Poromechanics of freezing materials

When subjected to a uniform cooling below the freezing point a water-infiltrated porous material undergoes a cryo-deformation resulting from various combined actions: (i) the difference of density between the liquid water and the ice crystal, which results in the initial build-up of an in-pore pressure at the onset of crystallization; (ii) the interfacial effects arising between the different constituents, which eventually govern the crystallization process in connection with the pore access radius distribution; (iii) the drainage of the liquid water expelled from the freezing sites towards the air voids; (iv) the cryo-suction process, which drives liquid water towards the already frozen pores as the temperature further decreases; (v) the thermomechanical coupling between the solid matrix, the liquid water and the ice crystal. We work out a comprehensive theory able to encompass this whole set of actions. A macroscopic approach first provides the constitutive equations of freezing poroelastic materials, including the interfacial energy effects. This approach reveals the existence of a thermodynamic state function—namely the liquid saturation degree as a function of the temperature only. The macroscopic ice-dependent poroelastic properties are then upscaled from the knowledge of the elastic properties of the solid matrix, of the pore access radius distribution, and of the capillary curve. The theory is finally illustrated by analysing quantitatively the effects of the cooling rate and of the pore radius distribution upon the cryo-deformation of water-infiltrated porous materials. The theory succeeds in accounting for the experimentally observed shrinkage of embedded air voids, while predicting the partial melting of the ice already formed when the cooling suddenly stops.     

Theoretical confirmation of the crystallization of a compound alloy using the AHP crystal growth method

The crystallization of In_xGa_1−xSb for $x=0.06$ by the AHP-method (Axial Heat flux, close to the Phase interface) is considered. Heavy indium is rejected during crystal growth close to the interface. Indium significantly decreases the crystallization temperature, and has an influence on the melt convection. The AHP-heater serves as a partition; due to this partition a small well-mixed liquid zone with high In concentration exists and causes a stable crystal growth with high composition after the crucible is moved down. The grown crystal is very homogeneous. Numerical modelling has also been performed, using finite difference schemes. To cite this article: M. Marchenko, C. R. Mecanique 335 (2007).     

Stress-induced crystal preferred orientation in the poromechanics of in-pore crystallization

A non-hydrostatic stress field affects the orientation of crystals growing in the pore network of an elastic porous medium. The hypothesis of a hydrostatic state of stress within the crystal has been implicitly made in the recent extension of poromechanics to in-pore crystalization (Coussy, 2006). This underlying hypothesis is revisited on a small-scale conceptual model based on Eshelby's problem and shows that chemo-mechanical equilibrium requires that the crystal adapts its shape and orientation to the far-field stress, therefore resulting at equilibrium in a hydrostatic state of stress within the crystal. The optimum crystal shape as a function of the far-field stress is consistently investigated, highlighting limiting cases. The small scale model allows to understand the macroscopic effects associated with deviatoric stresses in the poromechanics of in-pore crystallization. Moreover, it provides the building block for an up-scaling of the macroscopic tangent poroelastic properties, which depend on both the current crystal saturation and the state of stress. A dilute micromechanical scheme illustrates the variation of the macroscopic Biot's coefficient tensor as a function of deviatoric stresses. A simple configuration akin to a potential laboratory experiment finally illustrates the strong induced anisotropy of the crystallization induced macroscopic strain when deviatoric stresses are applied to the material prior to crystallization.     

Uniqueness in the problem of an obstacle in oblique wavesUnicité du problème d'un obstacle dans des ondes obliques

A solution to the linearized water-wave problem involving a pair of surface-piercing cylinders in oblique waves and infinite water depth is proved to be unique for certain geometric arrangements and frequencies in some interval above the cut-off frequency. To cite this article: N. Kuznetsov, C. R. Mecanique 331 (2003).     

Accurate simple approximation for the solitary waveApproximation simple et précise de l'onde solitaire

This Note investigates the effect of a renormalization technique on high-order shallow water approximations of gravity waves. The method is illustrated for the solitary surface wave. Applied to the solution of a generalized KdV equation, it is shown that the renormalization significantly increases the accuracy. To cite this article: D. Clamond, D. Fructus, C. R. Mecanique 331 (2003).     

Dissipative Boussinesq equations

The classical theory of water waves is based on the theory of inviscid flows. However it is important to include viscous effects in some applications. Two models are proposed to add dissipative effects in the context of the Boussinesq equations, which include the effects of weak dispersion and nonlinearity in a shallow water framework. The dissipative Boussinesq equations are then integrated numerically. To cite this article: D. Dutykh, F. Dias, C. R. Mecanique 335 (2007).     

