基于微观胶结厚度模型的深海能源土宏观力学特性离散元分析

首先,引入蒋明镜等提出的考虑水合物胶结厚度的深海能源土粒间微观胶结模型,用以反映能源土颗粒之间水合物微观胶结接触力学特性;其次,采用C++语言将模型程序化,并将其引入离散单元法中;然后,对选定的水合物饱和度经过实际二维离散元模拟调算,得出相应的水合物胶结尺寸,以修正水合物临界胶结厚度、最小胶结厚度及胶结宽度,进而确定水合物微观胶结参数;最后,根据所确定的胶结参数,针对不同水合物饱和度试样进行能源土宏观力学特性离散元双轴试验模拟,并从应力-应变、体变、剪胀角等方面与Masui等所进行的能源土室内三轴试验进行对比分析。结果表明：采用考虑粒间胶结厚度的水合物微观胶结模型,能够定性反映深海能源土的宏观力学特性,能源土试样的峰值强度、黏聚力和剪胀角均随水合物饱和度的增加而增加,但水合物饱和度对内摩擦角的影响规律不明朗;能源土试样的峰值强度、残余强度及体积剪缩量随着有效围压的增大而增大;剪胀角随有效围压的增大而减小。     

基于扰动状态概念的含水合物土弹塑性模型

含水合物土是由水合物赋存在土体中形成的特殊土,其力学特性不仅与饱和度有关,和赋存模式也有很大的关系。不同赋存模式的水合物胶结结构不同,其力学特点也不尽相同。考虑含水合物土在荷载作用下胶结结构会发生破坏,采用扰动状态概念,建立含水合物土的应力-应变模型来描述胶结结构受载破坏的全过程。同时,采用水合物的有效饱和度表示的伤变量来描述含水合物土的内部结构的在受载条件下的发展规律。根据含水合物土的力学行为,采用理想弹塑性模型和摩尔-库仑模型来描述两个参考状态,形式相对简单,参数易于确定。最后通过三轴剪切试验对模型进行了检验,结果表明该模型能较为合理的模拟含水合物土在扰动过程中的变形特点。     

不同胶结宽度粒间胶结特性试验研究

胶结砂土中水泥含量、能源土中水合物的含量会导致其宏观力学特性的差异,从微观层面可以解释为颗粒之间胶结物含量的不同所导致的粒间力学性质的差异所致。为研究不同胶结物含量的胶结颗粒的力学特性,进行了不同胶结宽度的粒间胶结试验,试验结果表明：（1）峰值压缩荷载随胶结宽度的减小呈非线性变化,宽高比对峰值荷载有明显影响;（2）峰值拉伸荷载随胶结宽度减小而线性减小,宽高比对其影响不大;（3）峰值剪切荷载和峰值扭矩由两部分组成,即胶结部分和摩擦部分。且其变化趋势相似,随着法向荷载的增大,峰值荷载先随之增大,在达到临界应力比后,峰值荷载开始减小,当应力比达到1,即胶结破坏时,胶结部分不再发挥作用,此时粒间荷载由摩擦部分提供;（4）在压-剪-扭试验中,不同初始偏心距情况下得到的峰值荷载在剪力-扭矩平面内呈椭圆状。     

三维离散元单轴试验模拟甲烷水合物宏观三轴强度特性

填充型水合物的砂性能源土试样可视为特殊的散粒体材料,即砂粒和水合物颗粒混合物,具有明显的非连续特征。为研究填充型水合物的能源土力学特性,初步探索了甲烷水合物在不同温度、反压条件下加荷模式的离散元模拟方法。离散元模拟中,将水合物块体视为由大量颗粒通过强胶结作用凝聚而成的整体,室内试验中的内部孔隙水压作用转化为水合物颗粒间的胶结力,故需要合理确定颗粒间胶结模型参数来实现反压的影响作用。通过参数反演建立了宏观强度、刚度参数与平行胶结模型的微观胶结参数间的宏、微观关系,基于已有室内甲烷水合物三轴试验资料,确定了给定温度和反压条件下的微观胶结参数取值,随后进行离散元单轴压缩试验。离散元单轴压缩试验模拟获得的水合物强度特性,与室内三轴试验结果符合较好;通过建立的宏、微观参数间的关系,实现了不同温度、反压下的水合物加荷模式的模拟。为进一步提出深海能源土离散元数值试验成样方法--孔隙填充水合物生成技术,形成含填充型水合物的能源土试样,研究其力学和变形特性奠定基础。     

