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Abstract
A model taking into account the simultaneous influence of mechanical and hygrometric actions (Mrani and al., 1995a, 1995b) was applied to study of the dehydration of a cylinder of highly deformable biphase gel (agar gel) (Mrani and al., 1995b). Numerical solution of the water transport equation and the mechanical equilibrium equation provided access to the water content and stresses and strains in the cylinder. The numerical results were validated for water content and overall deformation of gel cylinders. The model clearly shows the inversion of the curve of the faces of the cylinder observed experimentally. Three deformation phases were observed. In the first phase, when the concaveness of the faces of the cylinder was turned inwards, tractive stress appeared at the surface of the sample. More uniform distribution of the water content became established in a second phase and the cylinder recovered its initial shape corresponding to the relaxation of the stress state. In the third phase, the concaveness of the faces of the cylinder was turned outwards, the surface became rigid with compression at the surface and traction in the centre.
