Experimental Investigation on Mechanical Behavior and Permeability Evolution of a Porous Limestone Under Compression

This paper presents an experimental investigation on the mechanical behavior and permeability evolution of a typical porous limestone, the Anstrude limestone. Hydrostatic and triaxial compression tests are first performed under drained condition to study the basic mechanical behavior of the porous rock. Permeability measurement under both hydrostatic and triaxial compression is carried out for investigating effects of stress state on the permeability evolution along the axial direction of sample. The obtained results allow to identifying two basic plastic deformation mechanisms, the plastic shearing and pore collapse, and their effects on the permeability evolution. Under low confining pressures, the permeability diminution in the elastic phase is controlled by deviatoric stress. After the onset of plastic shearing, the deviatoric stress induces a plastic volumetric dilatation and a permeability increase. When the deviatoric stress reaches the peak strength or after the onset of shear bands, the permeability slightly decreases. Under high confining pressures, the deviatoric stress also induces a permeability diminution before the onset of plastic pore collapse. After the onset of pore collapse, the deviatoric stress leads to a plastic volumetric compaction and permeability decrease. When the deviatoric stress reaches the onset of plastic shearing, the two plastic mechanisms are in competition, the permeability continuously decreases but with a reduced rate. Finally, after the compaction–dilatation transition, the plastic shearing dominates the deformation process while the pore collapse still controls the permeability evolution.