Numerical simulation of mechanisms of deformation, failure and energy dissipation in porous rock media subjected to wave stresses

The pore characteristics, mineral compositions, physical and mechanical properties of the subarkose sandstones were acquired by means of CT scan, X-ray diffraction and physical tests. A few physical models possessing the same pore characteristics and matrix properties but different porosities compared to the natural sandstones were developed. The 3D finite element models of the rock media with varied porosities were established based on the CT image processing of the physical models and the MIMICS software platform. The failure processes of the porous rock media loaded by the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) were simulated by satisfying the elastic wave propagation theory. The dynamic responses, stress transition, deformation and failure mechanisms of the porous rock media subjected to the wave stresses were analyzed. It is shown that an explicit and quantitative analysis of the stress, strain and deformation and failure mechanisms of porous rocks under the wave stresses can be achieved by using the developed 3D finite element models. With applied wave stresses of certain amplitude and velocity, no evident pore deformation was observed for the rock media with a porosity less than 15%. The deformation is dominantly the combination of microplasticity (shear strain), cracking (tensile strain) of matrix and coalescence of the cracked regions around pores. Shear stresses lead to microplasticity, while tensile stresses result in cracking of the matrix. Cracking and coalescence of the matrix elements in the neighborhood of pores resulted from the high transverse tensile stress or tensile strain which exceeded the threshold values. The simulation results of stress wave propagation, deformation and failure mechanisms and energy dissipation in porous rock media were in good agreement with the physical tests. The present study provides a reference for analyzing the intrinsic mechanisms of the complex dynamic response, stress transit mode, deformation and failure mechanisms and the disaster mechanisms of rock media.