Accounting for Small-Scale Heterogeneity and Variability of Clay Rock in Homogenised Numerical Micromechanical Response and Microcracking

Abstract

Clayey rocks have a complex microstructure with multiple characteristic lengths. Deformation under mechanical loading generally induces damage by microcracking, which essentially concerns the scale of mineral inclusions embedded in the clay matrix. The modelling of these materials is considered within the framework of a double scale approach, by numerical homogenisation, of the squared finite element method type. This allows a heterogeneous microstructure of the material to be taken into account and a distribution of morphological properties to be introduced. Emphasis is placed on the generation of microstructures satisfying experimental observations, and keeping a certain simplicity to fit into the framework of double scale modelling. The material characteristics and behaviour are defined at the grain scale: the mineralogical properties include the mineral phase proportions and the grain morphology, while the material constituents are represented by elastic grains separated by damageable cohesive crack models. Then, the overall microscale behaviour of the material under solicitation is derived from equilibrated elementary area (EA) configuration and computational homogenisation. The variability of the material response is studied with regard to small-scale aspects as microstructure variability, microstructure size, grain angularity, and properties of grain contacts. Deformation analyses at grain contacts emphasise a dominant shear deformation mode and the development of decohesion between grains. The latter induces microfaulting processes across the entire EA and strain softening of the overall response. Moreover, the improvement of microscale behaviour modelling opens new possibilities for more realistic multi-scale modelling and upscaled behaviour of heterogeneous rocks.