Zhou, B., Sanchez, M., Oldecop, L., & Santamarina, J. C. (2022). A Geomechanical Model for Gas Hydrate Bearing Sediments Incorporating High Dilatency, Temperature, and Rate Effects, Energies, 15
Abstract
The geomechanical behavior of methane hydrate bearing sediments (MHBS) is influenced
by many factors, including temperature, fluid pressure, hydrate saturation, stress level, and strain
rate. The paper presents a visco-elastoplastic constitutive model for MHBS based on an elastoplastic
model that incorporates the effect of hydrate saturation, stress history, and hydrate morphology on
hydrate sediment response. The upgraded model is able to account for additional critical features of
MHBS behavior, such as, high-dilatancy, temperature, and rate effects. The main components and
the mathematical formulation of the new constitutive model are described in detail. The upgraded
model is validated using published triaxial tests involving MHBS. The model agrees overly well with
the experimental observations and is able to capture the main features associated with the behavior
of MHBS.