Effects of seepage pressure on the mechanical behaviors and microstructure of sandstone

Surrounding rocks of underground engineering are subjected to long-term seepage pressure,which can deteriorate the mechanical properties and cause serious disasters.In order to understand the impact of seepage pressure on the mechanical property of sandstone,uniaxial compression tests,P-wave velocity measurements,and nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)tests were conducted on saturated sandstone samples with varied seepage pressures(i.e.0 MPa,3 MPa,4 MPa,5 MPa,6 MPa,7 MPa).The results demonstrate that the mechanical parameters(uniaxial compressive strength,peak strain,elastic modulus,and brittleness index),total energy,elastic strain energy,as well as elastic strain energy ratio,decrease with increasing seepage pressure,while the dissipation energy and dissipation energy ratio increase.Moreover,as seepage pressure increases,the micro-pores gradually transform into meso-pores and macro-pores.This increases the cumulative porosity of sandstone and decreases P-wave velocity.The numerical results indicate that as seepage pressure rises,the number of tensile cracks increases progressively,the angle range of microcracks is basically from 50-120to 80-100,and as a result,the failure mode transforms to the tensile-shear mixed failure mode.Finally,the effects of seepage pressure on mechanical properties were discussed.The results show that decrease in the effective stress and cohesion under the action of seepage pressure could lead to deterioration of strength behaviors of sandstone.

Effect mechanism of seepage force on the hydraulic fracture propagation

The flow of fluid through the porous matrix of a reservoir rock applies a seepage force to the solid rock matrix.Although the seepage force exerted by fluid flow through the porous matrix of a reservoir rock has a notable influence on rock deformation and failure,its effect on hydraulic fracture(HF)propagation remains ambiguous.Therefore,in this study,we improved a traditional fluid–solid coupling method by incorporating the role of seepage force during the fracturing fluid seepage,using the discrete element method.First,we validated the simulation results of the improved method by comparing them with an analytical solution of the seepage force and published experimental results.Next,we conducted numerical simulations in both homogeneous and heterogeneous sandstone formations to investigate the influence of seepage force on HF propagation.Our results indicate that fluid viscosity has a greater impact on the magnitude and extent of seepage force compared to injection rate,and that lower viscosity and injection rate correspond to shorter hydraulic fracture lengths.Furthermore,seepage force influences the direction of HF propagation,causing HFs to deflect towards the side of the reservoir with weaker cementation and higher permeability.

Impact of Osmotic Pressure on Seepage in Shale Oil Reservoirs

Following large-scale volume fracturing in shale oil reservoirs,well shut-in measures are generally employed.Laboratory tests and field trials have underscored the efficacy of fracturing fluid imbibition during the shut-in phase in augmenting shale oil productivity.Unlike conventional reservoirs,shale oil reservoirs exhibit characteristics such as low porosity,low permeability,and rich content of organic matter and clay minerals.Notably,the osmotic pressure effects occurring between high-salinity formation water and low-salinity fracturing fluids are significant.The current understanding of the mobilization patterns of crude oil in micro-pores during the imbibition process remains nebulous,and the mechanisms underpinning osmotic pressure effects are not fully understood.This study introduces a theoretical approach,by which a salt ion migration control equation is derived and a mathematical model for spontaneous imbibition in shale is introduced,which is able to account for both capillary and osmotic pressures.Results indicate that during the spontaneous imbibition of low-salinity fluids,osmotic effects facilitate the migration of external fluids into shale pores,thereby complementing capillary forces in displacing shale oil.When considering both capillary and osmotic pressures,the calculated imbibition depth increases by 12%compared to the case where only capillary forces are present.The salinity difference between the reservoir and the fracturing fluids significantly influences the imbibition depth.Calculations for the shutin phase reveal that the pressure between the matrix and fractures reaches a dynamic equilibrium after 28 days of shut-in.During the production phase,the maximum seepage distance in the target block is approximately 6.02 m.

