Elastic modulus of claystone evaluated by nano-/micro-indentation tests and meso-compression tests

Toarcian claystone such as that of the Callovo-Oxfordian is a qualified multiphase material. The claystone samples tested in this study are composed of four main mineral phases: silicates(clay minerals, quartz,feldspars, micas)(z86%), sulphides(pyrite)(z3%), carbonates(calcite, dolomite)(z10%) and organic kerogen(z1%). Three sets of measurements of the modulus of deformability were compared as determined in(i) nanoindentation tests with a constant indentation depth of 2 mm,(ii) micro-indentation tests with a constant indentation depth of 20 mm, and(iii) meso-compression tests with a constant displacement of 200 mm. These three experimental methods have already been validated in earlier studies. The main objective of this study is to demonstrate the influence of the scaling effect on the modulus of deformability of the material. Different frequency distributions of the modulus of deformability were obtained at the different sample scales:(i) in nano-indentation tests, the distribution was spread between 15 GPa and 90 GPa and contained one peak at34 GPa and another at 51 GPa;(ii) in the micro-indentation tests, the distribution was spread between 25 GPa and 60 GPa and displayed peaks at 26 GPa and 37 GPa; and(iii) in the meso-compression tests, a narrow frequency distribution was obtained, ranging from 25 GPa to 50 GPa and with a maximum at around 35 GPa.

Determinationofelasticmodulus of claystone:Nano-/micro-indentation andmeso-compression tests used to investigate impact of alkaline fluid propagation over 18 years

Micro-mechanical properties of a claystone were tested after undergoing alkaline perturbation on site(Tournemire,CD borehole)for 18 years.In a saturated context and outside the excavation disturbed zone(EDZ),the claystone exhibits a 11.6-mm black rim at the cement/paste interface,which shows a different mechanical behaviour from the rest of the claystone.Three sets of measurements of elastic modulus were performed using:(i)nano-indentation tests with a constant indentation depth of 2 mm,(ii)microindentation tests with a constant indentation depth of 20 mm,and(iii)meso-compression tests with a constant displacement of 200 mm.The increase of the modulus of deformability in the black rim is between 15 GPa and 20 GPa according to the scale.Moreover,an overall decrease of the modulus of deformability from the smallest to the largest scale is observed in each zone.In view of the mineralogy and petrographic observations,higher values of modulus of deformability in the black rim are related to carbonate content and its distribution.Precipitation of cementitious carbonates as inclusions and very thin partings leads to hardening of the claystone.

Approach for Obtaining Material Mechanical Properties in Local Region of Structure Based on Accurate Analysis of Micro-indentation Test

The hot or cold processing would induce the change and the inhomogeneous of the material mechanical properties in the local processing region of the structure,and it is difficult to obtain the specific mechanical properties in these regions by using the traditional material tensile test.To accurately get actual material mechanical properties in the local region of structure,a micro-indentation test system incorporated by an electronic universal material test device has been established.An indenter displacement sensor and a group of special micro-indenter assemblies are estab-lished.A numerical indentation inversion analysis method by using ABAQUS software is also proposed in this study.Based on the above test system and analysis platform,an approach to obtaining material mechanical properties in the local region of structures is proposed and established.The ball indentation test is performed and combined with the energy method by using various changed mechanical properties of 316L austenitic stainless steel under differ-ent elongations.The investigated results indicate that the material mechanical properties and the micro-indentation morphological changes have evidently relevance.Compared with the tensile test results,the deviations of material mechanical parameters,such as hardness H,the hardening exponent n,the yield strength σy and others are within 5%obtained through the indentation test and the finite element analysis.It provides an effective and convenient method for obtaining the actual material mechanical properties in the local processing region of the structure.

Development of a micro-indentation device for measuring the mechanical properties of soft materials

Indentation is a simple and nondestructive method to measure the mechanical properties of soft materials, such as hydrogels, elastomers and soft tissues. In this work, we have developed a micro-indentation system with high-precision to measure the mechanical properties of soft materials, where the shear modulus and Poisson＇s ratio of the materials can be obtained by analyzing the load relaxation curve. We have validated the accuracy and stability of the system by comparing the measured mechanical properties of a polyethylene glycol sample with that obtained from a commercial instrument. The mechanical properties of another typical polydimethylsiloxane sample submerged in heptane are measured by using conical and spherical indenters, respectively. The measured values of shear modulus and Poisson＇s ratio are within a reasonable range.

