Prediction of flow, transport, and deformation in fractured and porous media is critical to improving our scientific understanding of coupled thermal-hydrological-mechanical processes related to subsurface energy storage and recovery, nonproliferation, and nuclear waste storage. Especially, earth rock response to changes in pressure and stress has remained a critically challenging task. In this work, we advance computational capabilities for coupled processes in fractured and porous media using Sandia Sierra Multiphysics software through verification and validation problems such as poro-elasticity, elasto-plasticity and thermo-poroelasticity. We apply Sierra software for geologic carbon storage, fluid injection/extraction, and enhanced geothermal systems. We also significantly improve machine learning approaches through latent space and self-supervised learning. Additionally, we develop new experimental technique for evaluating dynamics of compacted soils at an intermediate scale. Overall, this project will enable us to systematically measure and control the earth system response to changes in stress and pressure due to subsurface energy activities.
Mechanical properties on alluvium blocks and core samples were determined to support the Source Physics Experiment Dry Alluvium Geology experimental series. Because material was not available directly from the experimental location, the alluvium blocks and core samples are intended to serve as surrogate material . P - and S - wave velocity was measured on cubes cut from the alluvium blocks and core with the intention to study variation from water content and measured direction (material anisotropy). Indirect tensile tests were conducted dry and with moisture ranging from 6 to 9.1%. For the range of water content tested, increasing moisture level resulted in slower P - and S - wave velocities. P - and S - wave variability is less influenced by material heterogeneity than moisture content. P - wave velocity ranges from 629 m/s to 2599 m/s and S - wave velocity ranges from 288 m/s to 1200 m/s. Counter to the velocity measurement findings, material variability on indirect tensile strength has a greater effect than moisture content. Compared to dry strength and at moisture levels from 6 to 9% the block's tensile strength was lowered by at least a factor of 5. Indirect tensile strength for the first block averaged 0.35 MPa and 0.25 MPa for dry and 8.9% moisture respectively. For the second block indirect tensile strength averaged 0.05 MPa for both dry and 6.4% moisture.
Of interest to the Underground Nuclear Explosion Signatures Experiment are patterns and timing of explosion-generated noble gases that reach the land surface. The impact of potentially simultaneous flow of water and gas on noble gas transport in heterogeneous fractured rock is a current scientific knowledge gap. This article presents field and laboratory data to constrain and justify a triple continua conceptual model with multimodal multiphase fluid flow constitutive equations that represents host rock matrix, natural fractures, and induced fractures from past underground nuclear explosions (UNEs) at Aqueduct and Pahute Mesas, Nevada National Security Site, Nevada, USA. Capillary pressure from mercury intrusion and direct air–water measurements on volcanic tuff core samples exhibit extreme spatial heterogeneity (i.e., variation over multiple orders of magnitude). Petrographic observations indicate that heterogeneity derives from multimodal pore structures in ash-flow tuff components and post-depositional alteration processes. Comparisons of pre- and post-UNE samples reveal different pore size distributions that are due in part to microfractures. Capillary pressure relationships require a multimodal van Genuchten (VG) constitutive model to best fit the data. Relative permeability estimations based on unimodal VG fits to capillary pressure can be different from those based on bimodal VG fits, implying the choice of unimodal vs. bimodal fits may greatly affect flow and transport predictions of noble gas signatures. The range in measured capillary pressure and predicted relative permeability curves for a given lithology and between lithologies highlights the need for future modeling to consider spatially distributed properties.
Detection of radioxenon and radioargon produced by underground nuclear explosions is one of the primary methods by which the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test–Ban Treaty (CTBT) monitors for nuclear activities. However, transport of these noble gases to the surface via barometric pumping is a complex process relying on advective and diffusive processes in a fractured porous medium to bring detectable levels to the surface. To better understand this process, experimental measurements of noble gas and chemical surrogate diffusivity in relevant lithologies are necessary. However, measurement of noble gas diffusivity in tight or partially saturated porous media is challenging due to the transparent nature of noble gases, the lengthy diffusion times, and difficulty maintaining consistent water saturation. Here, the quasi-steady-state Ney–Armistead method is modified to accommodate continuous gas sampling via effusive flow to a mass spectrometer. An analytical solution accounting for the cumulative sampling losses and induced advective flow is then derived. Experimental results appear in good agreement with the proposed theory, suggesting the presence of retained groundwater reduces the effective diffusivity of the gas tracers by 10–1000 times. Furthermore, by using a mass spectrometer, the method described herein is applicable to a broad range of gas species and porous media.
