Convergence analysis of fixed stress split iterative scheme for small strain anisotropic poroelastoplasticity: a primer

Abstract: This work serves as a primer to our efforts in arriving at convergence estimates for the fixed stress split iterative scheme for single phase flow coupled with small strain anisotropic poroelastoplasticity. The fixed stress split iterative scheme solves the flow subproblem with stress tensor fixed using a mixed finite element method, followed by the poromechanics subproblem using a conforming Galerkin method in every coupling iteration at each time step. The coupling iterations are repeated until convergence and Backward Euler is employed for time marching. The convergence analysis is based on studying the equations satisfied by the difference of iterates to show that the iterative scheme is contractive.