Abstract：This paper presents an overview of the multi-field coupled model including chemical effects and its application in various porous media widely distributed in nature. Basic theoretical frameworks of multi-field coupled problem are discussed. Based on phenomenological theory and thermodynamics, a general thermo-electro-chemo-mechanical coupling theory is established and the simplified version for chemo-mechanical coupled problem is then derived on that basis. Using a set of governing equations and constitutive laws, a variational principle is deduced for a linearly coupled system and its closeness is proved. A several numerical examples are considered to illustrate the chemo-mechanical coupling phenomena of porous media and to verify the proposed variational theory and numerical procedure. Finally, some problems and challenges in multi-field couplings in porous media especially in living biological soft tissue are analyzed, and future trends in this field are identified.
2010, Vol. 31 
