A note on the numerical homogenisation of the mechanical behaviour of an argillaceous rock

This paper deals with a micromechanical analysis of the nonlinear behaviour of a composite-like rock material using a numerical approach based on finite element analysis. The rock material is assumed to be a composite with an argillaceous matrix and quartz or calcite inclusions. A nonlinear Voce model combined with the viscoplastic Perzyna’s law is chosen to describe the behaviour of the matrix material, while the quartz and calcite particles were modelled with classical linear elasticity theory.The effect of mineral inclusions’ morphology on the macroscopic behaviour was examined with the aim of highlighting the choice of spherical shape in similar studies.