A limit analysis approach to derive a thermodynamic damage potential for non-linear geomaterials

This paper introduces a mathematical model which describes the continuum damage of non-linear geo-materials. The model accounts for full thermo-mechanical coupling as well as irreversible failure and its effect on shear heating. It involves multi-mechanisms creep to describe the material rheology depending on time, temperature, pressure and water content. This coupled thermo-mechanical model combined with the upper bound theory is used to formulate a potential capable of predicting the damage evolution. The model is implemented and applied to a cross-sectional geological layer subjected to extension. It reveals that damage accelerates the creation of faults and accentuates the localization of shear zones, thereby competing with the increase in material rigidity due to rate dependency, especially at high temperature.