Broadly speaking my work relates to computational modeling of un/bonded or un/consolidated granular materials. This includes: matrix-skeletal stress analysis, nonlinear material softening/equations of state (as below), as well as coupled fluid flow modeling.
Fig. 1. Isothermal Dieterich-Ruina friction coefficient models, showing jumps in slip rate: (a) the original relation of Ruina and
(b) the completed slowness relation. Fig. 2. Temperature-dependent Dieterich-Ruina friction coefficient models, showing jumps in temperature: (a) the original relation of Ruina modified for temperature dependency by Chester and (b) the completed slowness relation modified for non-isothermal conditions.
Educational Background/Employment:
2020 - Present : CNLS Postdoctoral Research Associate, Los Alamos National Laboratory
Ph.D., Civil Engineering (2020) Presidential/Guggenheim Fellow and G/DRA for W. Sun, Columbia University
M.S., Petroleum Engineering (2016) GRA for M. Sharma, University of Texas at Austin
Research Interests:
Micromorphic continua formulations for solids deforming in the brittle/ductile regimes, derived by homogenizing un/bonded inter-granular contact interactions.
Thermoplastic frictional contact along fracture surfaces represented with implicit functions; mixed-mode and hydraulically-induced fracture.
Strain- and projected-strain-space mappings to numerically capture materials' fabric and mesostructural anisotropies, respectively.
Selected Recent Publications:
E.C. Bryant and W. Sun, Phase field modeling of frictional slip with slip weakening/strengthening under non-isothermal conditions, CMAME. 375,113557 (2021).
E.C. Bryant and W. Sun, A micromorphically regularized Cam-clay model for capturing size-dependent anisotropy of geomaterials, CMAME. 354,56-95 (2019).
E.C. Bryant and W. Sun, A mixed-mode phase field fracture model in anisotropic rocks with consistent kinematics, CMAME. 342,561-584 (2018).