Wong, Ron Chik-KwongMan, Shuai2016-09-292016-09-2920162016Man, S. (2016). Compression and Flow Behavior of Proppants in Hydraulically Induced Fracture (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/25390http://hdl.handle.net/11023/3367Short-term and long-term compression behavior of single proppant grains were thoroughly studied by diametrical compression tests and DEM/FEM simulations. Hydroprop showed the highest single grain crush-resistance while ceramic proppant grains with coarse surfaces were susceptible to creep behavior under load. One-dimensional compression tests under various stress levels and temporal conditions were systematically carried out to investigate the time-independent and time-dependent crushing behavior of proppant grain packs. Baylic Sand was the most crushing-prone whereas the OxSteel was the least. Most proppants showed creep behavior under long-term compression. Rock-proppant interaction tests were also performed which cast light on the proppant crushing and embedment under the field conditions. Pressure gradients of proppant-water slurries flowing through a small-diameter pipe were experimentally investigated and mimicked by DEM-CFD simulations. A generalized Darcy-Weisbach equation was proposed for the prediction of pressure gradients.engUniversity 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.Engineering--CivilEngineering--Petroleumproppantgrain crushinghydraulic fracturing1-D compression testslurry flowpressure gradientmaster thesis10.11575/PRISM/25390