Two blocks of alluvium were extensively tested at the Sandia National Laboratories Geomechanics laboratory. The alluvium blocks are intended to serve as surrogate material for mechanical property determinations to support the SPE DAG experimental series. From constant mean stress triaxial testing, strength failure envelopes were parameterized and are presented for each block. Modulus and stress relationships are given including bulk modulus versus mean stress, shear modulus versus shear stress, Young's modulus versus axial stress and Poisson's ratio versus axial stress. In addition, P-&S-wave velocities, and porosity, determined using helium porosimetry, were obtained on each block. Generally, both Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio increase with increasing axial stress, bulk modulus increases with increasing pressure, and increases more dramatically upon pore crush, shear modulus decreases with increasing shear stress and then appears to plateau. The Unconfined Compressive Strength for the BM is in the range of 0.5-0.6, and for SM in the range of 2.0-2.6 MPa. The confined compressive strength increases with increasing confining pressure, and the BM alluvium is significantly weaker compared to SM alluvium for mean stress levels above 8 MPa. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors would like to thank Steve Bauer and Moo Lee for their critical reviews of the report. The authors acknowledge the support of the National Nuclear Security Administration Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development for funding this work. This paper describes objective technical results and analysis. Any subjective views or opinions that might be expressed in the paper do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Department of Energy or the United States Government.
Understanding the dynamic behavior of geomaterials is critical for refining modeling and simulation of applications that involve impacts or explosions. Obtaining material properties of geomaterials is challenging, particularly in tension, due to the brittle and low-strength nature of such materials. Dynamic split tension technique (also called dynamic Brazilian test) has been employed in recent decades to determine the dynamic tensile strength of geomaterials. This is primarily because the split tension method is relatively straightforward to implement in a Kolsky compression bar. Typically, investigators use the peak load reached by the specimen to calculate the tensile strength of the specimen material, which is valid when the specimen is compressed at quasi-static strain rate. However, the same assumption cannot be safely made at dynamic strain rates due to wave propagation effects. In this study, the dynamic split tension (or Brazilian) test technique is revisited. High-speed cameras and digital image correlation (DIC) were used to image the failure of the Brazilian-disk specimen to discover when the first crack occurred relative to the measured peak load during the experiment. Differences of first crack location and time on either side of the sample were compared. The strain rate when the first crack is initiated was also compared to the traditional estimation method of strain rate using the specimen stress history.
Helium and argon are represented by known amounts in air. Helium is 5.2 ppm by volume in the atmosphere and primarily the result of the natural radioactive decay of heavy radioactive elements. Argon is the third most abundant gas in the Earth's atmosphere, 9340 ppm; radiogenic argon-40, is derived from the decay of potassium-40 in the Earth's crust. The isotopic signature of noble gases found in rocks is vastly different than that of the atmosphere which is contributed by a variety of sources. Geogenic noble gases are contained in most crustal rock at inter and intra granular sites, their release during natural and man-made stress and strain changes represents a signal of deformation. When rock is subjected to stress conditions exceeding about half its yield strength, micro-cracks begin to form. As rock deformation progresses a fracture network evolves, releasing trapped noble gases and changing the transport properties to gas migration. Thus, changes in gas emanation and noble gas composition from rocks could be used to infer changes in stress-state and deformation. An experimental system we developed combines triaxial rock deformation and mass spectrometry to measure noble gas flow real-time during deformation. Geogenic noble gases are released during triaxial deformation and that release is related to volume strain and acoustic emissions. The noble gas release then represents a signal of deformation during its stages of development. Gases released depend on initial gas content, pore structure and its evolution, and amount of deformation imposed. Noble gas release is stress/strain history dependent and pressure and strain rate dependent. Sensing of gases released related to both earthquakes and volcanic activity has resulted in anomalies detected for these natural processes. We propose using this deformation signal as a tool to detect subterranean deformation (fracture).
