Abstract
The existence of methane hydrate can greatly influence the creep behavior of sediments, which remains largely unknown. The discrete element method is used to study the creep behavior of cemented methane hydrate-bearing sand. Methane hydrate is simulated as contact bonds between particles, and the bonding ratio is introduced to directly reflect the influence of hydrate saturation. The parallel-bar creep model is proposed to describe the damage development with time in the hydrate crystal, based on which a time-dependent bond strength equation is established to describe the creep behavior of hydrate as interparticle cementation. Reasonable consistency is found between the simulated and experimental results.The results show that methane hydrate bearing sand exhibits significant creep, which is similar to that of frozen sand. The microbehavior during creep is investigated, including the evolution of the local porosity, bond breakage, particle rotation, strong force chain, and deviator fabric, which show strong heterogeneity due to the gradual formation of shear bands. The underlying mechanism is explored, which is related to changes in the microstructure caused by bond breakage with time.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