Experimental study of the effects of a multistage pore-throat structure on the seepage characteristics of sandstones in the Beibuwan Basin:Insights into the flooding mode

To investigate the relationship between grain sizes, seepage capacity, and oil-displacement efficiency in the Liushagang Formation of the Beibuwan Basin, this study identifies the multistage pore-throat structure as a crucial factor through a comparison of oil displacement in microscopic pore-throat experiments. The two-phase flow evaluation method based on the Li-Horne model is utilized to effectively characterize and quantify the seepage characteristics of different reservoirs, closely relating them to the distribution of microscopic pores and throats. It is observed that conglomerate sandstones at different stages exhibit significant heterogeneity and noticeable differences in seepage capacity, highlighting the crucial role played by certain large pore throats in determining seepage capacity and oil displacement efficiency. Furthermore, it was found that the displacement effects of conglomeratic sandstones with strong heterogeneity were inferior to those of conventional homogeneous sandstone, as evidenced by multiple displacement experiments conducted on core samples with varying granularities and flooding systems. Subsequently, core-based experiments on associated gas flooding after water flooding were conducted to address the challenge of achieving satisfactory results in a single displacement mode for reservoirs with significant heterogeneity. The results indicate that the oil recovery rates for associated gas flooding after water flooding increased by 7.3%-16.4% compared with water flooding alone at a gas-oil ratio of approximately 7000 m^(3)/m^(3). Therefore, considering the advantages of gas flooding in terms of seepage capacity, oil exchange ratio, and the potential for two-phase production, gas flooding is recommended as an energy supplement mode for homogeneous reservoirs in the presence of sufficient gas source and appropriate tectonic angle. On the other hand, associated gas flooding after water flooding is suggested to achieve a more favorable development effect compared to a single mode of energy supplementation for strongly heterogeneous sandstone reservoirs.

Impact of seepage flow on sediment resuspension by internal solitary waves:parameterization and mechanism

Sediment incipient motion is the first step in sediment resuspension.Previous studies ignored the effect of seepage flow on the mobility of sediment particles and simplified the seabed surface as a rigid boundary.A flume experiment was designed to innovatively divide the seabed into two parts to control the dynamic response of the seabed and control the seepage conditions.In the experiment,the seabed sediments and the amplitude of internal solitary waves(ISWs)were changed to compare and analyze the impact of seepage flow on the sediment resuspension by shoaling ISWs.Moreover,parametric research and verification were carried out.Results indicate that seepage flow can greatly influence fine sand,promote sediment resuspension,and increase the amount of suspension by two times on average.However,seepage flow had a little effect on the suspension of clayey silt and sandy silt.Besides,seepage force was added to the traditional gravity,drag force,and uplift force,and the parameterization of threshold starting shear stress of coarse-grained sediments was developed.The results of this parameterization were verified,and seepage force was critical to parameterization.The threshold starting shear stress was reduced by 54.6%after increasing the seepage force.The physical mechanism of this process corresponded to the vertical reciprocating transient seepage in and out the seabed interface caused by the wave-induced transient excess pore water pressure.This quantitative study on seepage flow for shear stress of coarse-grained sediments induced by ISWs is critical to geohazard assessment.

Groundwater flow through fractured rocks and seepage control in geotechnical engineering: Theories and practices

Groundwater flow through fractured rocks has been recognized as an important issue in many geotechnical engineering practices.Several key aspects of fundamental mechanisms,numerical modeling and engineering applications of flow in fractured rocks are discussed.First,the microscopic mechanisms of fluid flow in fractured rocks,especially under the complex conditions of non-Darcian flow,multiphase flow,rock dissolution,and particle transport,have been revealed through a com-bined effort of visualized experiments and theoretical analysis.Then,laboratory and field methods of characterizing hydraulic properties(e.g.intrinsic permeability,inertial permeability,and unsaturated flow parameters)of fractured rocks in different flow regimes have been proposed.Subsequently,high-performance numerical simulation approaches for large-scale modeling of groundwater flow in frac-tured rocks and aquifers have been developed.Numerical procedures for optimization design of seepage control systems in various settings have also been proposed.Mechanisms of coupled hydro-mechanical processes and control of flow-induced deformation have been discussed.Finally,three case studies are presented to illustrate the applications of the improved theoretical understanding,characterization methods,modeling approaches,and seepage and deformation control strategies to geotechnical engi-neering projects.

