Photoporomechanics: An Experimental Method to Visualize the Effective Stress Field in Fluid-Filled Granular Media

TitlePhotoporomechanics: An Experimental Method to Visualize the Effective Stress Field in Fluid-Filled Granular Media
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2021
AuthorsLi, W, Meng, Y, Primkulov, B, Juanes, R
JournalPhysical Review Applied
Volume16
Issue2
Pagination024043 -
Date Published2021/08/25/
Abstract

Effective stress governs the mechanical behavior of porous media. In this study, we use photoelasticimetry to visualize the evolving effective stress field in fluid-filled granular media in processes that couple fluid flow and mechanical deformation. We refer to this experimental method as photoporomechanics. We develop a fabrication process to produce millimeter-scale residual-stress-free photoelastic spheres with high geometric accuracy. We use color to quantify the forces acting on the particles over a wide range of forces, while using light intensity for a small range of forces. We then provide an application of photoporomechanics to illustrate the evolution of effective stress during one-dimensional consolidation: a process by which the stresses caused by a sudden load are gradually transmitted through a fluid-filled granular pack as the fluid drains and excess pore pressures dissipate. Our technique provides a powerful experimental model system to study the grain-scale underpinning of coupled solid-fluid processes in granular media.

URLhttps://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevApplied.16.024043