We characterize geomechanical constitutive behavior of reservoir sandstones at conditions simulating the “Cranfield” Southeast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership injection program. From two cores of Lower Tuscaloosa Formation, three sandstone lithofacies were identified for mechanical testing based on permeability and lithology. These include: chlorite-cemented conglomeratic sandstone (Facies A); quartz-cemented fine sandstone (Facies B); and quartz- and calcite-cemented very fine sandstone (Facies C). We performed a suite of compression tests for each lithofacies at 100 °C and pore pressure of 30 MPa, including hydrostatic compression and triaxial tests at several confining pressures. Plugs were saturated with supercritical CO2-saturated brine. Chemical environment affected the mechanical response of all three lithofacies, which experience initial plastic yielding at stresses far below estimated in situ stress. Measured elastic moduli degradation defines a secondary yield surface coinciding with in situ stress for Facies B and C. Facies A shows measurable volumetric creep strain and a failure envelope below estimates of in situ stress, linked to damage of chlorite cements by acidic pore solutions. The substantial weakening of a particular lithofacies by CO2 demonstrates a possible chemical-mechanical coupling during injection at Cranfield with implications for CO2 injection, reservoir permeability stimulation, and enhanced oil recovery.
Presented herein are laboratory gas migration experiments conducted on samples of tuff with varying lithologies mounted within a triaxial core holder. A pressurized gas mixture standard comprised of known concentrations of argon (Ar), xenon (Xe), nitrogen (N2) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6used as a tracer) was used based on previous field gas migration studies. The gas mix is applied at known pressure to the upstream side of the samples to induce flow through the pore spaces and/or across fracture surfaces and the gases are detected in real-time on the downstream side using a quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS). Downstream detection under vacuum is possible by precise metering of the gas mixture through a leak valve with active feedback control. Arrival times and time-variant concentrations of the applied gases downstream are collected for comparison between samples. We intend to determine transport properties of noble gases and SF6, and hypothesize that transport properties vary due to solubility and water content. The parameters derived from this work will provide valuable insight into the three-dimensional structure of damage zones, including fracture networks, the production of temporally variable signatures, and the methods to best detect underground nuclear explosion signatures.
The present study results are focused on laboratory testing of surrogate materials representing Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) waste. The surrogate wastes correspond to a conservative estimate of the containers and transuranic waste materials emplaced at the WIPP. Testing consists of hydrostatic, triaxial, and uniaxial tests performed on surrogate waste recipes based on those previously developed by Hansen et al. (1997). These recipes represent actual waste by weight percent of each constituent and total density. Testing was performed on full-scale and 1/4-scale containers. Axial, lateral, and volumetric strain and axial and lateral stress measurements were made. Unique testing techniques were developed during the course of the experimental program. The first involves the use of a spirometer or precision flow meter to measure sample volumetric strain under the various stress conditions. Since the manner in which the waste containers deformed when compressed was not even, the volumetric and axial strains were used to determine the lateral strains. The second technique involved the development of unique coating procedures that also acted as jackets during hydrostatic, triaxial, and full-scale uniaxial testing; 1/4-scale uniaxial tests were not coated but wrapped with clay to maintain an airtight seal for volumetric strain measurement. During all testing methods, the coatings allowed the use of either a spirometer or precision flow meter to estimate the amount of air driven from the container as it crushed down since the jacket adhered to the container and yet was flexible enough to remain airtight during deformation.
