Contribution of mechanics to the study of sedimentary basins : modelling of the chemical compaction and simulation of the mechanical compaction with consideration of tectonic effects

With the rise of energetic demand and the growing scarcity of proved reserves of oil, the oil industry explores areas of extreme conditions and geologically complex basins. To estimate the key parameters for exploration-production, simulation softwares are used to reconstitute the history of the basin. The physical modelling and the numerical formulation on which they lean must be enriched to understand (even predict) overpressures. This thesis work contains two items: the improvement of the modelling of geomaterials using micromechanics and the development of a hydromechanical simulation tool handling the specificities of our problem. A new micromechanical modelling of geomaterials is designed to take into account the mechanism of pressure-dissolution (chemical compaction). The asset of micromechanics is to produce a macroscopic law calibrated with microscopic data which can be measured in laboratory. Since the work of Athy (1930), modelling the evolution of porosity over geological time-scale remains a major challenge. Today it is estimated by means of empirical curves of porosity-depth, which regrettably present a big variability. Our approach consists in evaluating the porosity during burial relatively to the strain of the skeleton and the pore pressure - these two coupled variables resulting from fundamental mechanical equations. An original formulation is designed according to this approach to treat the sedimentation and the desequilibrium compaction, tensorially, in large strains, following a mechanism of mechanical compaction, with a time-dependent behavior. Its numerical encoding is almost finished and has already been partially validated with analytical solution. Once finished, this simulation tool should allow to treat not only oedometrical situations but more general situations (contrary to current simulators) and study basins with complex tectonic history

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Source https://pastel.hal.science/pastel-00763547
Author Guilmin, Anne-Lise
Maintainer CCSD
Last Updated May 31, 2026, 20:55 (UTC)
Created May 31, 2026, 20:55 (UTC)
Identifier NNT: 2012PEST1053
Language fr
Rights https://about.hal.science/hal-authorisation-v1/
contributor Laboratoire Navier (navier umr 8205) ; Institut Français des Sciences et Technologies des Transports, de l'Aménagement et des Réseaux (IFSTTAR)-École nationale des ponts et chaussées (ENPC)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
creator Guilmin, Anne-Lise
date 2012-09-10T00:00:00
harvest_object_id e1223a2f-a8cc-4423-bd4f-e6f363289dfd
harvest_source_id 3374d638-d20b-4672-ba96-a23232d55657
harvest_source_title test moissonnage SELUNE
metadata_modified 2026-03-31T00:00:00
set_spec type:THESE