Pub Date : 2025-08-29DOI: 10.1016/j.gete.2025.100731
A. Gajo
The energy and entropy balance equations of porous media saturated by one or more non-miscible fluids have been investigated by many Authors leading to expressions which are based on different thermodynamic potentials and include various simplifying assumptions. Thus the various approaches often appear to be unrelated with respect to each other. In this work, two thermodynamic potentials recently proposed in the literature for porous media saturated by one or two non-miscible and compressible pore fluids are exploited for reconsidering different and perfectly equivalent expressions of the energy balance equations given in terms of internal energies, entropies and enthalpies, without simplifying assumptions. In particular, the entropy fluxes and the dissipation functions are presented for a simple case of irreversible response of the solid skeleton, involving neither irreversibility of the solid grain response, nor elastoplastic coupling nor frozen inelastic energy. Some comparisons with the formulations proposed in the literature are discussed.
{"title":"Energy and entropy balance laws for porous media saturated by one or two non-miscible pore fluids at different temperatures","authors":"A. Gajo","doi":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100731","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100731","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The energy and entropy balance equations of porous media saturated by one or more non-miscible fluids have been investigated by many Authors leading to expressions which are based on different thermodynamic potentials and include various simplifying assumptions. Thus the various approaches often appear to be unrelated with respect to each other. In this work, two thermodynamic potentials recently proposed in the literature for porous media saturated by one or two non-miscible and compressible pore fluids are exploited for reconsidering different and perfectly equivalent expressions of the energy balance equations given in terms of internal energies, entropies and enthalpies, without simplifying assumptions. In particular, the entropy fluxes and the dissipation functions are presented for a simple case of irreversible response of the solid skeleton, involving neither irreversibility of the solid grain response, nor elastoplastic coupling nor frozen inelastic energy. Some comparisons with the formulations proposed in the literature are discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56008,"journal":{"name":"Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment","volume":"44 ","pages":"Article 100731"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145333440","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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 : 2025-08-24DOI: 10.1016/j.gete.2025.100734
Yan-jie Feng , Cheng-zhi Qi , Fa Zhao , Tao Li , An-sen Gao , Xiao-yu Ma
The deformation and failure of rock are affected by the strain rate. However, the effect of the strain rate on rock failure has not been well studied at the microscale level. This study focuses on this complexity by constructing a three-scale wing-shaped crack propagation model that accounts for the interactions between cracks. Based on this model, we determined the initiation and coalescence times of 3 scale levels cracks to reveal the effect of the strain rate on the propagation and failure patterns of multiscale cracks. In addition, we analyzed the critical strain rate (strain rate required for simultaneous coalescence of adjacent scale-level cracks) that leads to failure. The results show that both crack initiation and coalescence times decrease significantly with increasing strain rate and that an increase in initial crack length leads to earlier crack initiation. For the multiscale crack model, as the strain rate increases, large-scale cracks (1-st-scale level cracks) coalesce first, followed sequentially by medium- and small-scale cracks (2-nd and 3-d-scale level cracks). Furthermore, we observed that the critical strain rate initially increases and then decreases with increasing initial crack concentration. Moreover, both an increase in the initial crack length and size decrease factor (ratio of the length of a specific scale-level crack to the length of adjacent larger scale-level cracks) lead to a decrease in the critical strain rate, further confirming the influence of crack size on the failure properties of rock. A comparison with the existing theoretical model shows that the proposed theoretical model is reasonable.
