Mechanical and Civil Engineering Seminar

Mechanical and Civil Engineering Seminar Series

Micro-continuum approach for the multi-scale modeling of coupled processes in the subsurface

Abstract: Micro-continuum approaches are intermediate between a pure Navier-Stokes description of flow and transport and a continuum-scale model using Darcy's law. They use an unique formulation regardless the content of a grid cells, i.e. the same set of partial differential equations handles both pore-scale and Darcy-scale physics. Micro-continuum approaches are intrinsically two-scale allowing simulations with resolved and unresolved porosity in the same computational domain. For example, this hybrid-scale framework allows simulations in fractures (Stokes flow) surrounded by a porous matrix (Darcy's law). It is therefore well-suited to simulate flow and transport in microtomography images that contain sub-voxel porosity. The technique is also powerful to move fluid / solid boundaries in presence of geochemical processes such as dissolution or precipitation. Recently, solid mechanics have been introduced into the framework to model the hydrology of soft porous media such as clays and elastic membranes. Our most recent work extend the micro-continuum approach to multi-phase flow.

Bio: Cyprien Soulaine is an Associate Scientist at CNRS, the French National Centre for Scientific Research, working at the Institute of Earth Sciences of Orléans, France. He develop hybrid-scale models for coupled processes in porous and fractured media. He considers a wide variety of scales ranging from nanometers to kilometers. Cyprien's interest in pore-scale physics led to the development of computational microfluidics. His research is very broad and applications include carbon dioxide storage in the subsurface, hydrogen production, water resources management, and superfluid quantum turbulence in porous media. Before, joining CNRS, Cyprien spent 5 years at Stanford University in the Department of Energy Resources Engineering as a Research Associate. He has a Ph.D. in Fluid Dynamics from Institut Polytechnique de Toulouse.

NOTE: At this time, in-person Mechanical and Civil Engineering Lectures are open to all Caltech students/staff/faculty/visitors with a valid Caltech ID. Outside community members are welcome to join our online webinar.

Zoom link: https://caltech.zoom.us/j/88467873329?pwd=L2xzMGQ4L1dHbzUzdVFkS0U5Tmo3QT09
Passcode: 520778