Ceramic spheres,typically with a particle diameter of less than 0.8 mm,are frequently utilized as a critical proppant material in hydraulic fracturing for petroleum and natural gas extraction.Porous ceramic spheres wi...Ceramic spheres,typically with a particle diameter of less than 0.8 mm,are frequently utilized as a critical proppant material in hydraulic fracturing for petroleum and natural gas extraction.Porous ceramic spheres with artificial inherent pores are an important type of lightweight proppant,enabling their transport to distant fracture extremities and enhancing fracture conductivity.However,the focus frequently gravitates towards the low-density advantage,often overlooking the pore geometry impacts on compressive strength by traditional strength evaluation.This paper numerically bypasses such limitations by using a combined finite and discrete element method(FDEM)considering experimental results.The mesh size of the model undergoes validation,followed by the calibration of cohesive element parameters via the single particle compression test.The stimulation elucidates that proppants with a smaller pore size(40μm)manifest crack propagation evolution at a more rapid pace in comparison to their larger-pore counterparts,though the influence of pore diameter on overall strength is subtle.The inception of pores not only alters the trajectory of crack progression but also,with an increase in porosity,leads to a discernible decline in proppant compressive strength.Intriguingly,upon crossing a porosity threshold of 10%,the decrement in strength becomes more gradual.A denser congregation of pores accelerates crack propagation,undermining proppant robustness,suggesting that under analogous conditions,hollow proppants might not match the strength of their porous counterparts.This exploration elucidates the underlying mechanisms of proppant failure from a microstructural perspective,furnishing pivotal insights that may guide future refinements in the architectural design of porous proppant.展开更多
Heterogeneity is an inherent component of rock and may be present in different forms including mineralheterogeneity, geometrical heterogeneity, weak grain boundaries and micro-defects. Microcracks areusually observed ...Heterogeneity is an inherent component of rock and may be present in different forms including mineralheterogeneity, geometrical heterogeneity, weak grain boundaries and micro-defects. Microcracks areusually observed in crystalline rocks in two forms： natural and stress-induced; the amount of stressinducedmicrocracking increases with depth and in-situ stress. Laboratory results indicate that thephysical properties of rocks such as strength, deformability, P-wave velocity and permeability areinfluenced by increase in microcrack intensity. In this study, the finite-discrete element method （FDEM）is used to model microcrack heterogeneity by introducing into a model sample sets of microcracks usingthe proposed micro discrete fracture network （mDFN） approach. The characteristics of the microcracksrequired to create mDFN models are obtained through image analyses of thin sections of Lac du Bonnetgranite adopted from published literature. A suite of two-dimensional laboratory tests including uniaxial,triaxial compression and Brazilian tests is simulated and the results are compared with laboratory data.The FDEM-mDFN models indicate that micro-heterogeneity has a profound influence on both the mechanicalbehavior and resultant fracture pattern. An increase in the microcrack intensity leads to areduction in the strength of the sample and changes the character of the rock strength envelope. Spallingand axial splitting dominate the failure mode at low confinement while shear failure is the dominantfailure mode at high confinement. Numerical results from simulated compression tests show thatmicrocracking reduces the cohesive component of strength alone, and the frictional strength componentremains unaffected. Results from simulated Brazilian tests show that the tensile strength is influenced bythe presence of microcracks, with a reduction in tensile strength as microcrack intensity increases. Theimportance of microcrack heterogeneity in reproducing a bi-linear or S-shape failure envelope and itseffects on the mechanisms leading to spalling damage near an underground opening are also discussed.展开更多
This article presents a micro-structure tensor enhanced elasto-plastic finite element(FE)method to address strength anisotropy in three-dimensional(3D)soil slope stability analysis.The gravity increase method(GIM)is e...This article presents a micro-structure tensor enhanced elasto-plastic finite element(FE)method to address strength anisotropy in three-dimensional(3D)soil slope stability analysis.The gravity increase method(GIM)is employed to analyze the stability of 3D anisotropic soil slopes.The accuracy of the proposed method is first verified against the data in the literature.We then simulate the 3D soil slope with a straight slope surface and the convex and concave slope surfaces with a 90turning corner to study the 3D effect on slope stability and the failure mechanism under anisotropy conditions.Based on our numerical results,the end effect significantly impacts the failure mechanism and safety factor.Anisotropy degree notably affects the safety factor,with higher degrees leading to deeper landslides.For concave slopes,they can be approximated by straight slopes with suitable boundary conditions to assess their stability.Furthermore,a case study of the Saint-Alban test embankment A in Quebec,Canada,is provided to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed FE model.展开更多
Wellbore breakout is one of the critical issues in drilling due to the fact that the related problems result in additional costs and impact the drilling scheme severely.However,the majority of such wellbore breakout a...Wellbore breakout is one of the critical issues in drilling due to the fact that the related problems result in additional costs and impact the drilling scheme severely.However,the majority of such wellbore breakout analyses were based on continuum mechanics.In addition to failure in intact rocks,wellbore breakouts can also be initiated along natural discontinuities,e.g.weak planes and fractures.Furthermore,the conventional models in wellbore breakouts with uniform distribution fractures could not reflect the real drilling situation.This paper presents a fully coupled hydro-mechanical model of the SB-X well in the Tarim Basin,China for evaluating wellbore breakouts in heavily fractured rocks under anisotropic stress states using the distinct element method(DEM)and the discrete fracture network(DFN).The developed model was validated against caliper log measurement,and its stability study was carried out by stress and displacement analyses.A parametric study was performed to investigate the effects of the characteristics of fracture distribution(orientation and length)on borehole stability by sensitivity studies.Simulation results demonstrate that the increase of the standard deviation of orientation when the fracture direction aligns parallel or perpendicular to the principal stress direction aggravates borehole instability.Moreover,an elevation in the average fracture length causes the borehole failure to change from the direction of the minimum in-situ horizontal principal stress(i.e.the direction of wellbore breakouts)towards alternative directions,ultimately leading to the whole wellbore failure.These findings provide theoretical insights for predicting wellbore breakouts in heavily fractured rocks.展开更多
