title:
Overview of finite element analysis for coupled pore fluid flow and solid skeleton deformation for saturated and partially saturated geomaterials

abstract:
I will present an overview of the formulation and finite element implementation of coupled pore fluid flow and solid skeleton deformation for saturated and partially saturated geomaterials.  For saturated materials, we assume the pores are filled with water, whereas for partially saturated there is water and air in the pores.  The formulation and implementation can be generalized for other forms of multiphase flow.  Emphasis is placed on understanding how the pore fluid flow influences the solid skeleton stress, and in turn the strength of soils or rocks.  Various effective stress definitions for partially saturated conditions will be discussed, and extensions to finite strain and including inertia terms will be presented for the saturated condition.  Numerical examples will demonstrate features of the coupling between pore fluid flow and solid skeleton deformation.