Sensitivity Analysis of Multi-phase Seepage Parameters Affecting the Clayey Silt Hydrate Reservoir Productivity in the Shenhu Area,South China Sea

Natural gas hydrate(NGH)is an important future resource for the 21st century and a strategic resource with potential for commercial development in the third energy transition.It is of great significance to accurately predict the productivity of hydrate-bearing sediments(HBS).The multi-phase seepage parameters of HBS include permeability,porosity,which is closely related to permeability,and hydrate saturation,which has a direct impact on hydrate content.Existing research has shown that these multi-phase seepage parameters have a great impact on HBS productivity.Permeability directly affects the transmission of pressure-drop and discharge of methane gas,porosity and initial hydrate saturation affect the amount of hydrate decomposition and transmission process of pressure-drop,and also indirectly affect temperature variation of the reservoir.Considering the spatial heterogeneity of multi-phase seepage parameters,a depressurization production model with layered heterogeneity is established based on the clayey silt hydrate reservoir at W11 station in the Shenhu Sea area of the South China Sea.Tough+Hydrate software was used to calculate the production model;the process of gas production and seepage parameter evolution under different multi-phase seepage conditions were obtained.A sensitivity analysis of the parameters affecting the reservoir productivity was conducted so that:(a)a HBS model with layered heterogeneity can better describe the transmission process of pressure and thermal compensation mechanism of hydrate reservoir;(b)considering the multi-phase seepage parameter heterogeneity,the influence degrees of the parameters on HBS productivity were permeability,porosity and initial hydrate saturation,in order from large to small,and the influence of permeability was significantly greater than that of other parameters;(c)the production potential of the clayey silt reservoir should not only be determined by hydrate content or seepage capacity,but also by the comprehensive effect of the two;and(d)time scales need to be considered when studying the effects of changes in multi-phase seepage parameters on HBS productivity.

Effect of particle gradation on pore structure and seepage law of solution in weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ores

Both CT and Avizo software were used to explore the effect of particle gradation on the evolution characteristics of pore structure and seepage paths in weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ores during leaching.The results showed that the pore areas in four kinds of ore samples before leaching were mainly concentrated in 10^(4)–10^(7)μm^(2),whose pore quantities accounted for 96.89%,94.94%,90.48%,and 89.45%,respectively,while the corresponding pore volume only accounted for 30.74%,14.55%,7.58%,and 2.84%of the total pore volume.With the decrease of fractal dimension,the average pore throat length increased,but pore throat quantities,the average pore throat radius and coordination number decreased.Compared with that before leaching,the change degree of pore structure during leaching increased with the fractal dimension decreasing.For example,the reduction rate of the average coordination number of ore samples was 14.36%,21.30%,28.00%,and 32.90%,respectively.Seepage simulation results indicated that seepage paths were uniformly distributed before leaching while the streamline density and seepage velocity increased with the fractal dimension decreasing.Besides,the phenomenon of the streamline interruption gradually reduced during leaching while preferential seepage got more obvious with the decrease of the fractal dimension.

Elimination mechanism of coal and gas outburst based on geo‑dynamic system with stress–damage–seepage interactions

Coal and gas outburst is a complex dynamic disaster during coal underground mining.Revealing the disaster mechanism is of great signifcance for accurate prediction and prevention of coal and gas outburst.The geo-dynamic system of coal and gas outburst is proposed.The framework of geo-dynamic system is composed of gassy coal mass,geological dynamic environment and mining disturbance.Equations of stress–damage–seepage interaction for gassy coal mass is constructed to resolve the outburst elimination process by gas extraction with boreholes through layer in foor roadway.The results show the occurrence of outburst is divided into the evolution process of gestation,formation,development and termination of geo-dynamic system.The scale range of outburst occurrence is determined,which provides a spatial basis for the prevention and control of outburst.The formation criterion and instability criterion of coal and gas outburst are established.The formation criterion F1 is defned as the scale of the geo-dynamic system,and the instability criterion F2 is defned as the scale of the outburst geo-body.According to the geo-dynamic system,the elimination mechanism of coal and gas outburst—‘unloading+depressurization’is established,and the gas extraction by boreholes through layer in foor roadway for outburst elimination is given.For the research case,when the gas extraction is 120 days,the gas pressure of the coal seam is reduced to below 0.4 MPa,and the outburst danger is eliminated efectively.

