• 터널과지하공간
• /
• 제26권2호
• /
• pp.59-67
• /
• 2016

본 논문에서는 해저 하이드레이트 퇴적층에서의 메탄가스 생산 과정에서 발생 가능한 생산정 주변 단층의 재활성화 가능성을 수치해석을 통해 평가하고 재활성화에 따른 미소지진 규모를 예측한 결과를 소개하였다. 가스 생산에 의한 하이드레이트 퇴적층의 유효응력 변화 및 역학적 변형은 TOUGH+Hydrate 코드와 FLAC3D 코드를 순차적으로 연계해석함으로써 시뮬레이션하였다. 단층면 재활성화 기준은 모어쿨롱(Mohr-Coulomb)법칙이 유효한 것으로 가정하였다. 30일간의 시험생산 해석 결과, 감압에 의한 공극압력 감소 및 유효응력의 증가가 주변 단층의 활성화를 일으킬 가능성은 크지 않은 것으로 나타났다. 초기응력 조건에 따른 활성화 가능성을 활동마찰각으로 평가한 결과로부터 수평응력에 비해 수직응력이 상대적으로 큰 정단층 응력조건(normal fault stress regime)에서 단층 재활성화 가능성이 상대적으로 큰 것으로 파악되었다. 또한, 정단층 응력조건에서 단층 재활성화에 기인한 유도지진 발생규모를 모멘트 크기(moment magnitude)로 추정할 경우, 모두 음(-)의 값을 보여 인간이 감지하지 어려운 수준의 미소지진에 해당하는 결과를 보였다. 다만, 본 해석은 하이드레이트 생산과정에서의 단층재활성화 가능성 평가를 목적으로 한 해석기법 구축 및 그 적용성을 소개할 목적으로 상당히 단순화된 지질구조 모델을 가정한 결과이므로, 향후 하이드레이트 시험 생산 및 상업 생산 지역에서의 상세 지질구조, 입력 물성 및 생산 설계조건을 반영한 해석에서는 상이한 결과를 보일 수 있을 것이다.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• 제20권6호
• /
• pp.537-546
• /
• 2020

Oil and natural gas reserves have been recognised abundantly in clayey rich rock formations in deep costal reservoirs. It is necessary to understand the sedimentary history of those reservoir rocks to well explore these natural resources. This work designs a group of laboratory experiments to mimic the physical process of the sedimentary clay-rich rock formation. It presents characterisation results of the physical properties of the artificial clayey rocks synthesized from illite clay, quartz sand and brine water by high-pressure consolidation tests. Special focus is given on the effects of illite clay content and high-stress consolidation on the physical properties. Multi-step loaded consolidation experiments were carried out with stress up to 35 MPa on mixtures constituting of the illite clay, quartz sand and brine water with five initial illite clay contents (w=85%, 70%, 55%, 40% and 25%). Compressibility and void ratio were characterised throughout the physical compaction process of the mixtures constituting of five illite clay contents and their water permeability was measured as well. Results show that the applied stress induces a great reduction of clayey rock void ratio. Illite clay contents has a significant influence on the compressibility, void ratio and the permeability of the physically synthesized clayey rocks. There is a critical illite clay content w=70% that induces the minimum void ratio in the physically synthesised clayey rocks. The SEM study indicates, in the high-pressure synthesised clayey rocks with high illite clay contents, the illite clay minerals are located in layers and serve as the material matrix, and the quartz minerals fill in the inter-mineral pores or are embedded in the illite clay matrix. The arrangements of the minerals in microscale originate the structural anisotropy of the high-pressure synthesised clayey rock. The test findings can give an intuitive physical understanding of the deep-buried clayey rock basins in energy reservoirs.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• 제14권1호
• /
• pp.99-105
• /
• 2018

Soils are generally classified as fine-grained or coarse-grained depending on the percentage content of the primary constituents. In reality, soils are actually made up of mixed and composite constituents. Soils primarily classified as fine-grained, still consists of a range of coarse particles as secondary constituents in between 0% to 50%. A laboratory scale model test was conducted to investigate the influence of coarse particles on the physical (e.g., density, water content, and void ratio) and mechanical (e.g., quick undrained shear strength) properties of primarily classified fine-grained cohesive soils. Pure kaolinite clay and sand-mixed kaolinite soil (e.g., sand content: 10%, 20%, and 30%) having various water contents (60%, 65%, and 70%) were preconsolidated at different stress levels (0, 13, 17.5, 22 kPa). The quick undrained shear strength properties were determined using the conventional Static Cone Penetration Test (SCPT) method and the new Fall Cone Test (FCT) method. The corresponding void ratios and densities with respect to the quick undrained shear strength were also observed. Correlations of the physical properties and quick undrained shear strengths derived from the SCPT and FCT were also established. Comparison of results showed a significant relationship between the two methods. From the results of FCT and SCPT, there is a decreasing trend of quick undrained shear strength, strength increase ratio ($S_u/P_o$), and void ratio (e) as the sand content is increased. The quick undrained shear strength generally decreases with increased water content. For the same water content, increasing the sand content resulted to a decrease in quick undrained shear strength due to reduced adhesion, and also, resulted to an increase in density. Similarly, it is observed that the change in density is distinctively noticeable at sand content greater than 20%. However, for sand content lower than 10%, there is minimal change in density with respect to water content. In general, the results showed a decrease in quick undrained shear strength for soils with higher amounts of sand content. Therefore, as the soil adhesion is reduced, the cone penetration resistances of the FCT and SCPT reflects internal friction and density of sand in the total shear strength.