不同胶结厚度下粒间胶结力学特性的试验研究

为研究胶结物厚度对粒间胶结强度的影响,在蒋明镜等[1－4]已完成的0.6 mm厚度的环氧树脂和水泥微观胶结模型试验基础上,进一步选取1.0 mm和1.5 mm两种胶结厚度,通过一系列接触力学特性测试,并结合0.6 mm厚度的试验数据,分析了在不同胶结厚度和不同胶结物类型下,粒间胶结强度指标的变化规律。试验结果表明：随着胶结厚度的增加,峰值抗拉荷载增大,峰值抗压荷载减小;同一胶结厚度下,随着法向压力的增大,两种胶结物的峰值抗剪和抗扭荷载均先增大后减小,而同一法向压力下,随着胶结厚度的增加,二者的峰值抗剪和抗扭荷载均随之减小。在三维应力空间中（法向压力-扭矩-剪力）,两类胶结强度包线分别为水滴状、橄榄球状且随胶结厚度的增加而缩小,但形状不发生变化。     

考虑简化胶结模型的深海能源土宏观力学性质离散元数值模拟分析

根据蒋明镜等所提出天然结构性砂土微观胶结模型[1–2]及微观胶结试验结果[3–5],将该模型引入离散元商业软件PFC2D,进行能源土双轴试验离散元数值模拟分析,并同Masui等[6]能源土三轴试验结果进行对比分析,结果表明,蒋明镜等所提出胶结模型能够较好的模拟水合物的微观胶结力学行为,水合物胶结的存在对能源土强度具有一定的贡献。     

水泥胶结颗粒的微观力学模型试验

土体粒间胶结是建立天然结构性土本构模型的决定性因素之一,将胶结颗粒理想化为两铝棒,在指定位置处形成胶结。采用水泥作为胶结材料,对胶结颗粒进行了一系列简单加载试验（包括拉伸、压缩、压剪、压扭）和复杂应力路径试验,并与蒋明镜等所做的环氧树脂胶结试验进行对比。结果表明：胶结材料对胶结颗粒的力学性能存在一定影响,但基本规律符合蒋明镜等所提出的理想颗粒间胶结模型。水泥胶结抗拉强度低于环氧树脂胶结抗拉强度,但延性相对较好,抗压特性均呈塑性软化现象;二者的抗剪强度初始均随法向压力的增加而增大,当法向压力超过一定值时,又随法向压力的增加而减小（该压力称为界限法向压力）,但水泥胶结的界限法向压力明显高于环氧树脂胶结,扭转试验规律与剪切试验规律类似。在三维应力空间中（法向压力-扭矩-剪力）水泥胶结的强度包线呈橄榄球状,环氧树脂胶结强度包线呈水滴状。     

考虑水合物填充和胶结效应的深海能源土弹塑性本构模型

水合物的填充效应和胶结效应增大了能源土的密实性和强度,使能源土呈现出类似于密实砂土或胶结土的性质。在黏土和砂土的统一硬化模型(CSUH模型)框架下,总结了能源土的力学性质,引入压硬性参量描述水合物对能源土填充和胶结双重作用下的等向压缩特性,引入黏聚强度修正屈服函数并构建了黏聚强度的演变规律,利用状态参数调整剪胀方程,反映能源土剪胀、软化等特性对密实度的依赖性,从而建立能够描述能源土强度、刚度、剪胀与软化等特性的弹塑性本构模型。编制了模型的测试程序,把模拟结果与能源土室内试验结果进行对比。结果表明:提出的弹塑性本构模型能够较好地描述能源土的应力-应变关系、剪缩硬化和剪胀软化等力学特性。     

含气水合物沉积物弹塑性损伤本构模型探讨

天然气水合物的开采会带来一系列的岩土工程问题,为了保障相关工程设施的安全,有必要建立一个合理的水合物沉积物本构模型。通过深入分析水合物沉积物力学特点,从颗粒间的作用机制出发,认为水合物沉积物的力学响应是沉积物中土体颗粒间摩擦与水合物胶结二者共同作用的结果;考虑到摩擦与接触特性不同的力学机制,分别采用修正剑桥模型和弹性损伤模型对土体骨架及水合物胶结的应力-应变关系进行描述;通过假定水合物胶结的损伤演化规律,并认为在受力变形过程中二者的应变始终相等,初步建立了一个水合物沉积物的弹塑性损伤本构模型。不同水合物饱和度沉积物应力-应变曲线的模型预测结果与室内三轴排水试验结果吻合良好,表明了所建模型的可行性和合理性。     

水合物沉积物力学性质的三维离散元分析

水合物沉积物力学特性研究是天然气水合物开采领域中的热点问题。为深入了解水合物对沉积物力学特性的影响,在提出一个新的水合物沉积物离散元数值试样制备方法的基础上,模拟了不同水合物饱和度沉积物试样的三轴排水试验,并从其应力-应变关系、体变特性、弹性模量及峰值强度等方面对模拟结果及已有室内三轴试验结果进行了对比,然后利用该方法对具有不同微观胶结参数的水合物沉积物样进行了三轴离散元数值试验。研究结果表明：所提出的离散元模拟方法能较好地反映水合物沉积物的主要力学特性;天然气水合物与土颗粒间胶结性能的改变会对水合物沉积物的力学响应产生一定的影响;水合物沉积物强度和模量的增加是孔隙填充水合物和粒间胶结水合物共同作用的结果。     

