Phys.org  September 23, 2023 An international team of researchers (Switzerland, France, Germany) studied (de)hydration reactions where associated solid density changes were predominantly balanced by porosity changes, with solid rock deformation playing a minor role and proposed a hypothesis for three scenarios of (de)hydration front propagation and test it. The models coupled porous fluid flow, solid rock volumetric deformation, and (de)hydration reactions. Their model validated the hypothesized scenarios and showed that the change in solid density across the reaction boundary dictates whether hydration or dehydration fronts propagate. The models demonstrated that reactions could drive the propagation of (de)hydration fronts, characterized by […]