Theoretical and experimental researches of size effect in micro-indentation test

Micro-indentation tests at scales on the order of sub-micron have shown that the measured hardness increases strongly with the indent depth or indent size decreasing, which is frequently referred to as the size effect. However, the trend is at odds with the size-independence implied by conventional elastic-plastic theory. In this paper, strain gradient plasticity theory is used to model the size effect for materials undergoing the micro-indenting. Meanwhile, the micro-indentation experiments for single crystal copper and single crystal aluminum are carried out. By the comparison of the theoretical predictions with experimental measurements, the micro-scale parameter of strain gradient plasticity theory is predicted, which is fallen into the region of 0.8—1.5 micron for the conventional metals such as copper (Cu), aluminum (Al) and silver (Ag). Moreover, the phenomena of the pile-up and sink-in near micro-indent boundary are investigated and analyzed in detail.

Mechanical properties study of particles reinforced aluminum matrix composites by micro-indentation experiments

By using instrumental micro-indentation technique, the microhardness and Young＇s modulus of SiC particles reinforced aluminum matrix composites were investigated with micro- compression-tester （MCT）. The micro-indentation experiments were performed with different max- imum loads, and with three loading speeds of 2.231, 4.462 and 19.368 mN/s respectively. During the investigation, matrix, particle and interface were tested by micro-indentation experiments. The results exhibit that the variations of Young＇s modulus and microhardness at particle, matrix and interface were highly dependent on the loading conditions （maximum load and loading speed） and the locations of indentation. Micro-indentation hardness experiments of matrix show the indentation size effects, i.e. the indentation hardness decreased with the indentation depth increas- ing. During the analysis, the effect of loading conditions on Young＇s modulus and microhardness were explained. Besides, the elastic-plastic properties of matrix were analyzed. The validity of cal- culated results was identified by finite element simulation. And the simulation results had been pre- liminarily analyzed from statistical aspect.

Degradation of chemical and mechanical properties of cements with different formulations in CO_(2)-containing HTHP downhole environment

The increasing energy demand has pushed oil and gas exploration and development limits to extremely challenging and harsher HTHP (High Temperature and High Pressure) environments. Maintaining wellbore integrity in these environments, particularly in HPHT reservoirs with corrosive gases, presents a significant challenge. Robust risk evaluation and mitigation strategies are required to address these reservoirs' safety, economic, and environmental uncertainties. This study investigates chemo-mechanical properties degradations of class G oil well cement blended with silica fume, liquid silica, and latex when exposed to high temperature (150 °C) and high partial pressure of CO_(2) saturated brine. The result shows that these admixtures surround the cement grains and fill the interstitial spaces between the cement particles to form a dense crystal system of C–S–H. Consequently, the cement's percentage of pore voids, permeability, and the content of alkali compounds reduce, resulting in increased resistance to CO_(2) corrosion. Liquid silica, a specially prepared silica suspension, is a more effective alternative to silica fume in protecting oil well cement against CO_(2) chemical degradation. Micro-indentation analysis shows a significant deterioration in the mechanical properties of the cement, including average elastic modulus and hardness, particularly in the outer zones in direct contact with corrosive fluids. This study highlights the significance of incorporating admixtures to mitigate the effects of CO_(2) corrosion in HPHT environments and provides a valuable technique for quantitatively evaluating the mechanical-chemical degradation of cement sheath.

Water-induced softening behavior of clay-rich sandstone in Lanzhou Water Supply Project,China