Rockbursting in deep tunnelling is a complex phenomenon posing significant challenges both at the design and construction stages of an underground excavation within hard rock masses and under high in situ stresses. Wh...Rockbursting in deep tunnelling is a complex phenomenon posing significant challenges both at the design and construction stages of an underground excavation within hard rock masses and under high in situ stresses. While local experience, field monitoring, and informed data-rich analysis are some of the tools commonly used to manage the hazards and the associated risks, advanced numerical techniques based on discontinuum modelling have also shown potential in assisting in the assessment of rockbursting. In this study, the hybrid finite-discrete element method(FDEM) is employed to investigate the failure and fracturing processes, and the mechanisms of energy storage and rapid release resulting in bursting, as well as to assess its utility as part of the design process of underground excavations.Following the calibration of the numerical model to simulate a deep excavation in a hard, massive rock mass, discrete fracture network(DFN) geometries are integrated into the model in order to examine the impact of rock structure on rockbursting under high in situ stresses. The obtained analysis results not only highlight the importance of explicitly simulating pre-existing joints within the model, as they affect the mobilised failure mechanisms and the intensity of strain bursting phenomena, but also show how the employed joint network geometry, the field stress conditions, and their interaction influence the extent and depth of the excavation induced damage. Furthermore, a rigorous analysis of the mass and velocity of the ejected rock blocks and comparison of the obtained data with well-established semi-empirical approaches demonstrate the potential of the method to provide realistic estimates of the kinetic energy released during bursting for determining the energy support demand.展开更多
The discrete ordinates(S N)method requires numerous angular unknowns to achieve the desired accu-racy for shielding calculations involving strong anisotropy.Our objective is to develop an angular adaptive algorithm in...The discrete ordinates(S N)method requires numerous angular unknowns to achieve the desired accu-racy for shielding calculations involving strong anisotropy.Our objective is to develop an angular adaptive algorithm in the S N method to automatically optimize the angular distribution and minimize angular discretization errors with lower expenses.The proposed method enables linear dis-continuous finite element quadrature sets over an icosahe-dron to vary their quadrature orders in a one-twentieth sphere so that fine resolutions can be applied to the angular domains that are important.An error estimation that operates in conjunction with the spherical harmonics method is developed to determine the locations where more refinement is required.The adaptive quadrature sets are applied to three duct problems,including the Kobayashi benchmarks and the IRI-TUB research reactor,which emphasize the ability of this method to resolve neutron streaming through ducts with voids.The results indicate that the performance of the adaptive method is more effi-cient than that of uniform quadrature sets for duct transport problems.Our adaptive method offers an appropriate placement of angular unknowns to accurately integrate angular fluxes while reducing the computational costs in terms of unknowns and run times.展开更多
Hydraulic fracturing （HF） technique has been extensively used for the exploitation of unconventional oiland gas reservoirs. HF enhances the connectivity of less permeable oil and gas-bearing rock formationsby fluid ...Hydraulic fracturing （HF） technique has been extensively used for the exploitation of unconventional oiland gas reservoirs. HF enhances the connectivity of less permeable oil and gas-bearing rock formationsby fluid injection, which creates an interconnected fracture network and increases the hydrocarbonproduction. Meanwhile, microseismic （MS） monitoring is one of the most effective approaches to evaluatesuch stimulation process. In this paper, the combined finite-discrete element method （FDEM） isadopted to numerically simulate HF and associated MS. Several post-processing tools, includingfrequency-magnitude distribution （b-value）, fractal dimension （D-value）, and seismic events clustering,are utilized to interpret numerical results. A non-parametric clustering algorithm designed specificallyfor FDEM is used to reduce the mesh dependency and extract more realistic seismic information.Simulation results indicated that at the local scale, the HF process tends to propagate following the rockmass discontinuities; while at the reservoir scale, it tends to develop in the direction parallel to themaximum in-situ stress. 2014 Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Production and hosting byElsevier B.V. All rights reserved.展开更多
The vapor deposition chemical reaction processes, which are of extremely extensive applications, can be classified as a mathematical model by the following governing nonlinear partial differential equations containing...The vapor deposition chemical reaction processes, which are of extremely extensive applications, can be classified as a mathematical model by the following governing nonlinear partial differential equations containing velocity vector, temperature field, pressure field, and gas mass field. The mixed finite element （MFE） method is employed to study the system of equations for the vapor deposition chemical reaction processes. The semidiscrete and fully discrete MFE formulations are derived. And the existence and convergence （error estimate） of the semidiscrete and fully discrete MFE solutions are demonstrated. By employing MFE method to treat the system of equations for the vapor deposition chemical reaction processes, the numerical solutions of the velocity vector, the temperature field, the pressure field, and the gas mass field can be found out simultaneously. Thus, these researches are not only of important theoretical means, but also of extremely extensive applied vistas.展开更多
The petroleum industry has shown great interest in the study of drilling optimization on pre-salt formations given the low rates of penetration observed so far. Rate of penetration is the key to economically drill the...The petroleum industry has shown great interest in the study of drilling optimization on pre-salt formations given the low rates of penetration observed so far. Rate of penetration is the key to economically drill the pre-salt carbonate rock. This work presents the results of numerical modeling through finite element method and discrete element method for single cutter drilling in carbonate samples. The work is relevant to understand the mechanics of drill bit-rock interaction while drilling deep wells and the results were validated with experimental data raised under simulated downhole conditions. The numerical models were carried out under different geometrical configurations, varying the cutter chamfer size and back-rake angles. The forces generated on the cutter are translated into mechanical specific energy as this parameter is often used to measure drilling efficiency. Results indicate that the chamfer size does not change significantly the mechanical specific energy values, characteristic. Results also show there is a significant increase although the cutter aggressiveness is influenced by this geometrical in drilling resistance for larger values of back-rake angle.展开更多
Recently,the finite element method(FEM) has been commonly applied in the engineering analysis of rotor dynamics.Gyroscopic moments,rotary inertia,transverse shear deformation and gravity can be included in computation...Recently,the finite element method(FEM) has been commonly applied in the engineering analysis of rotor dynamics.Gyroscopic moments,rotary inertia,transverse shear deformation and gravity can be included in computational models of rotor-bearing systems.In this paper,a finite element model and its solution method are presented for the calculation of the dynamics of dual rotor systems.A typical structure with two rotor shafts is discussed and the procedure for obtaining the coupling motion equations of the subsystems is illustrated.A computer program is developed to solve critical speeds and to simulate the transient motion.The influence of gyroscopic moments on co-rotation and counter-rotation is analyzed,and the effect of the speed ratio on critical speed is studied.The dynamic characteristics under different conditions of increasing speed during start-up are demonstrated by comparison with transient nodal displacements.The presented model provides a complete foundation for further investigation of the dynamics of dual rotor systems.展开更多