This report details experimental testing and constitutive modeling of sandy soil deformation under quasi - static conditions. This is driven by the need to understand constitutive response of soil to target/component behavior upon impact . An experimental and constitutive modeling program was followed to determine elastic - plastic properties and a compressional failure envelope of dry soil . One hydrostatic, one unconfined compressive stress (UCS), nine axisymmetric compression (ACS) , and one uniaxial strain (US) test were conducted at room temperature . Elastic moduli, assuming isotropy, are determined from unload/reload loops and final unloading for all tests pre - failure and increase monotonically with mean stress. Very little modulus degradation was discernable from elastic results even when exposed to mean stresses above 200 MPa . The failure envelope and initial yield surface were determined from peak stresses and observed onset of plastic yielding from all test results. Soil elasto - plastic behavior is described using the Brannon et al. (2009) Kayenta constitutive model. As a validation exercise, the ACS - parameterized Kayenta model is used to predict response of the soil material under uniaxial strain loading. The resulting parameterized and validated Kayenta model is of high quality and suitable for modeling sandy soil deformation under a range of conditions, including that for impact prediction.
Seven water-saturated triaxial extension experiments were conducted on four sedimentary rocks. This experimental condition was hypothesized more representative of that existing for downhole hydrofracture and thus it may improve our understanding of the phenomena. In all tests the pore pressure was 10 MPa and confirming pressure was adjusted to achieve tensile and transitional failure mode conditions. Using previous work in this LDRD for comparison, the law of effective stress is demonstrated in extension using this sample geometry. In three of the four lithologies, no apparent chemo-mechanical effect of water is apparent, and in the fourth lithology test results indicate some chemo-mechanical effect of water.
A laboratory testing program was developed to examine the short-term mechanical and time-dependent (creep) behavior of salt from the Bayou Choctaw Salt Dome. Core was tested under creep and quasi-static constant mean stress axisymmetric compression, and constant mean stress axisymmetric extension conditions. Creep tests were performed at 38 degrees Celsius, and the axisymmetric tests were performed at ambient temperatures (22-26 degrees Celsius). The testing performed indicates that the dilation criterion is pressure and stress state dependent. It was found that as the mean stress increases, the shear stress required to cause dilation increases. The results for this salt are reasonably consistent with those observed for other domal salts. Also it was observed that tests performed under extensile conditions required consistently lower shear stress to cause dilation for the same mean stress, which is consistent with other domal salts. Young's modulus ranged from 27.2 to 58.7 GPa with an average of 44.4 GPa, with Poisson's ratio ranging from 0.10 to 0.43 with an average of 0.30. Creep testing indicates that the BC salt is intermediate in creep resistance when compared with other bedded and domal salt steady-state behavior.
Crushed salt is being considered as a backfill material in the event of a salt repository for high level nuclear waste. The thermal-mechanical-hydrological properties of crushed salt as it reconsolidates in response to pressure and temperature changes are therefore important. An experimental system to measure gas flow through consolidating crushed salt at elevated temperature and pressure has been developed and tested. An experiment completed at 250°C, and hydrostatic pressures to 20 MPa, compacted a crushed salt sample from ∼40 percent porosity to near zero porosity. For this consolidation history, apparent permeability decreased from greater than 10-12 m2 to ∼10-22 m2.
Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia) has a long history in developing compact, mobile, very high-speed drilling systems and this technology could be applied to increasing the rate at which boreholes are drilled during a mine accident response. The present study reviews current technical approaches, primarily based on technology developed under other programs, analyzes mine rescue specific requirements to develop a conceptual mine rescue drilling approach, and finally, proposes development of a phased mine rescue drilling system (MRDS) that accomplishes (1) development of rapid drilling MRDS equipment; (2) structuring improved web communication through the Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA) web site; (3) development of an improved protocol for employment of existing drilling technology in emergencies; (4) deployment of advanced technologies to complement mine rescue drilling operations during emergency events; and (5) preliminary discussion of potential future technology development of specialized MRDS equipment. This phased approach allows for rapid fielding of a basic system for improved rescue drilling, with the ability to improve the system over time at a reasonable cost.
