Thermodynamically consistent model for poroelastic rocks towards tectonic and volcanic processes and earthquakes

TL;DR

This paper introduces a comprehensive thermodynamically consistent poroelastic rock model in Eulerian coordinates, capable of simulating diverse geological phenomena including earthquakes, fault rupture, volcanic activity, and rock deformation.

Contribution

It presents a novel unified model integrating continuum mechanics, fracture, damage, plasticity, and poromechanics, ensuring thermodynamic consistency and broad applicability.

Findings

Model complies with conservation laws and entropy inequality.

Capable of simulating rupture, seismic wave propagation, and volcanic processes.

Applicable to various geological phenomena in a unified framework.

Abstract

A general-purpose model combining concepts from rational continuum mechanics, fracture and damage mechanics, plasticity, and poromechanics is devised in Eulerian coordinates, involving objective time derivatives. The model complies with mass, momentum, and energy conservation as well as entropy inequality and objectivity. It is devised to cover many diverse phenomena, specifically rupture of existing lithospheric faults, tectonic earthquakes, generation and propagation of seismic waves, birth of new tectonic faults, or volcanic activity, aseismic creep, folding of rocks, aging of rocks, long-distance saturated water transport and flow in poroelastic rocks, melting of rocks and formation of magma chambers, or solidification of magma.