The element energy projection （EEP） method for computation of super- convergent resulting in a one-dimensional finite element method （FEM） is successfully used to self-adaptive FEM analysis of various linear probl...The element energy projection （EEP） method for computation of super- convergent resulting in a one-dimensional finite element method （FEM） is successfully used to self-adaptive FEM analysis of various linear problems, based on which this paper presents a substantial extension of the whole set of technology to nonlinear problems. The main idea behind the technology transfer from linear analysis to nonlinear analysis is to use Newton＇s method to linearize nonlinear problems into a series of linear problems so that the EEP formulation and the corresponding adaptive strategy can be directly used without the need for specific super-convergence formulation for nonlinear FEM. As a re- sult, a unified and general self-adaptive algorithm for nonlinear FEM analysis is formed. The proposed algorithm is found to be able to produce satisfactory finite element results with accuracy satisfying the user-preset error tolerances by maximum norm anywhere on the mesh. Taking the nonlinear ordinary differential equation （ODE） of second-order as the model problem, this paper describes the related fundamental idea, the imple- mentation strategy, and the computational algorithm. Representative numerical exam- ples are given to show the efficiency, stability, versatility, and reliability of the proposed approach.展开更多
The particulate discrete element method(DEM) can be employed to capture the response of rock,provided that appropriate bonding models are used to cement the particles to each other.Simulations of laboratory tests are ...The particulate discrete element method(DEM) can be employed to capture the response of rock,provided that appropriate bonding models are used to cement the particles to each other.Simulations of laboratory tests are important to establish the extent to which those models can capture realistic rock behaviors.Hitherto the focus in such comparison studies has either been on homogeneous specimens or use of two-dimensional(2D) models.In situ rock formations are often heterogeneous,thus exploring the ability of this type of models to capture heterogeneous material behavior is important to facilitate their use in design analysis.In situ stress states are basically three-dimensional(3D),and therefore it is important to develop 3D models for this purpose.This paper revisits an earlier experimental study on heterogeneous specimens,of which the relative proportions of weaker material(siltstone) and stronger,harder material(sandstone) were varied in a controlled manner.Using a 3D DEM model with the parallel bond model,virtual heterogeneous specimens were created.The overall responses in terms of variations in strength and stiffness with different percentages of weaker material(siltstone) were shown to agree with the experimental observations.There was also a good qualitative agreement in the failure patterns observed in the experiments and the simulations,suggesting that the DEM data enabled analysis of the initiation of localizations and micro fractures in the specimens.展开更多
Piled embankments are widely used in highway and railway engineering due to their economy and efficiency inovercoming several issues encountered in constructing embankments over weak soils. Soil arching, caused by the...Piled embankments are widely used in highway and railway engineering due to their economy and efficiency inovercoming several issues encountered in constructing embankments over weak soils. Soil arching, caused by the pile-subsoilrelative displacement （△s）, plays an important role in reducing the embankment load falling on weak soil, however, the funda-mental characteristics （e.g., formation and features） of soil arching remain poorly understood. In this study, a series of discreteelement method （DEM） modellings are performed to study the formation and features of soil arching with the variation of As inpiled embankments with or without geosynthetic reinforcement. Firstly, calibration for the modelling parameters is carried out bycomparing the DEM results with the experimental data obtained from the existing literature. Secondly, the analysis of the macro-and micro-behaviours is performed in detail. Finally, a parametric study is conducted in an effort to identify the influences of threekey factors on soil arching： the friction coefficient of the embankment fill （f）, the embankment height （h）, and the pile clear spacing（s-a）. Numerical results indicate that △s is a key factor governing the formation and features of soil arching in embankments. Tobe specific, soil arching gradually evolves from two inclined shear planes at a small △s to a hemispherical arch at a relatively largeAs. Then, with a continuous increase in △s, the soil arching height gradually increases and finally approaches a constant value of0.8（s-a） （i.e., the maximum soil arching height）. For a given case, the higher the soil arching height, the greater the degree of soilarching effect. The parametric study shows that the friction coefficient of the embankment fill has a negligible influence on theformation and features of soil arching. However, embankment height is a key factor governing the formation and features of soilarching. In addition, pile clear spacing has a significant effect on the formation of soil arching, but not on its features.展开更多
The basic principle of corrode groove on outside of steel pipe during storage was analyzed in this paper, namely the water film on the contacted surface of steel pipe, which gathered from humidity in the air, rain or ...The basic principle of corrode groove on outside of steel pipe during storage was analyzed in this paper, namely the water film on the contacted surface of steel pipe, which gathered from humidity in the air, rain or gel, and the suspended particles in air, and the corrosive composition, such as SO2, CO2, O2 and NaCI, in addition to the inhomogeneity of the organization and composition, which lead to the corrosion cell reaction, so that cause the corrosion initial from the contact surface of the between steel pipes, so as to form the corrosion groove. At the same time, the corrosion groove with depth of 0.125t （t pipe wall thickness） on the pipe of φ 1016 mm×21 mm ×70 API SPEC 5L was simulated using the FEM （finite element method）, and the stress and strain distribution of the defect area near corrosion groove were solved at the inner pressure of 12 MPa, 10 MPa, 8 MPa, 6 MPa, 4 MPa and 2 MPa, respectively, which showed that no matter the pressure values were, the maximum stress and strain were lied at the bottom of corrosion defects groove and were in good linear relationship with the internal pressure increasing from 2 MPa to 6 MPa. When the internal pres- sures were greater than 6 MPa, they felled into the nonlinear model and to be yielded or even to be destroyed. In addition, the residual strength and the limit operation pressure of the corrode pipe with the defects groove of 0.125t were calculated or simulated according to the theoretical calculation, the finite element method based on the stress, the finite element method based on strain, DNV-RP-F101, ASME B31G and experimental methods respectively. The results showed that the residual strength and the limit operation pressure of the defective parts solved by the finite element method based on stress were 424 MPa, and 15.34 MPa, respectively, which was very close to that of experimental method, the residual strength was 410 MPa and the limit operation pressure 14.78 MPa. Besides, the results also showed that it was feasible and effective to simulate the residual strength of the structure with corrosion defects using the finite element method.展开更多
