safeincave 2.0.0

Simulator and tools for salt cavern stability and storage analyses

Note: This project requires FEniCSx and runs natively on Ubuntu.
Windows users must use WSL.

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Overview

SafeInCave is a 3D finite element simulator based on FEniCSx. It is designed to simulate the mechanical behavior of salt caverns under different operational conditions.

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Key Features

• MPI-powered parallelism: Scale simulations efficiently with mpi4py for distributed computing
• Thermal effects: Solve heat diffusion equation and include thermal strains and creep thermal responses
• Graphical user interface: Build your simulation without writing lines of code
• Constitutive model: Include transient, reverse transient, dislocation, and pressure solution creep
• Robust linearization: Provides robustness and flexibility to include new constitutive models
• Time discretization: Choose between Explicit, Crank-Nicolson, and Fully-Implicit schemes
• XDMF output: Efficient output format in terms of size and postprocessing

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Installation

SafeInCave installation depends on FEniCSx installation. For Windows users, the installaion pipeline consists of:

1. Install WSL

2. Install Ubuntu

3. Install FEniCSx

4. Install SafeInCave

See SafeInCave documentation for a detailed explanation on the installation process.

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Getting started

After installation, the easiest way to set up SafeInCave simulations is by using the SafeInCave App, as shown in the image below.

Alternatively, users can build their own simulators using the safeincave package. Our documentation webpage shows detailed examples of how to set up purely mechanical simulations, heat diffusion simulations, and thermomechanical simulations. These examples show how to build constitutive models, apply different types of boundary conditions, assign material properties, etc.

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Extra material

Video lectures and video tutorials can be found in the ADMIRE YouTube channel. The following videos are currently available:

1. Tensorial operations (theory)

2. Tensorial operations (exercises)

3. Constitutive modeling

4. Stay tuned to ADMIRE YouTube channel for upcoming video lectures.

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Current members

• Hermínio Tasinafo Honório, Maintainer, 2023-present
• Hadi Hajibeygi, Principal Investigator

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License

This project is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 (GPL-3.0).
See the LICENSE file for full terms, or review the official GPLv3 text.

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Papers and publications

[1] Honório, H.T, Houben, M., Bisdom, K., van der Linden, A., de Borst, K., Sluys, L.J., Hajibeygi, H. A multi-step calibration strategy for reliable parameter determination of salt rock mechanics constitutive models. Int J Rock Mech Min, 2024 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmms.2024.105922)

[2] Honório, H.T, Hajibeygi, H. Three-dimensional multi-physics simulation and sensitivity analysis of cyclic hydrogen storage in salt caverns. Int J Hydrogen Energ, 2024 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2024.11.081)

[3] Kumar, K.R., Makhmutov, A., Spiers, C.J., Hajibeygi, H. Geomechanical simulation of energy storage in salt formations. Scientific Reports, 2022 (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-99161-8)

[4] Kumar, K.R., Hajibeygi, H. Influence of pressure solution and evaporate heterogeneity on the geo-mechanical behavior of salt caverns. The Mechanical Behavior of Salt X, 2022 (https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003295808)

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank:

• Shell Global Solutions International B.V for sponsoring the project SafeInCave, within which this simulator was developed.
• Energi Simulation for currently supporting this project.