{"title":"Influence of the strain rate on the deformation and failure of rocks with multiscale cracks","authors":"Yan-jie Feng , Cheng-zhi Qi , Fa Zhao , Tao Li , An-sen Gao , Xiao-yu Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100734","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100734","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The deformation and failure of rock are affected by the strain rate. However, the effect of the strain rate on rock failure has not been well studied at the microscale level. This study focuses on this complexity by constructing a three-scale wing-shaped crack propagation model that accounts for the interactions between cracks. Based on this model, we determined the initiation and coalescence times of 3 scale levels cracks to reveal the effect of the strain rate on the propagation and failure patterns of multiscale cracks. In addition, we analyzed the critical strain rate (strain rate required for simultaneous coalescence of adjacent scale-level cracks) that leads to failure. The results show that both crack initiation and coalescence times decrease significantly with increasing strain rate and that an increase in initial crack length leads to earlier crack initiation. For the multiscale crack model, as the strain rate increases, large-scale cracks (1-st-scale level cracks) coalesce first, followed sequentially by medium- and small-scale cracks (2-nd and 3-d-scale level cracks). Furthermore, we observed that the critical strain rate initially increases and then decreases with increasing initial crack concentration. Moreover, both an increase in the initial crack length and size decrease factor (ratio of the length of a specific scale-level crack to the length of adjacent larger scale-level cracks) lead to a decrease in the critical strain rate, further confirming the influence of crack size on the failure properties of rock. A comparison with the existing theoretical model shows that the proposed theoretical model is reasonable.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56008,"journal":{"name":"Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article 100734"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144894788","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper presents a numerical comparison of the vertical pull-out capacity of square and circular anchors in purely cohesive soils (i.e. clays in undrained conditions). For simplicity, ultrathin, infinitely rigid anchors are considered and to isolate the effect of anchor shape, comparisons are made between anchors of equal area and embedment depth. Finite Element Limit Analyses (FELA) are used to compute upper and lower bound values of the break-out factor over the full range of embedment ratios, and the associated failure mechanisms are identified. The results show for the first time (to the best of the authors’ knowledge) that square anchors exhibit slightly higher efficiency at shallow embedment ratios due to their larger perimeter, while at greater depths, circular anchors become more efficient as a result of the different failure mechanisms involved. The study also investigates the influence of anchor inclination and shows that inclined anchors have a higher pull-out capacity in vented conditions due to elongated failure mechanisms. Under attached conditions, the deep failure mechanism is obtained in most cases with the corresponding constant break-out factor. In addition, the paper analyses the influence of anchor spacing in anchor groups, identifying optimal spacing to avoid capacity reduction due to interaction effects. For shallow depths, a spacing of about two times the anchor width is sufficient, while deeper installations require larger spacings due to the extended failure zone. Once the deep failure mechanism is reached, spacing requirements decrease again, less than two times the anchor width. Overall, the presented numerical simulations offer insights for the design of plate anchors in cohesive soils, contributing to the advancement of offshore foundation technologies.
{"title":"Numerical comparison between square and circular plate anchors in clay","authors":"Mohammadreza Jahanshahinowkandeh, Marina Miranda, Jorge Castro","doi":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100733","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100733","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper presents a numerical comparison of the vertical pull-out capacity of square and circular anchors in purely cohesive soils (i.e. clays in undrained conditions). For simplicity, ultrathin, infinitely rigid anchors are considered and to isolate the effect of anchor shape, comparisons are made between anchors of equal area and embedment depth. Finite Element Limit Analyses (FELA) are used to compute upper and lower bound values of the break-out factor over the full range of embedment ratios, and the associated failure mechanisms are identified. The results show for the first time (to the best of the authors’ knowledge) that square anchors exhibit slightly higher efficiency at shallow embedment ratios due to their larger perimeter, while at greater depths, circular anchors become more efficient as a result of the different failure mechanisms involved. The study also investigates the influence of anchor inclination and shows that inclined anchors have a higher pull-out capacity in vented conditions due to elongated failure mechanisms. Under attached conditions, the deep failure mechanism is obtained in most cases with the corresponding constant break-out factor. In addition, the paper analyses the influence of anchor spacing in anchor groups, identifying optimal spacing to avoid capacity reduction due to interaction effects. For shallow depths, a spacing of about two times the anchor width is sufficient, while deeper installations require larger spacings due to the extended failure zone. Once the deep failure mechanism is reached, spacing requirements decrease again, less than two times the anchor width. Overall, the presented numerical simulations offer insights for the design of plate anchors in cohesive soils, contributing to the advancement of offshore foundation technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56008,"journal":{"name":"Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article 100733"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144911968","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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 : 2025-08-20DOI: 10.1016/j.gete.2025.100732
Satar Mahdevari , Pedram Bakhtiari Haftlang
Coal remains a cornerstone of global energy supply, driving the need for more efficient and technologically advanced extraction methods. This study introduces a numerical framework that couples the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) with the Finite Element Method (FEM) to model the dynamic response of coal under waterjet-assisted cutting—an emerging technique recognized for its applicability, minimal stress disturbance, and safe working conditions in underground mining. Implemented in LS-DYNA, the model captures two-phase fluid–solid interactions, including jet-induced fracture initiation, propagation, and material removal. A detailed parametric investigation evaluates the effects of jet velocity, nozzle diameter, impingement angle, and cutting duration on coal fragmentation behavior. Model predictions were rigorously validated through controlled laboratory experiments, achieving reliable correlation with empirical results—showing mean absolute errors of 7.2 % in Cutting Depth (CD) and 5.8 % in Cutting Volume (CV). To address the performance constraints of Pure Water Jet (PWJ) systems, extended simulations were conducted for Abrasive Water Jet (AWJ) and Ice Abrasive Water Jet (IAWJ) techniques. The AWJ configuration enhanced CD and CV by 51 % and 66 %, respectively, while IAWJ achieved up to 20 % improvement over PWJ. Stress field analysis further revealed that increased jet velocity is significantly more effective than nozzle enlargement in maximizing cutting efficiency. These findings not only validate the SPH–FEM model as a predictive tool but also offer actionable insights for optimizing next-generation waterjet systems in deep coal mining applications.