Large-scale slope destabilization could be aggravated due to swift urbanization and ever-rising demands of geoengineering projects such as dams,tunnels,bridges and widening roads.National Highway-58 connects Delhi to ...Large-scale slope destabilization could be aggravated due to swift urbanization and ever-rising demands of geoengineering projects such as dams,tunnels,bridges and widening roads.National Highway-58 connects Delhi to Badrinath in India,which passes through complex geomorphological and geological terrain and often encounters cut slopes susceptible to slope failures.In the present investigation,a detailed geotechnical appraisal is conducted along the road cut slopes from Rishikesh to Devprayag in the Himalayas.Twenty vulnerable road cut slopes were demarcated for detailed slope stability analysis using Phase2D finite element modeling simulator.Nonlinear generalized Hoek-Brown(GHB)criterion was adopted for stability analyses.Out of 20 slopes,five slopes(S6,S7,S18,S19 and S20)are unstable with factor of safety(FoS)less than or equal to 1,and thus needs immediate attention.The FoS values of four slopes(S2,S9,S13 and S17)lie between 1 and 1.3,i.e.marginally stable,and slopes S1,S3,S4,S5,S8,S10,Sll,S12,S14,S15 and S16 are stable.Mohr-Coulomb(MC)criterion was also adopted to compare the slope stability analysis with GHB criterion.The FoS calculated from GHB criterion is close to that using MC criterion for lower values of FoS whereas for higher values,the difference is marked.For the jointed rock in the Himalayan region,the nonlinear GHB criterion gives better results as compared to MC criterion and matches with the prevailing field conditions.Accordingly,some suggestions are proposed to strengthen the stability of cut slopes.展开更多
To improve lubrication effect and seal performance, complicated geometrical hydrodynamic grooves or patterns are often processed on end faces of liquid lubricated mechanical seals. These structures can lead to difficu...To improve lubrication effect and seal performance, complicated geometrical hydrodynamic grooves or patterns are often processed on end faces of liquid lubricated mechanical seals. These structures can lead to difficulties in precisely estimating the seal performance. In this study, an efficient adaptive finite element method （FEM） algorithm with mass conservation was presented, in which a streamline upwind/Petrov-Galerkin （SUPG） weighted residual FEM and a fast iteration algorithm were applied to solve the lubrication equations （Reynolds equation）. A mesh adaptation technique was utilized to refine the computation domain based on a residual posterior error estimator. Validation, applicability, and efficiency were verified by comparison among different algorithms and by case studies on seals＇ faces with different groove structures. The study investigated the influence of the order of shape function and the mesh number on the leakage balance. Mesh refinement occurred mainly in cavitation zones when cavitation happened, otherwise it occurred in regions with a high pressure gradient. Numerical experiments verified that the proposed algorithm is a fast, effective, and accurate method to simulate lubrication problems in the engineering field apart from end face seals.展开更多
The past decade has witnessed the substantial growth in research interests and progress on the subject of coupled hydro-mechanical processes in rocks and soils,driven mainly by the surge of research in unconventional ...The past decade has witnessed the substantial growth in research interests and progress on the subject of coupled hydro-mechanical processes in rocks and soils,driven mainly by the surge of research in unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs and associated hazards.Many coupling techniques have been developed to include the effects of fluid flow in the discrete element method(DEM),and the techniques have been applied to a variety of geomechanical problems.Although these coupling methods have been successfully applied in various engineering fields,no single fluid/DEM coupling method is universal due to the complexity of engineering problems and the limitations of the numerical methods.For researchers and engineers,the key to solve a specific problem is to select the most appropriate fluid/DEM coupling method among these modeling technologies.The purpose of this paper is to give a comprehensive review of fluid flow/DEM coupling methods and relevant research.Given their importance,the availability or unavailability of best practice guidelines is outlined.The theoretical background and current status of DEM are introduced first,and the principles,applications,and advantages and disadvantages of different fluid flow/DEM coupling methods are discussed.Finally,a summary with speculation on future development trends is given.展开更多
This paper presents a combined application of the finite element method （FEM） and the differential quadrature method （DQM） to vibration and buckling problems of rectangular plates. The proposed scheme combines the...This paper presents a combined application of the finite element method （FEM） and the differential quadrature method （DQM） to vibration and buckling problems of rectangular plates. The proposed scheme combines the geometry flexibility of the FEM and the high accuracy and efficiency of the DQM. The accuracy of the present method is demonstrated by comparing the obtained results with those available in the literature. It is shown that highly accurate results can be obtained by using a small number of finite elements and DQM sample points. The proposed method is suitable for the problems considered due to its simplicity and potential for further development.展开更多
Based on the newly-developed element energy projection （EEP） method for computation of super-convergent results in one-dimensional finite element method （FEM）, the task of self-adaptive FEM analysis was converted ...Based on the newly-developed element energy projection （EEP） method for computation of super-convergent results in one-dimensional finite element method （FEM）, the task of self-adaptive FEM analysis was converted into the task of adaptive piecewise polynomial interpolation. As a result, a satisfactory FEM mesh can be obtained, and further FEM analysis on this mesh would immediately produce an FEM solution which usually satisfies the user specified error tolerance. Even though the error tolerance was not completely satisfied, one or two steps of further local refinements would be sufficient. This strategy was found to be very simple, rapid, cheap and efficient. Taking the elliptical ordinary differential equation of second order as the model problem, the fundamental idea, implementation strategy and detailed algorithm are described. Representative numerical examples are given to show the effectiveness and reliability of the proposed approach.展开更多
The dynamic inhomogeneous finite element method is studied for use in the transient analysis of one dimensional inhomogeneous media. The general formula of the inhomogeneous consistent mass matrix is established based...The dynamic inhomogeneous finite element method is studied for use in the transient analysis of one dimensional inhomogeneous media. The general formula of the inhomogeneous consistent mass matrix is established based on the shape function. In order to research the advantages of this method, it is compared with the general finite element method. A linear bar element is chosen for the discretization tests of material parameters with two fictitious distributions. And, a numerical example is solved to observe the differences in the results between these two methods. Some characteristics of the dynamic inhomogeneous finite element method that demonstrate its advantages are obtained through comparison with the general finite element method. It is found that the method can be used to solve elastic wave motion problems with a large element scale and a large number of iteration steps.展开更多
基金the financial support provided by Tianfu Yongxing Laboratory Organized Research Project Funding(No.2023CXXM01)the ARC linkage program(No.LP200100420).