Microbiota of a seepage face at the mouth of a subterranean estuary:diversity,distribution and substrate dependence

Subterranean estuaries,i.e.,the mixing zone between terrestrial groundwater and recirculated seawater,host a wide range of microbiota.Here,field campaigns were conducted at the mouth of the subterranean estuary at the Sanggou Bay(Shandong Province,China)over four consecutive seasons at a seepage face(0−20 cm depth).The diversity of benthic microbiome was characterized via 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metagenomics,combined with physic-chemical parameters,e.g.,organic carbon,total nitrogen and sulfate contents in sediments.During spring,the dominant species were assigned to the phylum Proteobacteria.Important opportunistic species was assigned to Acidobacteria,Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes.The key components were identified to be species of the genera Pseudoalteromonas,Colwellia and Sphingobium,indicating the involvement of sediment microbiota in the degradation of sedimentary organic carbon,particularly that of pelagic origin,e.g.,phytoplankton detritus and bivalve pseudo-feces.During spring,the microbial community was statistically similar along the depth profiles and among the three sampled stations.Similar spatial distributions were obtained in the remaining seasons.By contrast,the dominant species assemblages varied significantly among seasons,with key genera being Thioprofundum and Nitrosopumilus during summer and autumn and Thioprofundum and Ilumatobacter during winter.Network analysis revealed a seasonal shift in benthic nitrogen and sulfur metabolism associated with these variations in microbial community composition.Overall,our findings suggested that macro elements derived from pelagic inputs,particularly detrital phytoplankton,shaped the microbial community compositions at the seepage face,resulting in significant seasonal variations,while the influence of terrestrial materials transported by groundwater on the sediment microbiota at the seepage face found to be minor.

Effect of seepage-induced erosion on soil macropore structure

Internal erosion is one of the important factors causing geological disasters.The microstructure of soil can change with seepage erosion,resulting in changes in the hydraulic and mechanical properties of the soil.The evolution of seepage erosion is investigated with X-ray computed tomography(CT)in this study.The change in macropore structure characteristics during the seepage erosion test is quantified and the influence of seepage erosion on soil deformation is analyzed.Moreover,a pore network model(PNM)is established for the specimens and the evolution of the connected pore size characteristics is assessed.The results show that the macropore structure is significantly affected by seepage erosion,especially in terms of the porosity and pore geometry characteristics.The changes in macropore structure characteristics are most obvious in the lower part of the specimen.The influence of seepage erosion on the pore size distribution(PSD)and soil deformation is heterogeneous and closely dependent on the spatial location of the soil.Moreover,seepage erosion enhances macropore connectivity and has a directional impact on macropore orientation.These findings can provide a reference for the theoretical modeling and numerical simulation of the seepage erosion and improve the understanding of the seepage erosion evolution in engineering practice.

Study of the Seepage Mechanism in Thick Heterogeneous Gas Reservoirs

The seepage mechanism plays a crucial role in low-permeability gas reservoirs.Compared with conventional gas reservoirs,low-permeability sandstone gas reservoirs are characterized by low porosity,low permeability,strong heterogeneity,and high water saturation.Moreover,their percolation mechanisms are more complex.The present work describes a series of experiments conducted considering low-permeability sandstone cores under pressuredepletion conditions(from the Xihu Depression in the East China Sea Basin).It is shown that the threshold pressure gradient of a low-permeability gas reservoir in thick layers is positively correlated with water saturation and negatively correlated with permeability and porosity.The reservoir stress sensitivity is related to permeability and rock composition.Stress sensitivity is generally low when permeability is high or in the early stage of gas reservoir development.It is also shown that in sand conglomerates,especially the more sparsely filled parts,the interstitial materials among the conglomerates can be rapidly dislodged from the skeleton particles under stress.This material can therefore disperse,migrate,and block the pore throat producing serious,stress-sensitive damage.

