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

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dc.contributor.advisorPriest, Jeffrey
dc.contributor.advisorHayley, Jocelyn
dc.contributor.authorZafar, Raheel
dc.contributor.committeememberWong, Ron
dc.contributor.committeememberKhoshnazar, Rahil
dc.date2022-02
dc.date.accessioned2021-11-01T20:45:48Z
dc.date.available2021-11-01T20:45:48Z
dc.date.issued2021-10-27
dc.description.abstractGas 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 formation of gas hydrates within laboratory synthesized sand specimens and their subsequent laboratory testing to investigate the effect of particle size on their mechanical response. Specimens containing a different proportion of large particle sizes were prepared and their mechanical properties were investigated in two states: base sand (BS) and hydrate-bearing sand (HBS). Results show that the hydrate growth rate appears to be dependent on the particle size of sediment, with a decrease in sand particle size increasing the hydrate growth rate. Triaxial test results show that the strength and stiffness of HBS specimens strongly depend on particle size, hydrate saturation, and applied effective stress. The influence of particle size becomes evident at high hydrate saturations (> 46%). Increasing the proportion of large particles within the sediment matrix significantly increases the strength and stiffness of HBS specimens. The cohesion also exhibits dependency on particle size. An increase in the specific surface areas of sand grains reduces the cohesion of HBS specimens.en_US
dc.identifier.citationZafar, R. (2021). Influence of Particle Size Distribution on Mechanical Behavior of Hydrate-bearing Sands (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/39368
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1880/114089
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisher.facultySchulich School of Engineeringen_US
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.en_US
dc.subjectGas hydratesen_US
dc.subjectGeotechnical engineeringen_US
dc.subjectTriaxial testingen_US
dc.subjectHydrate bearing sandsen_US
dc.subjectParticle size distributionen_US
dc.subjectHydrate bearing soilsen_US
dc.subjectCemented sandsen_US
dc.subjectMechanical behavioren_US
dc.subjectHydrate bearing coarse-grained sandsen_US
dc.subject.classificationSoil Scienceen_US
dc.subject.classificationGeologyen_US
dc.subject.classificationEngineeringen_US
dc.subject.classificationEngineering--Civilen_US
dc.subject.classificationGeotechnologyen_US
dc.titleInfluence of Particle Size Distribution on Mechanical Behavior of Hydrate-bearing Sandsen_US
dc.typemaster thesisen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineEngineering – Civilen_US
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgaryen_US
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Science (MSc)en_US
ucalgary.item.requestcopytrueen_US
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