文摘Ceramic spheres,typically with a particle diameter of less than 0.8 mm,are frequently utilized as a critical proppant material in hydraulic fracturing for petroleum and natural gas extraction.Porous ceramic spheres with artificial inherent pores are an important type of lightweight proppant,enabling their transport to distant fracture extremities and enhancing fracture conductivity.However,the focus frequently gravitates towards the low-density advantage,often overlooking the pore geometry impacts on compressive strength by traditional strength evaluation.This paper numerically bypasses such limitations by using a combined finite and discrete element method(FDEM)considering experimental results.The mesh size of the model undergoes validation,followed by the calibration of cohesive element parameters via the single particle compression test.The stimulation elucidates that proppants with a smaller pore size(40μm)manifest crack propagation evolution at a more rapid pace in comparison to their larger-pore counterparts,though the influence of pore diameter on overall strength is subtle.The inception of pores not only alters the trajectory of crack progression but also,with an increase in porosity,leads to a discernible decline in proppant compressive strength.Intriguingly,upon crossing a porosity threshold of 10%,the decrement in strength becomes more gradual.A denser congregation of pores accelerates crack propagation,undermining proppant robustness,suggesting that under analogous conditions,hollow proppants might not match the strength of their porous counterparts.This exploration elucidates the underlying mechanisms of proppant failure from a microstructural perspective,furnishing pivotal insights that may guide future refinements in the architectural design of porous proppant.
文摘Heterogeneity is an inherent component of rock and may be present in different forms including mineralheterogeneity, geometrical heterogeneity, weak grain boundaries and micro-defects. Microcracks areusually observed in crystalline rocks in two forms： natural and stress-induced; the amount of stressinducedmicrocracking increases with depth and in-situ stress. Laboratory results indicate that thephysical properties of rocks such as strength, deformability, P-wave velocity and permeability areinfluenced by increase in microcrack intensity. In this study, the finite-discrete element method （FDEM）is used to model microcrack heterogeneity by introducing into a model sample sets of microcracks usingthe proposed micro discrete fracture network （mDFN） approach. The characteristics of the microcracksrequired to create mDFN models are obtained through image analyses of thin sections of Lac du Bonnetgranite adopted from published literature. A suite of two-dimensional laboratory tests including uniaxial,triaxial compression and Brazilian tests is simulated and the results are compared with laboratory data.The FDEM-mDFN models indicate that micro-heterogeneity has a profound influence on both the mechanicalbehavior and resultant fracture pattern. An increase in the microcrack intensity leads to areduction in the strength of the sample and changes the character of the rock strength envelope. Spallingand axial splitting dominate the failure mode at low confinement while shear failure is the dominantfailure mode at high confinement. Numerical results from simulated compression tests show thatmicrocracking reduces the cohesive component of strength alone, and the frictional strength componentremains unaffected. Results from simulated Brazilian tests show that the tensile strength is influenced bythe presence of microcracks, with a reduction in tensile strength as microcrack intensity increases. Theimportance of microcrack heterogeneity in reproducing a bi-linear or S-shape failure envelope and itseffects on the mechanisms leading to spalling damage near an underground opening are also discussed.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.51890912,51979025 and 52011530189).
文摘This article presents a micro-structure tensor enhanced elasto-plastic finite element(FE)method to address strength anisotropy in three-dimensional(3D)soil slope stability analysis.The gravity increase method(GIM)is employed to analyze the stability of 3D anisotropic soil slopes.The accuracy of the proposed method is first verified against the data in the literature.We then simulate the 3D soil slope with a straight slope surface and the convex and concave slope surfaces with a 90turning corner to study the 3D effect on slope stability and the failure mechanism under anisotropy conditions.Based on our numerical results,the end effect significantly impacts the failure mechanism and safety factor.Anisotropy degree notably affects the safety factor,with higher degrees leading to deeper landslides.For concave slopes,they can be approximated by straight slopes with suitable boundary conditions to assess their stability.Furthermore,a case study of the Saint-Alban test embankment A in Quebec,Canada,is provided to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed FE model.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.52074312 and 52211530097)CNPC Science and Technology Innovation Foundation(Grant No.2021DQ02-0505).
