Micro-gas Hypothesis for Behaviors of Rocks under Loading

Abstract

I propose a micro-gas hypothesis for the mechanism of mechanical and physical behaviors of intact rocks under loading in this paper. The rock behaviors include elastic deformation, brittle cracking, strain hardening, strain softening, ductile deformation, plastic deformation, creep, as well as change from brittle to ductile under confining pressures. The hypothesis is based on the observation that natural gas can be present in micro-voids, micro-pores, lattice boundaries and interfaces of intact rocks and their minerals with various porosities. The coupled interaction between the micro-gas and the rock mineral solids can determine the individual behaviors of intact rocks under loading.