The present study results are focused on laboratory testing of surrogate waste materials. The surrogate wastes correspond to a conservative estimate of degraded Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) containers and TRU waste materials at the end of the 10,000 year regulatory period. Testing consists of hydrostatic, triaxial, and uniaxial strain tests performed on surrogate waste recipes that were previously developed by Hansen et al. (1997). These recipes can be divided into materials that simulate 50% and 100% degraded waste by weight. The percent degradation indicates the anticipated amount of iron corrosion, as well as the decomposition of cellulosics, plastics, and rubbers (CPR). Axial, lateral, and volumetric strain and axial, lateral, and pore stress measurements were made. Two unique testing techniques were developed during the course of the experimental program. The first involves the use of dilatometry to measure sample volumetric strain under a hydrostatic condition. Bulk moduli of the samples measured using this technique were consistent with those measured using more conventional methods. The second technique involved performing triaxial tests under lateral strain control. By limiting the lateral strain to zero by controlling the applied confining pressure while loading the specimen axially in compression, one can maintain a right-circular cylindrical geometry even under large deformations. This technique is preferred over standard triaxial testing methods which result in inhomogeneous deformation or (3z(Bbarreling(3y. (BManifestations of the inhomogeneous deformation included non-uniform stress states, as well as unrealistic Poisson<U+2019>s ratios (> 0.5) or those that vary significantly along the length of the specimen. Zero lateral strain controlled tests yield a more uniform stress state, and admissible and uniform values of Poisson<U+2019>s ratio.
A laboratory testing program was developed to examine the short-term mechanical and time-dependent (creep) behavior of salt from the Bayou Choctaw Salt Dome. This report documents the test methodologies, and constitutive properties inferred from tests performed. These are used to extend our understanding of the mechanical behavior of the Bayou Choctaw domal salt and provide a data set for numerical analyses. The resulting information will be used to support numerical analyses of the current state of the Bayou Choctaw Dome as it relates to its crude oil storage function as part of the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Core obtained from Drill Hole BC-102B was tested under creep and quasi-static constant mean stress axisymmetric compression, and constant mean stress axisymmetric extension conditions. Creep tests were performed at 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and the axisymmetric tests were performed at ambient temperatures (72-78 degrees Fahrenheit). The testing performed indicates that the dilation criterion is pressure and stress state dependent. It was found that as the mean stress increases, the shear stress required to cause dilation increases. The results for this salt are reasonably consistent with those observed for other domal salts. Also it was observed that tests performed under extensile conditions required consistently lower shear stress to cause dilation for the same mean stress, which is consistent with other domal salts. Young's moduli ranged from 3.95 x 106 to 8.51 x 106 psi with an average of 6.44 x 106 psi, with Poisson's ratios ranging from 0.10 to 0.43 with an average of 0.30. Creep testing indicates that the BC salt is intermediate in creep resistance when compared with other bedded and domal salt steady-state behavior.
The Iowa Stored Energy Plant Agency selected a geologic structure at Dallas Center, Iowa, for evaluation of subsurface compressed air energy storage. The site was rejected due to lower-than-expected and heterogeneous permeability of the target reservoir, lower-than-desired porosity, and small reservoir volume. In an initial feasibility study, permeability and porosity distributions of flow units for the nearby Redfield gas storage field were applied as analogue values for numerical modeling of the Dallas Center Structure. These reservoir data, coupled with an optimistic reservoir volume, produced favorable results. However, it was determined that the Dallas Center Structure cannot be simplified to four zones of high, uniform permeabilities. Updated modeling using field and core data for the site provided unfavorable results for air fill-up. This report presents Sandia National Laboratories petrologic and petrophysical analysis of the Dallas Center Structure that aids in understanding why the site was not suitable for gas storage.
Three salt compositions for potential use in trough-based solar collectors were tested to determine their mechanical properties as a function of temperature. The mechanical properties determined were unconfined compressive strength, Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, and indirect tensile strength. Seventeen uniaxial compression and indirect tension tests were completed. It was found that as test temperature increases, unconfined compressive strength and Young's modulus decreased for all salt types. Empirical relationships were developed quantifying the aforementioned behaviors. Poisson's ratio tends to increase with increasing temperature except for one salt type where there is no obvious trend. The variability in measured indirect tensile strength is large, but not atypical for this index test. The average tensile strength for all salt types tested is substantially higher than the upper range of tensile strengths for naturally occurring rock salts. Interest in raising the operating temperature of concentrating solar technologies and the incorporation of thermal storage has motivated studies on the implementation of molten salt as the system working fluid. Recently, salt has been considered for use in trough-based solar collectors and has been shown to offer a reduction in levelized cost of energy as well as increasing availability (Kearney et al., 2003). Concerns regarding the use of molten salt are often related to issues with salt solidification and recovery from freeze events. Differences among salts used for convective heat transfer and storage are typically designated by a comparison of thermal properties. However, the potential for a freeze event necessitates an understanding of salt mechanical properties in order to characterize and mitigate possible detrimental effects. This includes stress imparted by the expanding salt. Samples of solar salt, HITEC salt (Coastal Chemical Co.), and a low melting point quaternary salt were cast for characterization tests to determine unconfined compressive strength, indirect tensile strength, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), Young's modulus, and Poisson's ratio. Experiments were conducted at multiple temperatures below the melting point to determine temperature dependence.