文摘Wellbore breakout is one of the critical issues in drilling due to the fact that the related problems result in additional costs and impact the drilling scheme severely.However,the majority of such wellbore breakout analyses were based on continuum mechanics.In addition to failure in intact rocks,wellbore breakouts can also be initiated along natural discontinuities,e.g.weak planes and fractures.Furthermore,the conventional models in wellbore breakouts with uniform distribution fractures could not reflect the real drilling situation.This paper presents a fully coupled hydro-mechanical model of the SB-X well in the Tarim Basin,China for evaluating wellbore breakouts in heavily fractured rocks under anisotropic stress states using the distinct element method(DEM)and the discrete fracture network(DFN).The developed model was validated against caliper log measurement,and its stability study was carried out by stress and displacement analyses.A parametric study was performed to investigate the effects of the characteristics of fracture distribution(orientation and length)on borehole stability by sensitivity studies.Simulation results demonstrate that the increase of the standard deviation of orientation when the fracture direction aligns parallel or perpendicular to the principal stress direction aggravates borehole instability.Moreover,an elevation in the average fracture length causes the borehole failure to change from the direction of the minimum in-situ horizontal principal stress(i.e.the direction of wellbore breakouts)towards alternative directions,ultimately leading to the whole wellbore failure.These findings provide theoretical insights for predicting wellbore breakouts in heavily fractured rocks.
文摘Rockbursting in deep tunnelling is a complex phenomenon posing significant challenges both at the design and construction stages of an underground excavation within hard rock masses and under high in situ stresses. While local experience, field monitoring, and informed data-rich analysis are some of the tools commonly used to manage the hazards and the associated risks, advanced numerical techniques based on discontinuum modelling have also shown potential in assisting in the assessment of rockbursting. In this study, the hybrid finite-discrete element method(FDEM) is employed to investigate the failure and fracturing processes, and the mechanisms of energy storage and rapid release resulting in bursting, as well as to assess its utility as part of the design process of underground excavations.Following the calibration of the numerical model to simulate a deep excavation in a hard, massive rock mass, discrete fracture network(DFN) geometries are integrated into the model in order to examine the impact of rock structure on rockbursting under high in situ stresses. The obtained analysis results not only highlight the importance of explicitly simulating pre-existing joints within the model, as they affect the mobilised failure mechanisms and the intensity of strain bursting phenomena, but also show how the employed joint network geometry, the field stress conditions, and their interaction influence the extent and depth of the excavation induced damage. Furthermore, a rigorous analysis of the mass and velocity of the ejected rock blocks and comparison of the obtained data with well-established semi-empirical approaches demonstrate the potential of the method to provide realistic estimates of the kinetic energy released during bursting for determining the energy support demand.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.11975097)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.2019MS038).
文摘The discrete ordinates(S N)method requires numerous angular unknowns to achieve the desired accu-racy for shielding calculations involving strong anisotropy.Our objective is to develop an angular adaptive algorithm in the S N method to automatically optimize the angular distribution and minimize angular discretization errors with lower expenses.The proposed method enables linear dis-continuous finite element quadrature sets over an icosahe-dron to vary their quadrature orders in a one-twentieth sphere so that fine resolutions can be applied to the angular domains that are important.An error estimation that operates in conjunction with the spherical harmonics method is developed to determine the locations where more refinement is required.The adaptive quadrature sets are applied to three duct problems,including the Kobayashi benchmarks and the IRI-TUB research reactor,which emphasize the ability of this method to resolve neutron streaming through ducts with voids.The results indicate that the performance of the adaptive method is more effi-cient than that of uniform quadrature sets for duct transport problems.Our adaptive method offers an appropriate placement of angular unknowns to accurately integrate angular fluxes while reducing the computational costs in terms of unknowns and run times.
基金supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada through Discovery Grant 341275 (G. Grasselli) and Engage EGP 461019-13
文摘Hydraulic fracturing （HF） technique has been extensively used for the exploitation of unconventional oiland gas reservoirs. HF enhances the connectivity of less permeable oil and gas-bearing rock formationsby fluid injection, which creates an interconnected fracture network and increases the hydrocarbonproduction. Meanwhile, microseismic （MS） monitoring is one of the most effective approaches to evaluatesuch stimulation process. In this paper, the combined finite-discrete element method （FDEM） isadopted to numerically simulate HF and associated MS. Several post-processing tools, includingfrequency-magnitude distribution （b-value）, fractal dimension （D-value）, and seismic events clustering,are utilized to interpret numerical results. A non-parametric clustering algorithm designed specificallyfor FDEM is used to reduce the mesh dependency and extract more realistic seismic information.Simulation results indicated that at the local scale, the HF process tends to propagate following the rockmass discontinuities; while at the reservoir scale, it tends to develop in the direction parallel to themaximum in-situ stress. 2014 Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Production and hosting byElsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos.10471100 and 40437017)the Science and Technology Foundation of Beijing Jiaotong University
文摘The vapor deposition chemical reaction processes, which are of extremely extensive applications, can be classified as a mathematical model by the following governing nonlinear partial differential equations containing velocity vector, temperature field, pressure field, and gas mass field. The mixed finite element （MFE） method is employed to study the system of equations for the vapor deposition chemical reaction processes. The semidiscrete and fully discrete MFE formulations are derived. And the existence and convergence （error estimate） of the semidiscrete and fully discrete MFE solutions are demonstrated. By employing MFE method to treat the system of equations for the vapor deposition chemical reaction processes, the numerical solutions of the velocity vector, the temperature field, the pressure field, and the gas mass field can be found out simultaneously. Thus, these researches are not only of important theoretical means, but also of extremely extensive applied vistas.