{"title":"Coupled SPH–FEM modeling of waterjet-assisted coal cutting: Numerical simulation and experimental validation","authors":"Satar Mahdevari , Pedram Bakhtiari Haftlang","doi":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100732","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100732","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Coal remains a cornerstone of global energy supply, driving the need for more efficient and technologically advanced extraction methods. This study introduces a numerical framework that couples the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) with the Finite Element Method (FEM) to model the dynamic response of coal under waterjet-assisted cutting—an emerging technique recognized for its applicability, minimal stress disturbance, and safe working conditions in underground mining. Implemented in LS-DYNA, the model captures two-phase fluid–solid interactions, including jet-induced fracture initiation, propagation, and material removal. A detailed parametric investigation evaluates the effects of jet velocity, nozzle diameter, impingement angle, and cutting duration on coal fragmentation behavior. Model predictions were rigorously validated through controlled laboratory experiments, achieving reliable correlation with empirical results—showing mean absolute errors of 7.2 % in Cutting Depth (CD) and 5.8 % in Cutting Volume (CV). To address the performance constraints of Pure Water Jet (PWJ) systems, extended simulations were conducted for Abrasive Water Jet (AWJ) and Ice Abrasive Water Jet (IAWJ) techniques. The AWJ configuration enhanced CD and CV by 51 % and 66 %, respectively, while IAWJ achieved up to 20 % improvement over PWJ. Stress field analysis further revealed that increased jet velocity is significantly more effective than nozzle enlargement in maximizing cutting efficiency. These findings not only validate the SPH–FEM model as a predictive tool but also offer actionable insights for optimizing next-generation waterjet systems in deep coal mining applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56008,"journal":{"name":"Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article 100732"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144886021","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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 : 2025-08-05DOI: 10.1016/j.gete.2025.100730
Lei Qin , Jiawei Li , Haifei Lin , Shugang Li , Miao Mu , Shiyin Lv , Niandong Chen
Geological variability results in coal seams with diverse ranks exhibiting distinct physical properties, critically influencing liquid nitrogen (LN₂) fracturing outcomes. We systematically assess the mechanical and acoustic damage induced by single LN2 freeze-thaw (LNSFT) and repeated freeze-thaw cycles (LNCFT) in three representative coal ranks—lignite, bituminite, and anthracite—via ultrasonic measurement, uniaxial compression, and acoustic emission (AE) techniques. Results demonstrate that initially, pore water solidification enhances coal strength and acoustic integrity; subsequently, crack initiation and propagation induced by frost heave, thermal stress, and LN₂ expansion progressively weaken these properties. This balance between strengthening and weakening is primarily governed by coal pore structure, fissures, and moisture content. AE patterns under loading distinctly follow steady-state, activation, and attenuation phases, with both the freezing and thawing phases promoting shear-oriented fracture development. Damage indices (D), computed from ultrasonic P-wave velocity (v), peak strength (σ), and elastic modulus (E), reveal an inverse correlation between freeze-thaw damage severity and coal rank, indicating that higher-rank coals exhibit greater structural stability and freeze-thaw resistance. Furthermore, under equivalent cumulative freezing durations, LNCFT cause significantly greater damage than LNSFT, highlighting a cumulative damage effect. These insights provide critical guidance for optimizing LN₂ fracturing techniques aimed at enhancing coal seam permeability.