Two samples of jacketed Microtherm{reg_sign}HT were hydrostatically pressurized to maximum pressures of 29,000 psi to evaluate both pressure-volume response and change in bulk modulus as a function of density. During testing, each of the two samples exhibited large irreversible compactive volumetric strains with only small increases in pressure; however at volumetric strains of approximately 50%, the Microtherm{reg_sign}HT stiffened noticeably at ever increasing rates. At the maximum pressure of 29,000 psi, the volumetric strains for both samples were approximately 70%. Bulk modulus, as determined from hydrostatic unload/reload loops, increased by more than two-orders of magnitude (from about 4500 psi to over 500,000 psi) from an initial material density of {approx}0.3 g/cc to a final density of {approx}1.1 g/cc. An empirical fit to the density vs. bulk modulus data is K = 492769{rho}{sup 4.6548}, where K is the bulk modulus in psi, and {rho} is the material density in g/cm{sup 3}. The porosity decreased from 88% to {approx}20% indicating that much higher pressures would be required to compact the material fully.
Three salt compositions for potential use in trough-based solar collectors were tested to determine their mechanical properties as a function of temperature. The mechanical properties determined were unconfined compressive strength, Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, and indirect tensile strength. Seventeen uniaxial compression and indirect tension tests were completed. It was found that as test temperature increases, unconfined compressive strength and Young's modulus decreased for all salt types. Empirical relationships were developed quantifying the aforementioned behaviors. Poisson's ratio tends to increase with increasing temperature except for one salt type where there is no obvious trend. The variability in measured indirect tensile strength is large, but not atypical for this index test. The average tensile strength for all salt types tested is substantially higher than the upper range of tensile strengths for naturally occurring rock salts.
Specimens of poled and unpoled PZST ceramic were tested under hydrostatic loading conditions at temperatures of -55, 25, and 75 C. The objective of this experimental study was to obtain the electro-mechanical properties of the ceramic and the criteria of FE (Ferroelectric) to AFE (Antiferroelectric) phase transformations of the PZST ceramic to aid grain-scale modeling efforts in developing and testing realistic response models for use in simulation codes. As seen in previous studies, the poled ceramic from PZST undergoes anisotropic deformation during the transition from a FE to an AFE phase at -55 C. Warmer temperature tests exhibit anisotropic deformation in both the FE and AFE phase. The phase transformation is permanent at -55 C for all ceramics tests, whereas the transformation can be completely reversed at 25 and 75 C. The change in the phase transformation pressures at different temperatures were practically identical for both unpoled and poled PZST specimens. Bulk modulus for both poled and unpoled material was lowest in the FE phase, intermediate in the transition phase, and highest in the AFE phase. Additionally, bulk modulus varies with temperature in that PZST is stiffer as temperature decreases. Results from one poled-biased test for PZST and four poled-biased tests from PNZT 95/5-2Nb are presented. A bias of 1kV did not show noticeable differences in phase transformation pressure for the PZST material. However, with PNZT 95/5-2Nb phase transformation pressure increased with increasing voltage bias up to 4.5kV.
