Summary
I am a rock physicist with expert knowledge on brittle processes in rocks and other geomaterials, and their impact on intrinsic properties and associated risks. My research advances our understanding of rock systems at depth by characterising their physical properties and mechanical response to natural and anthropogenic changes. I use this knowledge to develop multi-scale models, inform decision making, and create innovative collaborations. I lead academic and commercial research projects, manage students, staff and stakeholder expectations, and run and develop the Rock Mechanics and Physics Laboratory.
Audrey Ougier-Simonin’s Biography
Employment:
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- 2015 – ongoing: Rock Physicist, British Geological Survey, UK
- 2013 – 2014: Postdoctoral researcher, ISTerre, Université Joseph Fourier – Grenoble Alpes, France
- 2011 – 2013: Postdoctoral associate researcher, Dpt of Geology, University of Maryland – College Park, USA
Education:
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- 2007 – 2010: Ph.D. in Geophysics, Université Denis Diderot – ENS Paris, France
Mechanical and transport properties of cracked glasses - 2005 – 2007: M.Sc. in Earth, Planetary and Environmental Sciences, Université Denis Diderot, Paris, France
- 2001 – 2005: B.Sc. in Geology, Université Joseph Fourier – Grenoble Alpes, France
- 2007 – 2010: Ph.D. in Geophysics, Université Denis Diderot – ENS Paris, France
Research interests
- Rock deformation – Experimental rock mechanics and geophysics of brittle deformation in geomaterials from cracks to faults
- Carbon capture, utilisation and storage – Building dedicated international RI to CCUS
- Subsurface heat resources and geological storage (CO2, H, CAES, rad waste…) – Understanding rock properties at depth to facilitate subsurface geo-energy applications
- FAIR laboratory data – Building scientific communities and databases for digital rock deformation data
- Petrophysics
- Experimental geophysics
- Microtomography
- Elastic and transport properties
Current projects and collaborations
- Carbon Capture and Sequestration: Exploring the effect of fluid chemistry on reservoir stress and fracture propagation in limestones
- European Plate Observing System (EPOS) – WP16 task leader for rock and melt physical properties
- PETROMAKS2: Microfractures in black shales and their transport properties
- PhD supervision:
- Bob Bamberg (Univ. of Leicester)
ORCHID: 0000-0001-9778-4910
Key papers
- Martin-Clave, C, Ougier-Simonin, A, and Vandeginste, V. 2021. Impact of second phase content on rock salt rheological behavior under cyclic mechanical conditions. Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, pp.1–23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-021-02449-4
- Pluymakers, A, Ougier-Simonin, A, and Barnhoorn, A. 2021. Ion-species in pore fluids with opposite effects on limestone fracturing. Geomechanics for Energy and the Environment, 26, p.100233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gete.2021.100233
- Woodman, J, Ougier-Simonin, A, Stavrou, A, Vazaios, I, Murphy, W, Thomas, M E, and Reeves, H J. 2021. Laboratory experiments and grain based discrete element numerical simulations investigating the thermo-mechanical behaviour of sandstone. Geotechnical and Geological Engineering, pp.1-21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-021-01794-z
- Castagna, A, Ougier‐Simonin, A, Benson, P M, Browning, J, Walker, R J, Fazio, M, and Vinciguerra, S. 2018. Thermal damage and pore pressure effects of the Brittle‐Ductile transition in Comiso limestone. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 123(9), pp.7644-7660.
- Sarout, J, Le Gonidec, Y, Ougier-Simonin, A, Schubnel, A, Guéguen, Y, and Dewhurst, D N. 2017. Laboratory micro-seismic signature of shear faulting and fault slip in shale, Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, 264, 47-62.
- Woodman, J, Murphy, W, Thomas, M E, Ougier-Simonin, A, Reeves, H, and Berry, T W. 2017. June. A novel approach to the laboratory testing of replica discontinuities: 3D printing representative morphologies. In 51st US Rock Mechanics/Geomechanics Symposium. OnePetro.
- Bergsaker, A S, Røyne, A, Ougier-Simonin, A, Aubry, J, and Renard, F. 2016. The effect of fluid composition, salinity, and acidity on subcritical crack growth in calcite crystals, J. Geophys. Res. Solid Earth, 121, doi:10.1002/2015JB012723.
- Ougier-Simonin, A, Renard, F, Boehm, C, and Vidal-Gilbert, S. 2016. Microfracturing and microporosity in shales. Earth-Science Reviews, 162, pp.198-226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2016.09.006
- Ougier-Simonin, A, and Zhu, W. 2015. Effect of pore pressure build-up on slowness of rupture propagation, J. Geophys. Res. Solid Earth, 120, doi:10.1002/2015JB012047.
- Ougier-Simonin, A, and Zhu, W. 2013. Effects of pore fluid pressure on slip behaviors: An experimental study, Geophysical Research Letters, 40(11):2619-2624, doi: 10.1002/grl.50543
- Ougier-Simonin, A, Fortin, J, Guéguen, Y, Schubnel, A, and Bouyer, F. 2011. Cracks in glass under triaxial conditions, International Journal of Engineering Science, doi:10.1016/j.ijengsci.2010.06.026.
- Ougier-Simonin, A, Sarout, J, and Guéguen, Y. 2009. A simplified model of effective elasticity for anisotropic shales, Geophysics, 74:D57-D63, doi: 10.1190/1.3096616.
- Renard, F, Bernard, D, Desrues, J, and Ougier-Simonin, A. 2009. 3D imaging of fracture propagation using synchrotron X-ray microtomography, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 286:285-291, doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2009.06.040.
- 2004: A complete list of my publications can be access on my ResearchGate Profile
NERC Open Research Archive – Audrey Ougier-Simonin
- Deformation testing of geomaterials
- Networking of CCUS research infrastructures
- FAIR lab data
- Project management (incl. multi laboratories workflow and transnational access)
- English (fluent), French (fluent), Spanish (intermediate)
- STEM Ambassador
- EGU, AGU, EAGE
- Britrock.org
- EGU YSOPP 2010 Award