{"title":"Damage and acoustic characteristics of water-saturated coals with different ranks under liquid nitrogen freezing and thawing treatments","authors":"Lei Qin , Jiawei Li , Haifei Lin , Shugang Li , Miao Mu , Shiyin Lv , Niandong Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100730","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100730","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Geological variability results in coal seams with diverse ranks exhibiting distinct physical properties, critically influencing liquid nitrogen (LN₂) fracturing outcomes. We systematically assess the mechanical and acoustic damage induced by single LN<sub>2</sub> freeze-thaw (LNSFT) and repeated freeze-thaw cycles (LNCFT) in three representative coal ranks—lignite, bituminite, and anthracite—via ultrasonic measurement, uniaxial compression, and acoustic emission (AE) techniques. Results demonstrate that initially, pore water solidification enhances coal strength and acoustic integrity; subsequently, crack initiation and propagation induced by frost heave, thermal stress, and LN₂ expansion progressively weaken these properties. This balance between strengthening and weakening is primarily governed by coal pore structure, fissures, and moisture content. AE patterns under loading distinctly follow steady-state, activation, and attenuation phases, with both the freezing and thawing phases promoting shear-oriented fracture development. Damage indices (<em>D</em>), computed from ultrasonic P-wave velocity (<em>v</em>), peak strength (<em>σ</em>), and elastic modulus (<em>E</em>), reveal an inverse correlation between freeze-thaw damage severity and coal rank, indicating that higher-rank coals exhibit greater structural stability and freeze-thaw resistance. Furthermore, under equivalent cumulative freezing durations, LNCFT cause significantly greater damage than LNSFT, highlighting a cumulative damage effect. These insights provide critical guidance for optimizing LN₂ fracturing techniques aimed at enhancing coal seam permeability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56008,"journal":{"name":"Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article 100730"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144781379","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Energy piles present an innovative energy-saving technology that can fulfill two critical building needs of structural support and energy supply. In practice, developing simple but efficient methods to predict the thermomechanical response of energy pile foundations is essential for geotechnical engineers. In this study, a practical method was proposed for the thermomechanical analyses of energy pile foundations. The proposed method could effectively describe the interactions between the grouped energy piles, the surrounding soil, and the stiff soil strata underlying the pile tip. Based on this method, parametric analyses were performed to evaluate the effects of several aspects, including the foundation geometries and ground properties, on the pile displacement behavior and the pile-to-pile interaction. Further, the proposed method was used for the displacement analysis for a square pile group containing sixteen energy piles under thermomechanical loads. Comparisons with results obtained through the experimental investigations and finite-element methods prove that the proposed method is capable of capturing the displacement response of energy pile foundations with reasonable accuracy. The aim of this study is to offer a practical method and a reliable reference to geotechnical engineers during the design of energy pile foundations.
{"title":"Displacement analysis for energy pile foundations under thermomechanical loads","authors":"Jincheng Fang , Shijin Feng , Yong Zhao , Hongxin Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100725","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100725","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Energy piles present an innovative energy-saving technology that can fulfill two critical building needs of structural support and energy supply. In practice, developing simple but efficient methods to predict the thermomechanical response of energy pile foundations is essential for geotechnical engineers. In this study, a practical method was proposed for the thermomechanical analyses of energy pile foundations. The proposed method could effectively describe the interactions between the grouped energy piles, the surrounding soil, and the stiff soil strata underlying the pile tip. Based on this method, parametric analyses were performed to evaluate the effects of several aspects, including the foundation geometries and ground properties, on the pile displacement behavior and the pile-to-pile interaction. Further, the proposed method was used for the displacement analysis for a square pile group containing sixteen energy piles under thermomechanical loads. Comparisons with results obtained through the experimental investigations and finite-element methods prove that the proposed method is capable of capturing the displacement response of energy pile foundations with reasonable accuracy. The aim of this study is to offer a practical method and a reliable reference to geotechnical engineers during the design of energy pile foundations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56008,"journal":{"name":"Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article 100725"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144826998","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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 : 2025-07-26DOI: 10.1016/j.gete.2025.100727
Pouyan Asem , Vaughan Voller , Juerg Matter , Joseph F. Labuz
Many hydrogeological processes are influenced by fluid infiltration into low-porosity serpentinites and the corresponding coupled hydromechanical-geochemical response. The interpretation of these coupled processes requires detailed measurement of poromechanical parameters and careful water sampling and analysis. We measured the poroelastic properties that control the hydromechanical response - drained bulk modulus K, unjacketed bulk modulus , and Biot coefficient α - for a serpentinized harzburgite from the Semail ophiolite, Oman. For the Terzaghi effective mean stress of 2.0 < = P < 7.0 MPa, the poroelastic coefficients K and α exhibit effective mean stress dependency; the ranges are 17.0 < K < 25.6 GPa and 0.74 > α > 0.60. The unjacketed bulk modulus = 64.4 GPa is measured at = 0 MPa. These parameters are used to interpret the diffusion during pulse decay tests, showing that permeability varies with effective mean stress: 2 × 10−22 > k > 5 × 10−22 m2. Water sampling and analysis of fluid composition provided data on the geochemical processes. The geochemical analyses suggest that no new carbonate and serpentine minerals formed after some 47 weeks of reaction.
