Analysis of the Quasi-static Consolidation Problem of a Compressible Porous Medium

Abstract

Hereby, we present an analysis of the stress partitioning mechanism for fluid saturated poroelastic media in the transition from drained (e.g., slow deformations) to undrained (e.g., fast deformation) flow conditions. Our objective is to derive fundamental solutions for the general consolidation problem and to show how Terzaghi’s law is recovered as the limit undrained flow condition is approached. Accordingly, we present the linearized form of VMTPM in a u-p dimensionless form. Subsequently, we investigate the behavior of the poroelastic system as a function of governing dimensionless numbers for the case of a displacement controlled compression test. The results of this analysis confirm that, in the limit of undrained flow, the solutions of the consolidation problem recover Terzaghi’s law. Also, it is shown that a dimensionless parameter (\(P_{I}\)), which solely depends on mixture porosity and Poisson ratio of the solid phase, governs the consolidation of the poroelastic system.