On the causes of pressure oscillations in low-permeable and low-compressible porous media

Non-physical pressure oscillations are observed in finite element calculations of Biot’s poroelastic equations in low-permeable media. These pressure oscillations may be understood as a failure of compatibility between the finite element spaces, rather than elastic locking. We present evidence to support this view by comparing and contrasting the pressure oscillations in low-permeable porous media with those in low-compressible porous media. As a consequence, it is possible to use established families of stable mixed elements as candidates for choosing finite element spaces for Biot’s equations.