{"title":"Hydromechanical and geochemical behavior of a serpentinized harzburgite","authors":"Pouyan Asem , Vaughan Voller , Juerg Matter , Joseph F. Labuz","doi":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100727","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100727","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Many hydrogeological processes are influenced by fluid infiltration into low-porosity serpentinites and the corresponding coupled hydromechanical-geochemical response. The interpretation of these coupled processes requires detailed measurement of poromechanical parameters and careful water sampling and analysis. We measured the poroelastic properties that control the hydromechanical response - drained bulk modulus <em>K</em>, unjacketed bulk modulus <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>K</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>s</mi></mrow></msub><mo>'</mo></mrow></math></span>, and Biot coefficient <em>α</em> - for a serpentinized harzburgite from the Semail ophiolite, Oman. For the Terzaghi effective mean stress of 2.0 < <span><math><mrow><mi>P</mi><mo>'</mo></mrow></math></span> = <em>P</em><span><math><mrow><mo>−</mo><mi>p</mi></mrow></math></span> < 7.0 MPa, the poroelastic coefficients <em>K</em> and <em>α</em> exhibit effective mean stress dependency; the ranges are 17.0 < <em>K</em> < 25.6 GPa and 0.74 > <em>α</em> > 0.60. The unjacketed bulk modulus <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>K</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>s</mi></mrow></msub><mo>′</mo></mrow></math></span> = 64.4 GPa is measured at <span><math><mrow><mi>P</mi><mo>'</mo></mrow></math></span> = 0 MPa. These parameters are used to interpret the diffusion during pulse decay tests, showing that permeability varies with effective mean stress: 2 × 10<sup>−22</sup> > <em>k</em> > 5 × 10<sup>−22</sup> m<sup>2</sup>. Water sampling and analysis of fluid composition provided data on the geochemical processes. The geochemical analyses suggest that no new carbonate and serpentine minerals formed after some 47 weeks of reaction.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56008,"journal":{"name":"Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article 100727"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144720800","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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 : 2025-07-26DOI: 10.1016/j.gete.2025.100726
Zhang-Rong Liu , Wei-Min Ye , He-Hua Zhu , Yong-Gui Chen , Qiong Wang
Bentonite pellets and block are jointly used to construct engineered barrier systems in geological repository. The hydro-mechanical behavior and homogenizations of bentonite pellets/block assemblies are of significant concern to the long-term operational safety of the repository. In this study, Gaomiaozi (GMZ) bentonite pellets were combined with block of different initial dry densities in three types of assemblies (I, II and III) and subjected to hydration under isochoric conditions. Evolutions of axial and lateral swelling pressures as well as local water contents and dry densities were measured. The pore structures of specimens after different durations of hydration were detected and analyzed with resort to X-ray μCT and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) techniques. Results show that, the development modes and final values of axial and lateral swelling pressures were highly dependent on the assembly type and the initial dry density of the block. Affected by wall friction and fabric anisotropy, the final lateral swelling pressure on the pellets side was higher than that on the block side and the final axial swelling pressure was in between. No significant water infiltration rate difference was observed among the three assembly types, due to water availability was limited by a thin layer of bentonite gels initially formed near to the specimen bottom and the inter-pellet pores were closed gradually by the swelling pellets. For all the three assembly types, after an initial hydration stage (> 72 h), the pellets zone was compressed by the swelling block zone and the pellets/block interface tended to bend/move towards the pellets side, leading to a rearrangement of pellets, closing of the inter-pellet pores, healing of the interface and thus homogenization of the specimen. The degree of homogenization was evaluated quantitatively to decrease with increasing hydration time using a relatively porosity homogenization index (RPHI). However, the residual heterogeneity still remained even after full saturation, indicating the homogenization will persist for a long term.
