Retention and permeability properties of damaged porous rocks

The paper explains how to update PSD parameters with the macroscopic variables (such as deformation and damage), and then how to update permeability and retention properties with the PSD parameters. Conventional triaxial compression tests are simulated under controlled capillary pressure and under controlled water content. The proposed model captures well the intrinsic permeability decrease associated to the elastic compression of the natural pores, followed by the permeability jump due to crack opening. The modeling framework can be adapted to any rock constitutive model, including thermo-hydro-chemo-mechanical couplings. Applications may be found in energy production, ore exploitation and waste management.