Stability of roll waves in open channel flowsStabilité de trains d'ondes dans un canal découvert

The stability of finite amplitude roll waves that may develop at a liquid free surface in inclined open channels of arbitrary cross-section is studied. In the framework of shallow water theory with turbulent friction the modulation equations for wave series are derived and a nonlinear stability criterion is obtained. To cite this article: A. Boudlal, V.Yu. Liapidevskii, C. R. Mecanique 330 (2002) 291–295.     

Uniqueness in the water-wave problem for bodies intersecting the free surface at arbitrary anglesL'unicité du problème des ondes de surface pour les corps qui intersectent la surface libre sous des angles arbitraires

This Note deals with the linearized water-wave problem involving a surface-piercing cylinder in water of infinite depth. A solution to this problem is proved to be unique for all values of the radian frequency when the cylinder intersecting the free surface at arbitrary angles is subjected to certain geometric arrangements. To cite this article: N. Kuznetsov, C. R. Mecanique 332 (2004).     

Influence de la température sur la courbe de rétention d'eau de milieux poreuxInfluence of temperature on the water retention curve of porous media

This paper concerns the influence of temperature on the water retention curve of porous media. We present a model based on the differential of suction as a function of temperature, water content and void ratio. When adjusted for a given temperature, this model is able to predict the curve for any temperature. The model was validated by several tests on a ceramic (terra cotta) and a clayey silty sand at 20 and 60?°C. The application of the model to data found in the literature confirms its predictive power for a wide range of porous materials. To cite this article: S. Salager et al., C. R. Mecanique 334 (2006).     

Determination of liquid water content and dielectric constant in porous media by the capacitive methodDétermination,par la méthode capacitive,de la teneur en eau liquide et de la constante diélectrique dans un milieu poreux

A capacitive sensor-based apparatus has been settled to determine the liquid water amount and dielectric constant in consolidated porous media. This technique relies on the dielectric properties of water, air, and mineral substrate. The experimental procedure is described for successively oven-dried samples at 323 K. It allows us to determine the sample dielectric constant as a function of the sample water amount. For limestones from Caen region, an affine relationship is found at 293 K. This is then compared with other empirical soils data and with existing homogeneisation techniques applied to undeformable heterogeneous dielectrics. To cite this article: T. Fen-Chong et al., C. R. Mecanique 332 (2004).     

Étude expérimentale du dépôt de particules colloïdales en milieu poreux : Influence de l'hydrodynamique et de la salinité

This study deals with colloid transport in porous media which applications are found in subsurface water, petroleum engineering or civil engineering. An experimental study of colloidal polystyrene Latex particles deposition in a consolidated porous medium is presented. The influence of ionic strength of the colloid suspension and the flow rate on particle deposition is investigated. We see first that beyond a critical salt concentration, the total collector efficiency increases with the ionic strength. Moreover, such collector efficiency decreases as the flow rate increases according to theory. In other respects, using a γ ray attenuation technique allows us to measure local porosity fluctuation due to particles deposition. By this way deposition kinetics may be followed locally and precisely. Nevertheless when considering the thickness of the adsorbed layer over large scales, obtained results using the γ rays attenuation technique are found in good agreement with those obtained by means of an usual technique especially at latest stages of adsorption process. To cite this article: A. Djehiche et al., C. R. Mecanique 337 (2009).     

Freezing and thawing porous media: experimental study with a dielectric capacitive method

A capacitive sensor-based apparatus has been used to study the ice/water phase change in consolidated porous media subjected to freezing and thawing. This technique relies on the dielectric properties of water, ice, air, and the mineral substrate in the radio-frequency range. It gives directly the freezing and thawing temperature depressions and indirectly provides an estimation of pore size distribution through the Gibbs–Thomson relation. It also holds good promise for evaluating the amount of liquid water in frozen porous media by combining drying and freezing tests. To cite this article: T. Fen-Chong, A. Fabbri, C. R. Mecanique 333 (2005).     

J. Boussinesq and the standing water waves problem

In this short Note we present the original Boussinesq's contribution to the nonlinear theory of the two dimensional standing gravity water wave problem, which he defined as ‘le clapotis’. To cite this article: G. Iooss, C. R. Mecanique 335 (2007).     

Symmetry-breaking in periodic gravity waves with weak surface tension and gravity-capillary waves on deep waterBrisure de symétrie dans les vagues de gravité avec une faible tension de surface et les vagues de gravité-capillarité périodiques en eau profonde

The method developed by Debiane and Kharif for the calculation of symmetric gravity-capillary waves on infinite depth is extended to the general case of non-symmetric solutions. We have calculated non-symmetric steady periodic gravity-capillary waves on deep water. It is found that they appear via bifurcations from a family of symmetric waves. On the other hand we found that the symmetry-breaking bifurcation of periodic steady class 1 gravity wave on deep water is possible when it approaches the limiting profile, if it is very weakly influenced by surface tension effects. To cite this article: R. Aider, M. Debiane, C. R. Mecanique 332 (2004).