A state-dependent critical state model for methane hydrate-bearing sand

Methane hydrate exists in the pores of methane hydrate-bearing sand (MHBS) and is considered to be a potentially significant source of methane and thus energy for mankind. However, before conducting a large-scale extraction of methane from MHBS, it is crucial to simulate the mechanical behaviour of MHBS and evaluate its stability during drilling and methane production. In this paper, a state-dependent critical state model for MHBS is presented. The critical state of MHBS is discussed, and critical state line formulations are introduced as functions of hydrate saturation. A simple nonlinear bonding and linear debonding law is incorporated considering the cementing mechanism of hydrate. A modified state-dependent dilatancy is proposed to account for the effects of stress level, internal state (density), bonding strength and hydrate saturation. Determination of the model parameters is described in detail. The proposed model is employed to predict results of drained triaxial compression tests on MHBS. Satisfactory performance is demonstrated, i.e., the model can adequately capture the stress–strain and volume change behaviours of MHBS over a wide range of hydrate saturations, confining pressures and densities using a unified set of parameters.     

不同开采方法下深海能源土离散元模拟

天然气水合物以胶结及孔隙填充等形式存在于深海能源土中,开采时因其分解会劣化地层力学特性进而引发海底事故,使得人们对能源土开采过程进行中力学特性的变化愈发重视。在前期室内试验的基础上,将一个温度-水压-力学二维微观胶结模型引入离散元商业软件PFC2D中,通过对排气、排水性较好的土体进行升温及降压法开采进行数值模拟,并将模拟结果与相同条件下的室内试验结果对比,验证了该胶结模型的适用性。进一步分析了颗粒接触分布与颗粒平均纯转动率（averaged pure rotation rate, APR）在水合物分解时的变化情况。升温分解过程中随温度升高,颗粒总接触分布各向异性程度增大;胶结接触逐渐减少并始终保持主方向为水平方向,无胶结接触增多并始终保持主方向为竖直方向;APR值逐渐增大且正负值分布逐渐趋于集中。降压分解过程中随反（水）压降低,颗粒总接触由各向同性分布逐渐发展为主方向为竖直方向的各向异性,APR值较小且分布均匀;恢复反压后,试样进一步破坏,颗粒总接触各向异性更加明显,APR值增大且正负值呈集中分布。     

A bond contact model for methane hydrate‐bearing sediments with interparticle cementation

While methane hydrates (MHs) can be present in various forms in deep seabeds or permafrost regions, this paper deals with MH‐bearing sediments (MHBS) where the MH has formed bonds between sand grains. A bond model based on experimentally validated contact laws for cemented granules is introduced to describe the mechanical behavior of the MH bonds. The model parameters were derived from measured values of temperature, water pressure and MH density. Bond width and thickness adopted for each bond of the MHBS were selected based on the degree of MH saturation. The model was implemented into a 2D distinct element method code. A series of numerical biaxial standard compression tests were carried out for various degrees of MH saturation. A comparison with available experimental data shows that the model can effectively capture the essential features of the mechanical behavior of MHBS for a wide range of levels of hydrate saturation under drained and undrained conditions. In addition, the analyses presented here shed light on the following: (1) the relationship between level of cementation and debonding mechanisms taking place at the microscopic level and the observed macro‐mechanical behavior of MHBS and (2) the relationship between spatial distribution of bond breakages and contact force chains with the observed strength, dilatancy and deformability of the samples. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A densification mechanism to model the mechanical effect of methane hydrates in sandy sediments

Recent pore-scale observations and geomechanical investigations suggest the lack of true cohesion in methane hydrate-bearing sediments (MHBSs) and propose that their mechanical behavior is governed by kinematic constrictions at pore-scale. This paper presents a constitutive model for MHBS, which does not rely on physical bonding between hydrate crystals and sediment grains but on the densification effect that pore invasion with hydrate has on the sediment mechanical properties. The Hydrate-CASM extends the critical state model Clay and Sand Model (CASM) by implementing the subloading surface model and introducing the densification mechanism. The model suggests that the decrease of the sediment available void volume during hydrate formation stiffens its structure and has a similar mechanical effect as the increase of sediment density. In particular, the model attributes stress-strain changes observed in MHBS to the variations in sediment available void volume with hydrate saturation and its consequent effect on isotropic yield stress and swelling line slope. The model performance is examined against published experimental data from drained triaxial tests performed at different confining stress and with distinct hydrate saturation and morphology. Overall, the simulations capture the influence of hydrate saturation in both the magnitude and trend of the stiffness, shear strength, and volumetric response of synthetic MHBS. The results are validated against those obtained from previous mechanical models for MHBS that examine the same experimental data. The Hydrate-CASM performs similarly to previous models, but its formulation only requires one hydrate-related empirical parameter to express changes in the sediment elastic stiffness with hydrate saturation.     

