Joanna Dziadkowiec (Njord, UiO): "REACT project: in-situ mineral growth under confinement."
Abstract: Minerals dissolve and precipitate under the confinement of pores in a variety of settings. The growth of minerals in porous spaces may be perceived as advantageous, for example when CO2 becomes mineralized in the subsurface, or undesirable, when high crystallization pressures induce damage to the surroundings of a growing crystal. The primary objective of REACT is thus to understand the damaging and cohesive effects of mineral growth under spatial confinement. In this talk, I will present how experiments planned in surface forces apparatus can address these phenomena and provide an understanding of how attractive and repulsive surface forces compete during confined mineral growth. Several types of mineral replacement reactions, which are known to provide extreme cohesion, such as calcium silicate hydrate precipitation, or to cause extensive damage, such as gypsum growth, will be explored.
Fabian Barras (Njord, UiO) : "Slip Slidin' Away: the theme of the UNLOC project".
Abstract: The propagation of highly-localized ruptures precedes various kinds of catastrophic failures in geomaterials. Examples include landslides, rockfalls, snow avalanches, glacier surges as well as earthquakes. Quantitative predictions of these processes remain elusive and challenging because material failure often stems from highly-localized bands that rapidly propagate over meter to kilometer distances while focusing intense deformation down to the porous structure of the medium. In a context of global climate change, there is an increasing need to assess the risks of geomaterial failures posed by the rapid transformation of polar and alpine environments. In this talk, I will present how the project UNLOC plans to bridge this gap and develop generic models of the propagation of localized failure in geomaterials by building on recent advances made in the mechanics of friction and fracture.
You will find the schedule for Njord Seminar Series Spring 2024 here.
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