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Mechanical behavior and constitutive model of methane hydrate bearing sediments

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Geomechanics and Geophysics for Geo-Energy and Geo-Resources Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Natural gas hydrate has great development significance and application prospect as a potential marine environment-friendly energy resource. It is difficult to exploit gas hydrate in deep-sea, and even causes serious marine geological disasters, such as submarine landslide. Mastering the mechanical behavior characteristics of gas hydrate reservoir is the crucial for safe and efficient exploitation of hydrate. In this study, calcareous sand and silt are mixed as test soil to mimic the marine sediments in South China Sea. Then, triaxial shear tests were carried out on artificial methane hydrate bearing sediment (MHS) in a test apparatus with high pressure chamber and temperature-controller. The results showed that the effective stress and hydrate saturation have significant effects on the mechanical behavior of MHS, and the increase of effective stress will weaken the effect of hydrate, and vice versa. Since, the hyperbolic shape of stress–strain curves accords with Duncan Chang (D-C) model, which was suitable for describing the mechanical behavior of MHS. The parameters involved in the model are re-determined and the calculation equations are given. This model can reproduce the effect of hydrate saturation and effective stress on the tangent modulus, bulk modulus, and damage ratio of MHS. The comparison between the results of numerical calculation and laboratory test shows that the model is superior in predicting mechanics behavior of MHS.

Article Highlights

  • A modified D-C model is proposed to represent the stress-strain behavior of methane hydrate-bearing sediment.

  • Methane hydrate is mainly distributed in intra-particle pores and surface of calcareous sand.

  • It enriches the research database of marine sediments composition.

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Acknowledgements

This work is financially supported by the Natural Science project of Anhui Province in China (2008085ME177); Key Natural Science Research Project in Universities of Anhui Education Department in China (KJ2019A0802, KJ2020A0080); Talent Introduction Plan of Anhui Science and Technology University (JZYJ202006).

Funding

Key Natural Science Research Project in Universities of Anhui Education Department (KJ2020A0080); Natural Science Project of Anhui Province (2008085ME177); Key Natural Science Research Project in Universities of Anhui Education Department (KJ2019A0802); Talent Introduction Plan of Anhui Science and Technology University (JZYJ202006).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Architecture, Anhui Science and Technology University, Bengbu, People’s Republic of China

    Lu Ma & Xiaoyang Xu

  2. Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Geomechanics and Embankment Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China

    Lu Ma

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  1. Lu Ma
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  2. Xiaoyang Xu
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Correspondence to Lu Ma.

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Ma, L., Xu, X. Mechanical behavior and constitutive model of methane hydrate bearing sediments. Geomech. Geophys. Geo-energ. Geo-resour. 7, 76 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40948-021-00275-0

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