文摘The petroleum industry has shown great interest in the study of drilling optimization on pre-salt formations given the low rates of penetration observed so far. Rate of penetration is the key to economically drill the pre-salt carbonate rock. This work presents the results of numerical modeling through finite element method and discrete element method for single cutter drilling in carbonate samples. The work is relevant to understand the mechanics of drill bit-rock interaction while drilling deep wells and the results were validated with experimental data raised under simulated downhole conditions. The numerical models were carried out under different geometrical configurations, varying the cutter chamfer size and back-rake angles. The forces generated on the cutter are translated into mechanical specific energy as this parameter is often used to measure drilling efficiency. Results indicate that the chamfer size does not change significantly the mechanical specific energy values, characteristic. Results also show there is a significant increase although the cutter aggressiveness is influenced by this geometrical in drilling resistance for larger values of back-rake angle.
文摘Recently,the finite element method(FEM) has been commonly applied in the engineering analysis of rotor dynamics.Gyroscopic moments,rotary inertia,transverse shear deformation and gravity can be included in computational models of rotor-bearing systems.In this paper,a finite element model and its solution method are presented for the calculation of the dynamics of dual rotor systems.A typical structure with two rotor shafts is discussed and the procedure for obtaining the coupling motion equations of the subsystems is illustrated.A computer program is developed to solve critical speeds and to simulate the transient motion.The influence of gyroscopic moments on co-rotation and counter-rotation is analyzed,and the effect of the speed ratio on critical speed is studied.The dynamic characteristics under different conditions of increasing speed during start-up are demonstrated by comparison with transient nodal displacements.The presented model provides a complete foundation for further investigation of the dynamics of dual rotor systems.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.51378293,51078199,50678093,and 50278046)the Program for Changjiang Scholars and the Innovative Research Team in University of China(No.IRT00736)
文摘The element energy projection （EEP） method for computation of super- convergent resulting in a one-dimensional finite element method （FEM） is successfully used to self-adaptive FEM analysis of various linear problems, based on which this paper presents a substantial extension of the whole set of technology to nonlinear problems. The main idea behind the technology transfer from linear analysis to nonlinear analysis is to use Newton＇s method to linearize nonlinear problems into a series of linear problems so that the EEP formulation and the corresponding adaptive strategy can be directly used without the need for specific super-convergence formulation for nonlinear FEM. As a re- sult, a unified and general self-adaptive algorithm for nonlinear FEM analysis is formed. The proposed algorithm is found to be able to produce satisfactory finite element results with accuracy satisfying the user-preset error tolerances by maximum norm anywhere on the mesh. Taking the nonlinear ordinary differential equation （ODE） of second-order as the model problem, this paper describes the related fundamental idea, the imple- mentation strategy, and the computational algorithm. Representative numerical exam- ples are given to show the efficiency, stability, versatility, and reliability of the proposed approach.
文摘The particulate discrete element method(DEM) can be employed to capture the response of rock,provided that appropriate bonding models are used to cement the particles to each other.Simulations of laboratory tests are important to establish the extent to which those models can capture realistic rock behaviors.Hitherto the focus in such comparison studies has either been on homogeneous specimens or use of two-dimensional(2D) models.In situ rock formations are often heterogeneous,thus exploring the ability of this type of models to capture heterogeneous material behavior is important to facilitate their use in design analysis.In situ stress states are basically three-dimensional(3D),and therefore it is important to develop 3D models for this purpose.This paper revisits an earlier experimental study on heterogeneous specimens,of which the relative proportions of weaker material(siltstone) and stronger,harder material(sandstone) were varied in a controlled manner.Using a 3D DEM model with the parallel bond model,virtual heterogeneous specimens were created.The overall responses in terms of variations in strength and stiffness with different percentages of weaker material(siltstone) were shown to agree with the experimental observations.There was also a good qualitative agreement in the failure patterns observed in the experiments and the simulations,suggesting that the DEM data enabled analysis of the initiation of localizations and micro fractures in the specimens.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2016YFC0800208)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.51278216,51478201,51308241,and 51608316)
文摘Piled embankments are widely used in highway and railway engineering due to their economy and efficiency inovercoming several issues encountered in constructing embankments over weak soils. Soil arching, caused by the pile-subsoilrelative displacement （△s）, plays an important role in reducing the embankment load falling on weak soil, however, the funda-mental characteristics （e.g., formation and features） of soil arching remain poorly understood. In this study, a series of discreteelement method （DEM） modellings are performed to study the formation and features of soil arching with the variation of As inpiled embankments with or without geosynthetic reinforcement. Firstly, calibration for the modelling parameters is carried out bycomparing the DEM results with the experimental data obtained from the existing literature. Secondly, the analysis of the macro-and micro-behaviours is performed in detail. Finally, a parametric study is conducted in an effort to identify the influences of threekey factors on soil arching： the friction coefficient of the embankment fill （f）, the embankment height （h）, and the pile clear spacing（s-a）. Numerical results indicate that △s is a key factor governing the formation and features of soil arching in embankments. Tobe specific, soil arching gradually evolves from two inclined shear planes at a small △s to a hemispherical arch at a relatively largeAs. Then, with a continuous increase in △s, the soil arching height gradually increases and finally approaches a constant value of0.8（s-a） （i.e., the maximum soil arching height）. For a given case, the higher the soil arching height, the greater the degree of soilarching effect. The parametric study shows that the friction coefficient of the embankment fill has a negligible influence on theformation and features of soil arching. However, embankment height is a key factor governing the formation and features of soilarching. In addition, pile clear spacing has a significant effect on the formation of soil arching, but not on its features.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.51101127 and 51171154)Soar Star of Northwestern Polytechnical University(2011)Fundamental Research Foundation of Northwestern Polytechnical University(No.JC201213)
文摘The basic principle of corrode groove on outside of steel pipe during storage was analyzed in this paper, namely the water film on the contacted surface of steel pipe, which gathered from humidity in the air, rain or gel, and the suspended particles in air, and the corrosive composition, such as SO2, CO2, O2 and NaCI, in addition to the inhomogeneity of the organization and composition, which lead to the corrosion cell reaction, so that cause the corrosion initial from the contact surface of the between steel pipes, so as to form the corrosion groove. At the same time, the corrosion groove with depth of 0.125t （t pipe wall thickness） on the pipe of φ 1016 mm×21 mm ×70 API SPEC 5L was simulated using the FEM （finite element method）, and the stress and strain distribution of the defect area near corrosion groove were solved at the inner pressure of 12 MPa, 10 MPa, 8 MPa, 6 MPa, 4 MPa and 2 MPa, respectively, which showed that no matter the pressure values were, the maximum stress and strain were lied at the bottom of corrosion defects groove and were in good linear relationship with the internal pressure increasing from 2 MPa to 6 MPa. When the internal pres- sures were greater than 6 MPa, they felled into the nonlinear model and to be yielded or even to be destroyed. In addition, the residual strength and the limit operation pressure of the corrode pipe with the defects groove of 0.125t were calculated or simulated according to the theoretical calculation, the finite element method based on the stress, the finite element method based on strain, DNV-RP-F101, ASME B31G and experimental methods respectively. The results showed that the residual strength and the limit operation pressure of the defective parts solved by the finite element method based on stress were 424 MPa, and 15.34 MPa, respectively, which was very close to that of experimental method, the residual strength was 410 MPa and the limit operation pressure 14.78 MPa. Besides, the results also showed that it was feasible and effective to simulate the residual strength of the structure with corrosion defects using the finite element method.
