A finite-element study of the influence of grain contacts on the elastic properties of unconsolidated sandstones

Mahyar Madadi; Mohammad Saadatfar

doi:10.1016/j.ijrmms.2017.02.008

A finite-element study of the influence of grain contacts on the elastic properties of unconsolidated sandstones

Mahyar Madadi^*, Mohammad Saadatfar

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The grain-grain interaction in a sandstone rock can result in an overall elastic response of the system, which is primarily determined by the grain contact stiffness and the grain contact volume fraction. In this paper, we propose a numerical algorithm to vary the contact volume fraction based on 3D Digital Rock images from x-ray microtomography (μ-CT). We then calculate the effective elastic moduli of the model systems for various contact parameters using the Finite Element Method. Using an extensive fitting procedure, we find a set of empirical equations that model the effective bulk and shear moduli of the system. We show that our proposed set of empirical equations can accurately predict the mechanical properties of unconsolidated sandstones rocks.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	226-233
Number of pages	8
Journal	International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences
Volume	93
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2017.02.008
Publication status	Published - 1 Mar 2017

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10.1016/j.ijrmms.2017.02.008

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title = "A finite-element study of the influence of grain contacts on the elastic properties of unconsolidated sandstones",

abstract = "The grain-grain interaction in a sandstone rock can result in an overall elastic response of the system, which is primarily determined by the grain contact stiffness and the grain contact volume fraction. In this paper, we propose a numerical algorithm to vary the contact volume fraction based on 3D Digital Rock images from x-ray microtomography (μ-CT). We then calculate the effective elastic moduli of the model systems for various contact parameters using the Finite Element Method. Using an extensive fitting procedure, we find a set of empirical equations that model the effective bulk and shear moduli of the system. We show that our proposed set of empirical equations can accurately predict the mechanical properties of unconsolidated sandstones rocks.",

keywords = "Constitutive behaviour, Finite elements, Microstructures, Rock",

author = "Mahyar Madadi and Mohammad Saadatfar",

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doi = "10.1016/j.ijrmms.2017.02.008",

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T1 - A finite-element study of the influence of grain contacts on the elastic properties of unconsolidated sandstones

AU - Madadi, Mahyar

AU - Saadatfar, Mohammad

PY - 2017/3/1

Y1 - 2017/3/1

N2 - The grain-grain interaction in a sandstone rock can result in an overall elastic response of the system, which is primarily determined by the grain contact stiffness and the grain contact volume fraction. In this paper, we propose a numerical algorithm to vary the contact volume fraction based on 3D Digital Rock images from x-ray microtomography (μ-CT). We then calculate the effective elastic moduli of the model systems for various contact parameters using the Finite Element Method. Using an extensive fitting procedure, we find a set of empirical equations that model the effective bulk and shear moduli of the system. We show that our proposed set of empirical equations can accurately predict the mechanical properties of unconsolidated sandstones rocks.

AB - The grain-grain interaction in a sandstone rock can result in an overall elastic response of the system, which is primarily determined by the grain contact stiffness and the grain contact volume fraction. In this paper, we propose a numerical algorithm to vary the contact volume fraction based on 3D Digital Rock images from x-ray microtomography (μ-CT). We then calculate the effective elastic moduli of the model systems for various contact parameters using the Finite Element Method. Using an extensive fitting procedure, we find a set of empirical equations that model the effective bulk and shear moduli of the system. We show that our proposed set of empirical equations can accurately predict the mechanical properties of unconsolidated sandstones rocks.

KW - Constitutive behaviour

KW - Finite elements

KW - Microstructures

KW - Rock

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U2 - 10.1016/j.ijrmms.2017.02.008

DO - 10.1016/j.ijrmms.2017.02.008

M3 - Article

SN - 1365-1609

VL - 93

SP - 226

EP - 233

JO - International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences

JF - International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences

ER -

A finite-element study of the influence of grain contacts on the elastic properties of unconsolidated sandstones

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