Nonlinear Processes in Geophysics www.nonlin-processes-geophys.net 1023-5809 1607-7946 7 1/2 2000 10.5194/npg-7-1-2000 http://www.nonlin-processes-geophys.net/7/1/2000/ http://www.nonlin-processes-geophys.net/7/1/2000/npg-7-1-2000.html http://www.nonlin-processes-geophys.net/7/1/2000/npg-7-1-2000.pdf 1 8 0000-00-00 Nonlinear viscoelastic compaction in sedimentary basins X.-S. Yang Department of Fuel and Energy and Applied Mathematics, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK In the mathematical modelling of sediment compaction and porous media flow, the rheological behaviour of sediments is typically modelled in terms of a nonlinear relationship between effective pressure <i>p</i><i>e </i>and porosity <i>Φ</i>, that is <i>p</i><i>e = </i><i>p</i><i>e (Φ)</i>. The compaction law is essentially a poroelastic one. However, viscous compaction due to pressure solution becomes important at larger depths and causes this relationship to become more akin to a viscous rheology. A generalised viscoelastic compaction model of Maxwell type is formulated, and different styles of nonlinear behaviour are asymptotically analysed and compared in this paper.