Multi-porous extension of anisotropic poroelasticity: consolidation and related coefficients

Abstract: We propose the generalisation of the anisotropic poroelasticity theory. At a large scale, a medium is viewed as quasi-static, which is the original assumption of Biot. At a smaller scale, we distinguish different porosity clusters (sets of pores or fractures) that are characterized by various fluid pressures, which is the original poroelastic extension of Aifantis. In consequence, both instantaneous and time-dependent deformation lead to fluid content variations that are different in each cluster. We present the equations for such phenomena, where the anisotropic properties of both the solid matrix and pore sets are assumed. Novel poroelastic coefficients that relate solid and fluid phases in our extension are proposed, and their physical meaning is determined. To demonstrate the utility of our equations and emphasize the meaning of new coefficients, we perform numerical simulations of a triple-porosity consolidation. These simulations reveal positive pore pressure transients in the drained behaviour of weakly connected pore sets, and these may result in mechanical weakening of the material.