{"title":"Hydro-mechanical and homogenization behaviour of GMZ bentonite pellets/block assemblies upon hydration","authors":"Zhang-Rong Liu , Wei-Min Ye , He-Hua Zhu , Yong-Gui Chen , Qiong Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100726","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100726","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bentonite pellets and block are jointly used to construct engineered barrier systems in geological repository. The hydro-mechanical behavior and homogenizations of bentonite pellets/block assemblies are of significant concern to the long-term operational safety of the repository. In this study, Gaomiaozi (GMZ) bentonite pellets were combined with block of different initial dry densities in three types of assemblies (I, II and III) and subjected to hydration under isochoric conditions. Evolutions of axial and lateral swelling pressures as well as local water contents and dry densities were measured. The pore structures of specimens after different durations of hydration were detected and analyzed with resort to X-ray μCT and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) techniques. Results show that, the development modes and final values of axial and lateral swelling pressures were highly dependent on the assembly type and the initial dry density of the block. Affected by wall friction and fabric anisotropy, the final lateral swelling pressure on the pellets side was higher than that on the block side and the final axial swelling pressure was in between. No significant water infiltration rate difference was observed among the three assembly types, due to water availability was limited by a thin layer of bentonite gels initially formed near to the specimen bottom and the inter-pellet pores were closed gradually by the swelling pellets. For all the three assembly types, after an initial hydration stage (> 72 h), the pellets zone was compressed by the swelling block zone and the pellets/block interface tended to bend/move towards the pellets side, leading to a rearrangement of pellets, closing of the inter-pellet pores, healing of the interface and thus homogenization of the specimen. The degree of homogenization was evaluated quantitatively to decrease with increasing hydration time using a relatively porosity homogenization index (<em>RPHI</em>). However, the residual heterogeneity still remained even after full saturation, indicating the homogenization will persist for a long term.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56008,"journal":{"name":"Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article 100726"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144723434","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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 : 2025-07-26DOI: 10.1016/j.gete.2025.100723
M. Cecconi , V. Tagarelli , F. Cotecchia , V. Pane , F. Anselmucci , I. Bertolini , G. Biondi , D. Boldrin , V. Capobianco , G. Cardile , S. Cuomo , P. De Vita , A. Fraccica , G. Meijer , L. Pagano , M. Pirone , M. Schwarz , A. Tarantino , J. Vaunat , A. Yildiz
The paper presents some of both recent and previous outcomes on soil-vegetation-atmosphere mechanisms and processes. Contributions from several authors across different scientific fields, each focusing on specific aspects of soil and plant behaviour under variable climatic conditions, highlight the urgency of multi- and inter-disciplinarily research aimed at the investigation, analysis, and modelling of soil-vegetation-atmosphere (SVA) interaction. The paper focuses on different aspects of such interaction, which plays the crucial role of a thermo-hydro-mechanical boundary condition acting at the ground surface and controlling the transient behaviour of every geotechnical system. Some specific remarks and novel aspects of such interaction, analysed at increasing levels of complexity, are depicted in the paper through a multi-disciplinary point of view and according to a multi-scale methodology.