Some Results of Direct FR Technology Applied to Study Methane Seepage Areas in the Arctic Region

The experimental study of the seepage processes’sources formation in structures of the Arctic Region was carried out using modified methods of frequency-resonance(FR)processing and decoding of satellite images and photographs with the vertical scanning of the cross-sections.The newly obtained results show that the intensity and dynamics of the methane seeps and pockmarks fields’formation depend on active deep degassing processes in the continental margin structures.The use of direct FR-sounding technologies allows for determining the probable origin and depth of geological sources of gas migration at marginal migration centers in Greenland,and Norwegian and Barents Seas.New results confirm the crust-mantle gas fluids’influence on the nature and degassing processes features in the scan points of polar marginal structures.These data are important arguments in favor of the“volcanic model”of various structural elements formation in this and other regions.The FR technologies data also showed a possibility of seeps use as shallow and deep hydrocarbon field indicators in gas emission areas.These independent data can be used in compiling models of the deep lithosphere structure and possible mechanisms of abiogenetic hydrocarbon formation in Arctic margin structures.The authors suppose that hydrocarbons through deep channels migrate(from 57 km deep)to the upper crustal horizons where their fields can form.During this migration,gas seeps and pockmarks are formed on the sea bottom and part of the gas can migrate into the atmosphere.Data show that basaltic volcanoes in Greenland scan points can be the real channels through which hydrogen migrates to the upper crustal horizons and further into the atmosphere.Active gas migration in Arctic seepage areas can be an important factor in the global climate change processes.

A study on impacts of groundwater seepage on artificial freezing process of gravel strata

Purpose–This paper aims to study the impacts of groundwater seepage on artificial freezing process of gravel strata,the temperature field characteristics of the strata,and the strata process,closure time and thickness evolution mechanism of the frozen wall.Design/methodology/approach–In this paper several laboratory model tests were conducted,considering different groundwater seepage rate.Findings–The results show that there is a significant coupling effect between the cold diffusion of artificial freezing pipes and groundwater seepage;when there is no seepage,temperature fields upstream and downstream of the gravel strata are symmetrically distributed,and the thickness of the frozen soil column/frozen wall is consistent during artificial freezing;groundwater seepage causes significant asymmetry in the temperature fields upstream and downstream of the gravel strata,and the greater the seepage rate,the more obvious the asymmetry;the frozen wall closure time increases linearly with the increase in the groundwater seepage rate,and specifically,the time length under seepage rate of 5.00 m d
1 is 3.2 times longer than that under no seepage;due to the erosion from groundwater seepage,the thickness of the upstream frozen wall decreases linearly with the seepage velocity,while that of the downstream frozen wall increases linearly,resulting in a saddle-shaped frozen wall.Originality/value–The research results are beneficial to the optimum design and risk control of artificial freezing process in gravel strata.

A new classification of seepage control mechanisms in geotechnical engineering

Seepage flow through soils,rocks and geotechnical structures has a great influence on their stabilities and performances,and seepage control is a critical technological issue in engineering practices.The physical mechanisms associated with various engineering measures for seepage control are investigated from a new perspective within the framework of continuum mechanics;and an equation-based classification of seepage control mechanisms is proposed according to their roles in the mathematical models for seepage flow,including control mechanisms by coupled processes,initial states,boundary conditions and hydraulic properties.The effects of each mechanism on seepage control are illustrated with examples in hydroelectric engineering and radioactive waste disposal,and hence the reasonability of classification is demonstrated.Advice on performance assessment and optimization design of the seepage control systems in geotechnical engineering is provided,and the suggested procedure would serve as a useful guidance for cost-effective control of seepage flow in various engineering practices.

