Photoporomechanics: An Experimental Method to Visualize the Effective Stress Field in Fluid-Filled Granular Media
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 photoporo...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
American Physical Society (APS)
2021
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/132997 |
| Summary: | 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. |
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