Micro- and macrobehavior of granitic rock: observations and viscoelastic homogenization analysis

Microscopic structures must be determined for analyzing the behavior of mic roinhomogeneous materials such as crystalline rocks. We observe a three-dim ensional texture of granitic rock by X-ray tomographic microscopy (XTM) ima ges using an ultra-bright synchrotron radiation (SR)-CT system. The time-de pendent fracturing behavior of granite for relaxation tests is, then, obser ved by microscope under water-saturated triaxial stress conditions. Next, i n order to know properties of each constituent mineral and their interfaces , we introduce the Molecular Dynamics (MD) computer simulation method. Base d on these facts we establish a micro/macromodel of granite by a homogeniza tion analysis method to simulate the viscoclastic behavior. (C) 2001 Elsevi er Science B.V. All rights reserved.