Numerical Simulation of Shear Failure Behavior of Hydrate-Bearing Sediment Using Discrete Element Method

Gas recovery from hydrate-bearing sediments attracts worldwide interest due to the huge reserves of methane there, recognized as a promising future energy resource. However, mechanical behavior sediment is rarely studied. In this study, drained shear test on sand with different hydrate saturation was simulated using discrete element method. particular, pore habits in sands were considered simulation, and meso-failure such evolution contact-force chains occurrence microcracks thoroughly investigated. general, simulations yielded response (e.g., deviatoric stress-strain curve) similar laboratory experiments, existence hydrates plays crucial role failure behavior. It found that “X-type” bands are more likely form higher because enough bonds broken facilitate microcrack connection. Furthermore, tensile failure, tensile-shear compression-shear exist simultaneously during shearing, which dominant.