Vertical Migration of Fine-Grained Sediments from Interior to Surface of Seabed Driven by Seepage Flows–‘Sub-Bottom Sediment Pump Action'

A scientific hypothesis is proposed and preliminarily verified in this paper: under the driving of seepage flows, there might be a vertical migration of fine-grained soil particles from interior to surface of seabed, which is defined as ‘sub-bottom sediment pump action' in this paper. Field experiments were performed twice on the intertidal flat of the Yellow River delta to study this process via both trapping the pumped materials and recording the pore pressures in the substrate. Experimental results are quite interesting as we did observe yellow slurry which is mainly composed of fine-grained soil particles appearing on the seabed surface; seepage gradients were also detected in the intertidal flat, under the action of tides and small wind waves. Preliminary conclusions are that ‘sediment pump' occurs when seepage force exceeds a certain threshold: firstly, it is big enough to disconnect the soil particles from the soil skeleton; secondly, the degree of seabed fluidization or bioturbation is big enough to provide preferred paths for the detached materials to migrate upwards. Then they would be firstly pumped from interior to the surface of seabed and then easily re-suspended into overlying water column. Influential factors of ‘sediment pump' are determined as hydrodynamics(wave energy), degree of consolidation, index of bioturbation(permeability) and content of fine-grained materials(sedimentary age). This new perspective of ‘sediment pump' may provide some implications for the mechanism interpretation of several unclear geological phenomena in the Yellow River delta area.

Seepage simulation of high concrete-faced rockfill dams based on generalized equivalent continuum model

This research focused on the three-dimensional(3 D) seepage field simulation of a high concrete-faced rockfill dam(CFRD) under complex hydraulic conditions. A generalized equivalent continuum model of fractured rock mass was used for equivalent continuous seepage field analysis based on the improved node virtual flow method. Using a high CFRD as an example, the generalized equivalent continuum range was determined, and a finite element model was established based on the terrain and geological conditions, as well as structural face characteristics of the dam area. The equivalent seepage coefficients of different material zones or positions in the dam foundation were calculated with the Snow model or inverse analysis. Then, the 3 D seepage field in the dam area was calculated under the normal water storage conditions, and the corresponding water head distribution, seepage flow, seepage gradient, and seepage characteristics in the dam area were analyzed. The results show that the generalized equivalent continuum model can effectively simulate overall seepage patterns of the CFRD under complex hydraulic conditions and provide a reference for seepage analysis of similar CFRDs.

Further studies on the numerical simulation of bubble plumes in the cold seepage active region

Using the occurrence characteristics of bubble plumes in the South China Sea as a reference, this paper continues to study the seismic responses produced by bubble plumes in the cold seepage active region. To make the plume modelling scheme more reasonable, we modified the original modelling scheme and reconstructed a plume water body model based on the variation of its radius as bubbles rise in seawater. The plume seismic records of shot gathers were obtained by forward simulation. The seismic records of single shot show obvious characteristics of a scattering wave field and the periodic characteristics of the model. Seismic records of shot gathers were processed using prestack depth migration. The boundary of its imaging section has a good convergence effect. The migration sections can be imaged distinctly with higher accuracy. The aforementioned studies once again laid a foundation for the further study of the seismic responses produced by plumes. They also gradually probed a more suitable seismic data processing method for plumes and provided a theoretical guidance for the identification of plumes.

Research on the temperature field of a partially freezing sand barrier with groundwater seepage

To study the distribution characteristics and variation regularity of the temperature field during the process of seepage freezing,a simulated-freezing test with seepage of Xuzhou sand was completed by using a model test developed in-house equipment.By means of three group freezing tests with different seepage velocities,we discovered the phenomenon of the asymmetry of the temperature field under the influence of seepage.The temperature upstream was obviously higher than that downstream.The temperature gradient upstream was also steeper than that downstream.With a higher seepage velocity,the asymmetry of the temperature field is more pronounced.The asymmetry for the interface temperature profile is more strongly manifest than for the main surface temperature profile.The cryogenic barrier section is somewhat"heartshaped".With the increasing velocity of the seepage flow,the cooling rate of the soil decreases.It takes much time to reach the equilibrium state of the soil mass.In our study,seepage flow velocities of 0 m/d,7.5 m/d,and 15 m/d showed the soilcooling rate of 4.35°C/h,4.96°C/h,and 1.72°C/h,respectively.