A model for thermo-hydromechanical analysis of multiphase porous media in dynamics

This work presents the development of a mathematical and numerical model for the analysis of thermo-hydro-mechanical behavior of multiphase porous materials in dynamics [1], and its implementation in the finite element code COMES-GEO developed at University of Padua [2, 3]. In this model, soils are modeled as non-isothermal multiphase porous media, where interstitial voids of the deforming solid matrix may be filled with liquid water, water vapor and dry air or other gas. To handle this multiphase system, an analytical multi-scale approach has been used by the general frame of averaging theories. Phase changes of water (evaporation-condensation, adsorption-desorption) and heat transfer through conduction and convection, as well as latent heat transfer are considered. The u-p-T formulation is advocated.