一个深海能源土弹塑性本构模型

天然气水合物赋存在低温高压环境中,会在土颗粒间形成胶结从而增大深海能源土抗剪强度。基于损伤力学理论,将结构性砂土本构模型推广应用于深海能源土分析中,模拟计算了三轴固结排水剪切试验,再根据应力-应变曲线关系定量反演初始屈服系数与水合物饱和度之间的函数关系,并修正了原有的结构性砂土破损规律,建立了深海能源土弹塑性本构模型。另外,根据该模型模拟了另外一组深海能源土三轴剪切试验和等向固结压缩试验。计算结果表明：新建立的深海能源土本构模型可以有效模拟深海能源土剪切强度随水合物饱和度之间的增长关系;随着水合物饱和度的增加,三轴压缩试验中深海能源土峰值强度及割线模量(E50)逐渐增加,等向固结压缩试验中屈服强度增加,与试验结果有较好的一致性,表明了该模型的合理性。     

孔隙填充型能源土的宏微观力学特性真三轴试验离散元分析

天然气水合物沉积物因其作为绿色新型能源且具有广阔的开发前景而备受全球瞩目。水合物在水合物沉积物（俗称能源土试样）中有不同的赋存型式,如孔隙填充型和胶结型等。针对孔隙填充型水合物的赋存形态,生成特定饱和度的能源土试样。开展了同一 平面上不同中主应力系数（b = 0、0.25、0.50、0.75、1.00）的真三轴排水试验的三维离散元模拟,将微观参数接触组构及剪切滑移率的演化规律与材料的宏观力学响应相结合,分析了中主应力对孔隙填充型能源土的宏微观力学响应的影响。结果表明：强接触处组构张量的大、中、小主值随b的变化规律与大、中、小主应力及大、中、小主应变随b的变化规律表现出良好的相关性。三向应力状态下的破坏强度接近Lade-Duncan破坏准则。能源土试样剪切滑移率随着中主应力系数的增大而增大;当处于三轴拉伸状态时,试样的剪切滑移率最大。     

DEM simulations of methane hydrate exploitation by thermal recovery and depressurization methods

Methane hydrate (MH, also called fiery ice) exists in forms of pore filling, cementing and load-bearing skeleton in the methane hydrate bearing sediment (MHBS) and affects its mechanical behavior greatly. To study the changes of macro-scale and micro-scale mechanical behaviors of MHBS during exploitation by thermal recovery and depressurization methods, a novel 2D thermo-hydro-mechanical bonded contact model was proposed and implemented into a platform of distinct element method (DEM), PFC2D. MHBS samples were first biaxially compressed to different deviator stress levels to model different in-situ stress conditions. With the deviator stress maintained at constant, the temperature was then raised to simulate the thermal recovery process or the pore water pressure (i.e. confining pressure for MH bond) was decreased to simulate the depressurization process. DEM simulation results showed that: during exploitation, the axial strain increased with the increase of temperature (in the thermal recovery method) or decrease of pore water pressure (in the depressurization method); sample collapsed during MH dissociation if the deviator stress applied was larger than the compression strength of a pure host sand sample; sample experienced volume contraction but its void ratio was slightly larger than the pure host sand sample at the same axial strain throughout the test. By comparison with the laboratory test results, the new model was validated to be capable of reproducing the exploitation process by thermal recovery and depressurization methods. In addition, some micro-scale parameters, such as contact distribution, bond distribution, and averaged pure rotation rate, were also analyzed to investigate their relationships with the macroscopic responses.     

An SMP critical state model for methane hydrate‐bearing sands

Mechanical properties of methane hydrate‐bearing soils are complex. Their behavior undergoes a significant change when hydrates dissociate and become methane gas. On the other hand, methane hydrates are ice‐like compounds and, depending on the hydrate accumulation habits and the degree of hydrate saturation, may cement soil particles into stronger and stiffer soils. A new constitutive model is proposed that is capable of capturing essential characteristics of hydrate‐bearing soils. The core of the model includes the spatial mobilized plane concept; a transformed stress, t_ij; the critical state; and the subloading framework. The proposed model gives soil responses due to stress changes or hydrate saturation changes or both. The performance of the model has been found satisfactory, over a range of hydrate saturation and confining pressures, using triaxial test data from laboratory‐synthesized samples and from field samples extracted from Nankai Trough, Japan. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.