposed to NaCl-rich fluid. Our initial experiments were conducted on intact sandstone specimens with high aspect ratio (<span><math><mrow><mtext>length/diameter</mtext><mo>≃</mo><mn>15</mn></mrow></math></span>) to cater for 1D axial wave propagation. To investigate the evolution of the Young’s modulus and attenuation of rock due to reactive transport, we exposed the specimens to an under-saturated NaCl solution, achieving supersaturation – and so mineralization – through evaporation. The upward movement of the fluid, supplied at the bottom of each specimen, was achieved through capillary action. We deploy an elastography-type approach to back-analysis, known as modified-error-in-constitutive-relation (MECR) approach, to expose the spatially-heterogeneous evolution of mechanical rock properties due to reactive transport. Our results consistently demonstrate (i) an approximately 30% degradation of the Young’s modulus and (ii) 7-fold increase in ultrasonic attenuation due to mineralization. To better understand the root causes of these changes, we made use of the X-ray micro-computed tomography and scanning electron microscopy of selected cross-sections. The grain-scale information suggests that pore filling with powder-like participate is responsible for the increase in attenuation, while microcracking – observed by acoustic emission monitoring – is behind the observed damage of rock.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54941,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 106404"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145957139","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
We applied anelastic strain recovery (ASR), hydraulic fracturing (HF), and acoustic image logging to determine the full three-dimensional stress state in the Qiabuqia geothermal field, northeastern Tibetan Plateau. ASR measurements from twenty-five core samples across five boreholes in the geothermal field reveal a pronounced stress contrast between the sedimentary basin fill and the underlying granite basement. The sediments exhibit a normal faulting stress regime (Sv > SHmax > Shmin), primarily governed by gravitational loading. In contrast, the granite basement exhibits a strike-slip regime (SHmax > Sv > Shmin), indicating a dominant tectonic compression. Horizontal differential stress increases with depth in the sediments but decreases within the granite. We interpret these contrasts as resulting from variations in basement topography and mechanical properties between sedimentary and crystalline rocks. Acoustic image logs from borehole DR-8S indicate a mean SHmax orientation of approximately N47° ± 21°E, aligning with regional stress indicators derived from focal mechanisms and GPS data. Weak alteration minerals on fractures and faults may facilitate reactivation, promoting stress release and local reorientation. Our results demonstrate that the present-day stress field is controlled by northeastward expansion of the Tibetan Plateau, with direct implications for the development and stability of the Qiabuqia geothermal reservoir.
{"title":"Multi-method constrained stress states in the Qiabuqia geothermal field, NW China: Insights from basin-basement contrasts","authors":"Zijuan Hu , Shengsheng Zhang , Chongyuan Zhang , Shian Zhang , Derek Elsworth , Wen Meng , Xianghui Qin","doi":"10.1016/j.ijrmms.2026.106422","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijrmms.2026.106422","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We applied anelastic strain recovery (ASR), hydraulic fracturing (HF), and acoustic image logging to determine the full three-dimensional stress state in the Qiabuqia geothermal field, northeastern Tibetan Plateau. ASR measurements from twenty-five core samples across five boreholes in the geothermal field reveal a pronounced stress contrast between the sedimentary basin fill and the underlying granite basement. The sediments exhibit a normal faulting stress regime (S<sub>v</sub> > S<sub>Hmax</sub> > S<sub>hmin</sub>), primarily governed by gravitational loading. In contrast, the granite basement exhibits a strike-slip regime (S<sub>Hmax</sub> > S<sub>v</sub> > S<sub>hmin</sub>), indicating a dominant tectonic compression. Horizontal differential stress increases with depth in the sediments but decreases within the granite. We interpret these contrasts as resulting from variations in basement topography and mechanical properties between sedimentary and crystalline rocks. Acoustic image logs from borehole DR-8S indicate a mean S<sub>Hmax</sub> orientation of approximately N47° ± 21°E, aligning with regional stress indicators derived from focal mechanisms and GPS data. Weak alteration minerals on fractures and faults may facilitate reactivation, promoting stress release and local reorientation. Our results demonstrate that the present-day stress field is controlled by northeastward expansion of the Tibetan Plateau, with direct implications for the development and stability of the Qiabuqia geothermal reservoir.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54941,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 106422"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145961726","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrmms.2025.106198
Dong-Ho Yoon , Jae-Joon Song
This study analyzes how the stress distribution in panel pillars of room-and-pillar mining systems deviates from Tributary Area Theory (TAT) under changes in key design parameters, such as overburden height, pillar array size, opening width-to-pillar width ratio, and pillar width. The Stress Concentration Factor based on Tributary Area (SCFT) was employed to visualize the stress disturbance profile, known as the pressure arch effect, and provide a clearer understanding of load distribution while facilitating individual pillar stress calculations. Numerical analysis revealed that profiles converge to stable shapes with increasing depth, and as panel width grows, central pillars exhibit values closer to TAT predictions, while discrepancies persist at peripheral pillars. This observation suggests the possibility of controlled peripheral pillar trimming to enhance production without excessively increasing stress levels. Sensitivity analysis further indicated that the horizontal-to-vertical stress ratio (k) and pillar height, often overlooked, are critical factors for accurate stress estimation. These findings demonstrate the potential of as a practical tool for realistic pillar stress estimation and its applicability for optimizing room-and-pillar mining system designs.
{"title":"Numerical study on pillar stress distribution in room-and-pillar hard rock mines using stress concentration factor based on tributary area: Bridging to pressure arch effect","authors":"Dong-Ho Yoon , Jae-Joon Song","doi":"10.1016/j.ijrmms.2025.106198","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijrmms.2025.106198","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study analyzes how the stress distribution in panel pillars of room-and-pillar mining systems deviates from Tributary Area Theory (TAT) under changes in key design parameters, such as overburden height, pillar array size, opening width-to-pillar width ratio, and pillar width. The Stress Concentration Factor based on Tributary Area (SCF<sub>T</sub>) was employed to visualize the stress disturbance profile, known as the pressure arch effect, and provide a clearer understanding of load distribution while facilitating individual pillar stress calculations. Numerical analysis revealed that <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>S</mi><mi>C</mi><mi>F</mi></mrow><mi>T</mi></msub></mrow></math></span> profiles converge to stable shapes with increasing depth, and as panel width grows, central pillars exhibit <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>S</mi><mi>C</mi><mi>F</mi></mrow><mi>T</mi></msub></mrow></math></span> values closer to TAT predictions, while discrepancies persist at peripheral pillars. This observation suggests the possibility of controlled peripheral pillar trimming to enhance production without excessively increasing stress levels. Sensitivity analysis further indicated that the horizontal-to-vertical stress ratio (<em>k</em>) and pillar height, often overlooked, are critical factors for accurate stress estimation. These findings demonstrate the potential of <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>S</mi><mi>C</mi><mi>F</mi></mrow><mi>T</mi></msub></mrow></math></span> as a practical tool for realistic pillar stress estimation and its applicability for optimizing room-and-pillar mining system designs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54941,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences","volume":"199 ","pages":"Article 106198"},"PeriodicalIF":7.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145961727","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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