Analysis of Damage and Permeability Evolution of Sandstone under Compression Deformation

Abstract

A large number of experimental studies have demonstrated that the permeability and damage of rock are not constant but rather functionally dependent on stresses or stress-induced deformation. Neglecting the influence of damage and permeability evolution on rock mechanics and sealing properties can result in an overestimation of the safety and stability of underground engineering, leading to an incomplete assessment of the risks associated with surrounding rock failure. To address this, the damage and permeability evolution functions of rock under compression were derived through a combination of experimental results and theoretical analysis, unifying the relationship between porosity and permeability in both porous media flow and fractured flow. Based on this, a fluid–solid coupled seepage model considering rock damage and permeability evolution was proposed. More importantly, this model was utilized to investigate the behavior of deformation, damage, and permeability, as well as their coupled effects. The model’s validity was verified by comparing its numerical results with experimental data. The analysis results show that the evolution of permeability and porosity resulted from a competitive interaction between effective mean stress and stress-induced damage. When the effective mean stress was dominant, the permeability tended to decrease; otherwise, it followed an increasing trend. The damage evolution was primarily related to stress- and pressure-induced crack growth and irreversible deformation. Additionally, the influence of the seepage pressure on the strength, damage, and permeability of the investigated rock was evaluated. The model results reveal the damage and permeability evolution of the rock under compression, which has a certain guiding significance for the stability and safety analysis of rock in underground engineering.