Computational Cosserat periporomechanics for strain localization and cracking in deformable porous media

Abstract

Strain localization and cracking in porous media are significant issues in engineering and science. Periporomechanics is a strong nonlocal framework for modeling the mechanics and physics of porous media with evolving discontinuities. In periporomechanics, the horizon that usually lacks a physical meaning serves as a nonlocal parameter. In this article, as a new contribution, we formulate a Cosserat periporomechanics paradigm incorporating a micro-structure related length scale for modeling shear banding and cracking in dry porous media. In this new Cosserat-periporomechanics framework, each material point is endowed with both translational and rotational degrees of freedom following the Cosserat continuum theory. We formulate a stabilized Cosserat constitutive correspondence principle through which classical micro-polar constitutive models for porous media can be used in Cosserat periporomechanics. We have numerically implemented the Cosserat periporomechanics paradigm through an explicit Lagrangian meshfree algorithm. We first present numerical examples to validate the implemented computational Cosserat periporomechanics paradigm for modeling shear bands and cracks. We then present numerical examples to demonstrate the efficacy and robustness of the Cosserat periporomechanics for modeling the shear banding bifurcation and crack branching in dry porous media.