Influence of Particle Size Distribution on Mechanical Behavior of Hydrate-bearing Sands ...

• Main Author: Zafar, Raheel
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Schulich School of Engineering 2021
• Subjects: Gas hydrates; Geotechnical engineering; Triaxial testing; Hydrate bearing sands; Particle size distribution; Hydrate bearing soils; Cemented sands; Mechanical behavior; Hydrate bearing coarse-grained sands; Soil Science; Geology; FOS Earth and related environmental sciences; Engineering; Engineering > Civil; Geotechnology; Ice; permafrost
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.11575/prism/39368; https://prism.ucalgary.ca/handle/1880/114089

Gas hydrates are natural ice-like, crystalline solid compounds that form in both permafrost and deep-water oceanic sediments. The large volumes of methane gas stored in hydrates make them an ideal resource for the world’s future energy demands. Hydrate-bearing coarse-grained sand sediments have great potential for commercial exploitation due to their high permeability and high hydrate content within pore space. The formation of hydrates significantly increases the strength and stiffness of host sediment and their dissociation directly impact host sediment stability. A recent study on natural hydrate-bearing sediments reported a significant correlation between sediment particle size and its strength and stiffness. Therefore, to ensure sustainable gas production activities, the effect of sediment particle size on the large-strain mechanical response of hydrate-bearing coarse-grained sediments needs to be investigated. This thesis reports on an experimental program that allowed the controlled and homogenous ...