This report is a revision of SAND2009-0852. SAND2009-0852 was revised because it was discovered that a gage used in the original testing was mis-calibrated. Following the recalibration, all affected raw data were recalculated and re-presented. Most revised data is similar to, but slightly different than, the original data. Following the data re-analysis, none of the inferences or conclusions about the data or site relative to the SAND2009-0852 data have been changed. A laboratory testing program was developed to examine the mechanical behavior of salt from the Richton salt dome. The resulting information is intended for use in design and evaluation of a proposed Strategic Petroleum Reserve storage facility in that dome. Core obtained from the drill hole MRIG-9 was obtained from the Texas Bureau of Economic Geology. Mechanical properties testing included: (1) acoustic velocity wave measurements; (2) indirect tensile strength tests; (3) unconfined compressive strength tests; (4) ambient temperature quasi-static triaxial compression tests to evaluate dilational stress states at confining pressures of 725, 1450, 2175, and 2900 psi; and (5) confined triaxial creep experiments to evaluate the time-dependent behavior of the salt at axial stress differences of 4000 psi, 3500 psi, 3000 psi, 2175 psi and 2000 psi at 55 C and 4000 psi at 35 C, all at a constant confining pressure of 4000 psi. All comments, inferences, discussions of the Richton characterization and analysis are caveated by the small number of tests. Additional core and testing from a deeper well located at the proposed site is planned. The Richton rock salt is generally inhomogeneous as expressed by the density and velocity measurements with depth. In fact, we treated the salt as two populations, one clean and relatively pure (> 98% halite), the other salt with abundant (at times) anhydrite. The density has been related to the insoluble content. The limited mechanical testing completed has allowed us to conclude that the dilatational criteria are distinct for the halite-rich and other salts, and that the dilation criteria are pressure dependent. The indirect tensile strengths and unconfined compressive strengths determined are consistently lower than other coastal domal salts. The steady-state-only creep model being developed suggests that Richton salt is intermediate in creep resistance when compared to other domal and bedded salts. The results of the study provide only limited information for structural modeling needed to evaluate the integrity and safety of the proposed cavern field. This study should be augmented with more extensive testing. This report documents a series of test methods, philosophies, and empirical relationships, etc., that are used to define and extend our understanding of the mechanical behavior of the Richton salt. This understanding could be used in conjunction with planned further studies or on its own for initial assessments.
A laboratory testing program was developed to examine the mechanical behavior of salt from the Richton salt dome. The resulting information is intended for use in design and evaluation of a proposed Strategic Petroleum Reserve storage facility in that dome. Core obtained from the drill hole MRIG-9 was obtained from the Texas Bureau of Economic Geology. Mechanical properties testing included: (1) acoustic velocity wave measurements; (2) indirect tensile strength tests; (3) unconfined compressive strength tests; (4) ambient temperature quasi-static triaxial compression tests to evaluate dilational stress states at confining pressures of 725, 1450, 2175, and 2900 psi; and (5) confined triaxial creep experiments to evaluate the time-dependent behavior of the salt at axial stress differences of 4000 psi, 3500 psi, 3000 psi, 2175 psi and 2000 psi at 55 C and 4000 psi at 35 C, all at a constant confining pressure of 4000 psi. All comments, inferences, discussions of the Richton characterization and analysis are caveated by the small number of tests. Additional core and testing from a deeper well located at the proposed site is planned. The Richton rock salt is generally inhomogeneous as expressed by the density and velocity measurements with depth. In fact, we treated the salt as two populations, one clean and relatively pure (> 98% halite), the other salt with abundant (at times) anhydrite. The density has been related to the insoluble content. The limited mechanical testing completed has allowed us to conclude that the dilatational criteria are distinct for the halite-rich and other salts, and that the dilation criteria are pressure dependent. The indirect tensile strengths and unconfined compressive strengths determined are consistently lower than other coastal domal salts. The steady-state-only creep model being developed suggests that Richton salt is intermediate in creep resistance when compared to other domal and bedded salts. The results of the study provide only limited information for structural modeling needed to evaluate the integrity and safety of the proposed cavern field. This study should be augmented with more extensive testing. This report documents a series of test methods, philosophies, and empirical relationships, etc., that are used to define and extend our understanding of the mechanical behavior of the Richton salt. This understanding could be used in conjunction with planned further studies or on its own for initial assessments.