{"title":"Soil-vegetation-atmosphere interaction for engineering applications: Recent multi-scale and multi-disciplinary insights","authors":"M. Cecconi , V. Tagarelli , F. Cotecchia , V. Pane , F. Anselmucci , I. Bertolini , G. Biondi , D. Boldrin , V. Capobianco , G. Cardile , S. Cuomo , P. De Vita , A. Fraccica , G. Meijer , L. Pagano , M. Pirone , M. Schwarz , A. Tarantino , J. Vaunat , A. Yildiz","doi":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100723","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100723","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The paper presents some of both recent and previous outcomes on soil-vegetation-atmosphere mechanisms and processes. Contributions from several authors across different scientific fields, each focusing on specific aspects of soil and plant behaviour under variable climatic conditions, highlight the urgency of multi- and inter-disciplinarily research aimed at the investigation, analysis, and modelling of soil-vegetation-atmosphere (SVA) interaction. The paper focuses on different aspects of such interaction, which plays the crucial role of a thermo-hydro-mechanical boundary condition acting at the ground surface and controlling the transient behaviour of every geotechnical system. Some specific remarks and novel aspects of such interaction, analysed at increasing levels of complexity, are depicted in the paper through a multi-disciplinary point of view and according to a multi-scale methodology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56008,"journal":{"name":"Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article 100723"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144771544","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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 : 2025-07-22DOI: 10.1016/j.gete.2025.100713
David Santillán , Cristina Vila , Juan Carlos Mosquera , Luis Cueto-Felgueroso
The injection of fluids into underground formations may induce damaging earthquakes and increase the sensitivity of injection sites to remote triggering. If the fault constitutive behavior and geomechanical conditions permit the development of a frictional instability, slip may eventually accelerate and trigger a coseismic slip event. We investigate the frictional and hydromechanical mechanisms that control the slip instability preceding an induced earthquake, the nucleation phase. Understanding fault reactivation and the transition from quasi-static aseismic slip to dynamic rupture is an important objective, as the nucleation phase may provide the key to detect preseismic signals and estimate the magnitude of the resulting earthquake. Our simulations show that poroelasticity coupling delays the onset of slip and dynamic rupture and creates asymmetric slip and pressure distributions on the fault. Our results indicate that pressure-driven nucleation patterns, while qualitatively similar to those of tectonic earthquakes in elastic media, are controlled by flow processes and poroelastic couplings that favor nucleation-zone expansion. Our numerical results suggest that nucleation lengths for induced events scale proportional to the classical scaling and time to nucleation with . Moreover, since and , then . A longer nucleation phase leads to higher pore pressures and a weaker fault at the onset of dynamic rupture.
{"title":"The nucleation of injection-induced earthquakes on low-permeability strike-slip faults","authors":"David Santillán , Cristina Vila , Juan Carlos Mosquera , Luis Cueto-Felgueroso","doi":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100713","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.gete.2025.100713","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The injection of fluids into underground formations may induce damaging earthquakes and increase the sensitivity of injection sites to remote triggering. If the fault constitutive behavior and geomechanical conditions permit the development of a frictional instability, slip may eventually accelerate and trigger a coseismic slip event. We investigate the frictional and hydromechanical mechanisms that control the slip instability preceding an induced earthquake, the nucleation phase. Understanding fault reactivation and the transition from quasi-static aseismic slip to dynamic rupture is an important objective, as the nucleation phase may provide the key to detect preseismic signals and estimate the magnitude of the resulting earthquake. Our simulations show that poroelasticity coupling delays the onset of slip and dynamic rupture and creates asymmetric slip and pressure distributions on the fault. Our results indicate that pressure-driven nucleation patterns, while qualitatively similar to those of tectonic earthquakes in elastic media, are controlled by flow processes and poroelastic couplings that favor nucleation-zone expansion. Our numerical results suggest that nucleation lengths <span><math><mi>L</mi></math></span> for induced events scale proportional to the classical scaling <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>L</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>∞</mi></mrow></msub><mo>=</mo><mfrac><mrow><mi>b</mi></mrow><mrow><msup><mrow><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>b</mi><mo>−</mo><mi>a</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></mfrac><mfrac><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>G</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>′</mo></mrow></msup><msub><mrow><mi>D</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>c</mi></mrow></msub></mrow><mrow><msubsup><mrow><mi>σ</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi></mrow><mrow><msup><mrow></mrow><mrow><mo>′</mo></mrow></msup></mrow></msubsup></mrow></mfrac></mrow></math></span> and time to nucleation with <span><math><msup><mrow><mi>L</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></math></span>. Moreover, since <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>τ</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi><mi>u</mi><mi>c</mi></mrow></msub><mo>∼</mo><msup><mrow><mi>L</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math></span> and <span><math><mrow><mi>L</mi><mo>∼</mo><msub><mrow><mi>L</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>∞</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></math></span>, then <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>τ</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>n</mi><mi>u</mi><mi>c</mi></mrow></msub><mo>∼</mo><msubsup><mrow><mi>L</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>∞</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msubsup></mrow></math></span>. A longer nucleation phase leads to higher pore pressures and a weaker fault at the onset of dynamic rupture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56008,"journal":{"name":"Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article 100713"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144695275","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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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