A semi-implicit double-point Material Point Method for both free-surface flow and seepage in deformable porous media

Abstract

A new semi-implicit, two-phase, double-point formulation of the Material Point Method (MPM) for soil–water interaction with seepage and free-surface flows under large deformation is presented in this paper. The approach advances the water phase implicitly while keeping the soil phase explicit, enabling stable, efficient time integration in problems that involve rapid seepage and strong free-surface motion. The proposed framework models high-Reynolds-number interphase drag through a non-linear Darcy’s law implemented for the first time within an incremental fractional step MPM formulation without enlarging the implicit solve. This methodology also enhances the numerical stability for fast flows and wave breaking via a hyperelastic constitutive treatment of slightly compressible viscous water, and mitigates spurious oscillations through a new stabilisation approach for the velocity. Robustness of soil–water interface is achieved by combining nodal-based, free-surface detection, suited for higher-order spline functions with smooth porosity–permeability transitions that avoid constitutive divergence at sharp material boundaries. Validation against laboratory benchmark cases reported in the literature, including pure-water dam break, dam-break seepage through a porous barrier, two granular-collapse tsunami experiments, and a dam-break wave over a movable granular bed, shows accurate and stable free-surface evolution, pressure time histories, seepage fronts, and wave-gauge records. Using an advanced critical-state soil model (NorSand) further improves the reproduction of granular flow kinematics. The results demonstrate that the proposed formulation is a reliable and computationally efficient tool for geotechnical hazards involving intense soil–water coupling, seepage, sediment transport and free water.