The strength of clay-rich sandstone decreases significantly when in contact with water due to softening effects.This scenario can pose a severe threat to the stability of water diversion tunnels during construction and operation periods.To address the issues related to water-induced softening in clay-rich sandstone zones in a water diversion tunnel of Lanzhou Water Supply Project,the microscopic and micromechanical variations of rocks due to increasing water content in two different zones i.e.zones A and B,were determined by various testing methods,such as X-ray diffraction(XRD),scanning electron microscopy(SEM),thin section microscopy,micro-indentation test,sonic velocity test,and slake durability test.The microscopic analysis confirms the presence of montmorillonite mineral which is the dominant problematic geomaterial in engineering application.The integrity and durability of clay-rich sandstone were determined with sonic velocity and slake durability tests to calibrate the results obtained by the micro-indentation test.It shows that the elastic modulus and hardness of clay-rich sandstone decrease with the increase of saturation time,up to 144 h,which is more significant and rapid during early stage of saturation.After 144 h of saturation,the elastic modulus decreases by 89% and 97%,and the hardness decreases by 89% and 99% for zones A and B sandstones,respectively.The results of slake durability and sonic velocity indicate that zone A sandsto ne remains 56.19% durability after 144 h of saturation,while zone B sandstone loses its durability merely after 72 h of saturation.The clay-rich sandstone starts to dissolve in water when the saturation time exceeds 144 h.The significant decreases in strength and durability of clay-rich sandstone due to water-induced softening are serious threats to tunnel stability.The improvements in the strength of surrounding rock mass by grouting and permeability by installation of drainage galleries can reduce the damage caused by water-induced softening.

Effects of Syngas Particulate Fly Ash Deposition on the Mechanical Properties of Thermal Barrier Coatings on Simulated Film-Cooled Turbine Vane Components

Research is being conducted to study the effects of particulate deposition from contaminants in coal synthesis gas (syngas) on the mechanical properties of thermal barrier coatings (TBC) employed on integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) turbine hot section airfoils. West Virginia University (WVU) had been working with US Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) to simulate deposition on the pressure side of an IGCC turbine first stage vane. To model the deposition, coal fly ash was injected into the flow of a combustor facility and deposited onto TBC coated, angled film-cooled test articles in a high pressure (approximately 4 atm) and a high temperature (1560 K) environment. To investigate the interaction between the deposition and the TBC, a load-based multiple-partial unloading micro-indentation technique was used to quantitatively evaluate the mechanical properties of materials. The indentation results showed the Young’s Modulus of the ceramic top coat was higher in areas with deposition formation due to the penetration of the fly ash. This corresponds with the reduction of strain tolerance of the 7% yttria-stabilized zirconia (7YSZ) coatings.

Ion Beam Surface Modification of Y-TZP and Effects of Subsequent Annealing

Tetragonal zirconia polycrystals containing 3 mol% yttria (3Y-TZP), which show Superplasticity at high temperatures, were irradiated using 130 MeV Zr+" ions in the TANDEM accelerator facility at Tokai Research Establishment, JAERI. The irradiation induced atomic displacement damage was analyzed by TRIM code. Changes in the mechanical properties and fracture behavior caused by the ion irradiation and the effects of subsequent annealing were studied. The distribution of micro-indentation depth as a function of the indentation position from the irradiated surface to the specimen interior was also examined. The occurrence of compressive residual stresses and increases in hardness and fracture toughness were found in the as-irradiated surface region of the specimen. The subsequent annealing revealed that these quantities were decreased gradually with raising the annealing temperature. Probable causes of the generation of the residual stress and the changes in mechanical properties and fracture mode due to the irradiation are discussed.

NEW STRAIN GRADIENT THEORY AND ANALYSIS

A new strain gradient theory which is based on energy nonlocal model is proposed in this paper, and the theory is applied to investigate the size effects in thin metallic wire torsion, ultra-thin beam bending and micro-indentation of polycrystalline copper. First, an energy nonlocal model is suggested. Second, based on the model, a new strain gradient theory is derived. Third, the new theory is applied to analyze three representative experiments.

Evaluation of shale fracture toughness based on micrometer indentation test

It is an important mechanical parameter for fracture toughness that affects hydraulic fracturing.Some methods such as indoor test core and logging data interpretation are commonly used to obtain fracture toughness.These methods,however,have their own limitations.Liu's method has focused the mechanical properties of shale including fracture toughness based on micro-/nano-indentation experiments.Zeng's method has pointed that the former method of calculating fracture toughness ignores the maximum holding stage in the indentation-displacement curves,they point out and correct the fracture stress intensity factor model,but the final calculation of the fracture toughness of the numerical difference is of two orders of magnitude.In this paper,micro-indentation experiments were carried out to further analyze and correct the model by collecting and analyzing Longmaxi shale cuttings.After Zeng and Liu's methods are combined,the irreversible elastic energy by energy area actually was measured.To some extent,the difference between the two kinds of fracture toughness is reduced.