ABSTRACT
This book presents a unified theoretical framework for multiphase-multicomponent deformable porous media, termed Mixture-Coupling Theory. The theory offers several advantages, making it a significant contribution to the field of porous media research:
Bridging multiscale physics and chemistry: Mixture-Coupling Theory effectively addresses the long-standing challenge of integrating multiscale physical and chemical processes in porous media. This is achieved by unifying thermodynamic principles and extending their applicability to a range of coupled phenomena, including molecular-scale interactions and macroscopic flow behaviors.
Flexibility in model development: The theory provides a coherent and unified structure, allowing for the development of constitutive models across various engineering scenarios. These scenarios include large deformation, porosity evolution, gas migration, and the interaction of multiple reactive chemicals. The flexibility of the theory allows it to adapt to different applications in geotechnical engineering, environmental science, and other fields involving porous materials.
Filling the 100-nanometer gap in geoscience and geoengineering: Mixture-Coupling Theory addresses the gap in understanding processes at the nanometer scale, a critical area in geoscience and geoengineering. This theory provides a theoretical foundation that could potentially open new avenues of research, particularly in coupled geomechanics and geochemistry, including biochemistry.
