Discrete Element Analysis of Hydraulic Fracturing of Methane Hydrate-Bearing Sediments

In cold regions, ice pressure poses a serious threat to the safe operation of ship hulls and fixed offshore platforms. In this study, a discrete element method (DEM) with bonded particles was adapted to simulate the generation and distribution of local ice pressures during the interaction between level ice and vertical structures. The strength and failure mode of simulated sea ice under uniaxial compression were consistent with the experimental results, which verifies the accuracy of the discrete element parameters. The crushing process of sea ice acting on the vertical structure simulated by the DEM was compared with the field test. The distribution of ice pressure on the contact surface was calculated, and it was found that the local ice pressure was much greater than the global ice pressure. The high-pressure zones in sea ice are mainly caused by its simultaneous destruction, and these zones are primarily distributed near the midline of the contact area of sea ice and the structure. The contact area and loading rate are the two main factors affecting the high-pressure zones. The maximum local and global ice pressures decrease with an increase in the contact area. The influence of the loading rate on the local ice pressure is caused by the change in the sea ice failure mode. When the loading rate is low, ductile failure of sea ice occurs, and the ice pressure increases with the increase in the loading rate. When the loading rate is high, brittle failure of sea ice occurs, and the ice pressure decreases with an increase in the loading rate. This DEM study of sea ice can reasonably predict the distribution of high-pressure zones on marine structures and provide a reference for the anti-ice performance design of marine structures.

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Discrete element analysis of the punching behaviour of a secured drapery system: from laboratory characterization to idealized in situ conditions

Acta Geotechnica ◽

10.1007/s11440-020-01119-z ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Antonio Pol ◽

Fabio Gabrieli ◽

Lorenzo Brezzi

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Response ◽

Steel Wire ◽

Discrete Element ◽

Wire Mesh ◽

Steel Plates ◽

Loading Conditions ◽

Element Analysis ◽

In Situ Conditions ◽

Wire Meshes

AbstractIn this work, the mechanical response of a steel wire mesh panel against a punching load is studied starting from laboratory test conditions and extending the results to field applications. Wire meshes anchored with bolts and steel plates are extensively used in rockfall protection and slope stabilization. Their performances are evaluated through laboratory tests, but the mechanical constraints, the geometry and the loading conditions may strongly differ from the in situ conditions leading to incorrect estimations of the strength of the mesh. In this work, the discrete element method is used to simulate a wire mesh. After validation of the numerical mesh model against experimental data, the punching behaviour of an anchored mesh panel is investigated in order to obtain a more realistic characterization of the mesh mechanical response in field conditions. The dimension of the punching element, its position, the anchor plate size and the anchor spacing are varied, providing analytical relationships able to predict the panel response in different loading conditions. Furthermore, the mesh panel aspect ratio is analysed showing the existence of an optimal value. The results of this study can provide useful information to practitioners for designing secured drapery systems, as well as for the assessment of their safety conditions.

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Geomechanical Responses During Gas Hydrate Production Induced by Depressurization

Volume 8: Polar and Arctic Sciences and Technology; Petroleum Technology ◽

10.1115/omae2016-54217 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Ah-Ram Kim ◽

Gye-Chun Cho ◽

Joo-Yong Lee ◽

Se-Joon Kim

Keyword(s):

Methane Hydrate ◽

Fossil Fuel ◽

Gas Production ◽

Field Scale ◽

Production Well ◽

Physical Processes ◽

Hydrate Dissociation ◽

Thermal Changes ◽

New Energy ◽

Hydrate Bearing Sediments

Methane hydrate has been received large attention as a new energy source instead of oil and fossil fuel. However, there is high potential for geomechanical stability problems such as marine landslides, seafloor subsidence, and large volume contraction in the hydrate-bearing sediment during gas production induced by depressurization. In this study, a thermal-hydraulic-mechanical coupled numerical analysis is conducted to simulate methane gas production from the hydrate deposits in the Ulleung basin, East Sea, Korea. The field-scale axisymmetric model incorporates the physical processes of hydrate dissociation, pore fluid flow, thermal changes (i.e., latent heat, conduction and advection), and geomechanical behaviors of the hydrate-bearing sediment. During depressurization, deformation of sediments around the production well is generated by the effective stress transformed from the pore pressure difference in the depressurized region. This tendency becomes more pronounced due to the stiffness decrease of hydrate-bearing sediments which is caused by hydrate dissociation.

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