Creep of wet gypsum aggregates under hydrostatic loading conditions

Abstract

Gypsum-dominated evaporite sequences are known to play an important role in controlling the mechanics of foreland thrust and nappe tectonics, as well as occasionally forming large-scale halokinetic structures associated with oil and gas accumulations. However, relatively little is known regarding the relevant deformation mechanisms and mechanical behaviour of gypsum. In this study, attention is focused on determining the compaction creep behaviour of wet granular gypsum aggregates with the aim of assessing the importance of pressure solution. Hydrostatic compaction experiments were performed at room temperature and applied effective pressures in the range 0.4–3.9 MPa, using grain sizes ranging from 15 to 125 μm. The microstructure of the wet-tested samples showed that compaction occurred by a process of dissolution within grain contacts and precipitation on pore walls. In addition, for most of the range of conditions investigated, the mechanical data were found to be broadly consistent with models for interface-reaction-controlled grain boundary diffusional pressure solution. Combining the mechanical data with kinetic data taken from the crystal growth / dissolution literature it is suggested that for the bulk of conditions studied, creep of our wet granular gypsum aggregates was probably rate-limited by precipitation on the pore walls. This is in sharp contrast to the diffusion-controlled pressure solution creep behaviour recently reported for highly soluble salts, such as NaCl and NaNO 3, under similar conditions.