基金NRDMS Division,Department of Science and Technology,Government of India for providing financial assistance for field investigations.
文摘Large-scale slope destabilization could be aggravated due to swift urbanization and ever-rising demands of geoengineering projects such as dams,tunnels,bridges and widening roads.National Highway-58 connects Delhi to Badrinath in India,which passes through complex geomorphological and geological terrain and often encounters cut slopes susceptible to slope failures.In the present investigation,a detailed geotechnical appraisal is conducted along the road cut slopes from Rishikesh to Devprayag in the Himalayas.Twenty vulnerable road cut slopes were demarcated for detailed slope stability analysis using Phase2D finite element modeling simulator.Nonlinear generalized Hoek-Brown(GHB)criterion was adopted for stability analyses.Out of 20 slopes,five slopes(S6,S7,S18,S19 and S20)are unstable with factor of safety(FoS)less than or equal to 1,and thus needs immediate attention.The FoS values of four slopes(S2,S9,S13 and S17)lie between 1 and 1.3,i.e.marginally stable,and slopes S1,S3,S4,S5,S8,S10,Sll,S12,S14,S15 and S16 are stable.Mohr-Coulomb(MC)criterion was also adopted to compare the slope stability analysis with GHB criterion.The FoS calculated from GHB criterion is close to that using MC criterion for lower values of FoS whereas for higher values,the difference is marked.For the jointed rock in the Himalayan region,the nonlinear GHB criterion gives better results as compared to MC criterion and matches with the prevailing field conditions.Accordingly,some suggestions are proposed to strengthen the stability of cut slopes.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China （Nos. 51005209 and 51375449）
文摘To improve lubrication effect and seal performance, complicated geometrical hydrodynamic grooves or patterns are often processed on end faces of liquid lubricated mechanical seals. These structures can lead to difficulties in precisely estimating the seal performance. In this study, an efficient adaptive finite element method （FEM） algorithm with mass conservation was presented, in which a streamline upwind/Petrov-Galerkin （SUPG） weighted residual FEM and a fast iteration algorithm were applied to solve the lubrication equations （Reynolds equation）. A mesh adaptation technique was utilized to refine the computation domain based on a residual posterior error estimator. Validation, applicability, and efficiency were verified by comparison among different algorithms and by case studies on seals＇ faces with different groove structures. The study investigated the influence of the order of shape function and the mesh number on the leakage balance. Mesh refinement occurred mainly in cavitation zones when cavitation happened, otherwise it occurred in regions with a high pressure gradient. Numerical experiments verified that the proposed algorithm is a fast, effective, and accurate method to simulate lubrication problems in the engineering field apart from end face seals.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41772286 and 42077247)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, China
文摘The past decade has witnessed the substantial growth in research interests and progress on the subject of coupled hydro-mechanical processes in rocks and soils,driven mainly by the surge of research in unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs and associated hazards.Many coupling techniques have been developed to include the effects of fluid flow in the discrete element method(DEM),and the techniques have been applied to a variety of geomechanical problems.Although these coupling methods have been successfully applied in various engineering fields,no single fluid/DEM coupling method is universal due to the complexity of engineering problems and the limitations of the numerical methods.For researchers and engineers,the key to solve a specific problem is to select the most appropriate fluid/DEM coupling method among these modeling technologies.The purpose of this paper is to give a comprehensive review of fluid flow/DEM coupling methods and relevant research.Given their importance,the availability or unavailability of best practice guidelines is outlined.The theoretical background and current status of DEM are introduced first,and the principles,applications,and advantages and disadvantages of different fluid flow/DEM coupling methods are discussed.Finally,a summary with speculation on future development trends is given.
文摘This paper presents a combined application of the finite element method （FEM） and the differential quadrature method （DQM） to vibration and buckling problems of rectangular plates. The proposed scheme combines the geometry flexibility of the FEM and the high accuracy and efficiency of the DQM. The accuracy of the present method is demonstrated by comparing the obtained results with those available in the literature. It is shown that highly accurate results can be obtained by using a small number of finite elements and DQM sample points. The proposed method is suitable for the problems considered due to its simplicity and potential for further development.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.50278046)
文摘Based on the newly-developed element energy projection （EEP） method for computation of super-convergent results in one-dimensional finite element method （FEM）, the task of self-adaptive FEM analysis was converted into the task of adaptive piecewise polynomial interpolation. As a result, a satisfactory FEM mesh can be obtained, and further FEM analysis on this mesh would immediately produce an FEM solution which usually satisfies the user specified error tolerance. Even though the error tolerance was not completely satisfied, one or two steps of further local refinements would be sufficient. This strategy was found to be very simple, rapid, cheap and efficient. Taking the elliptical ordinary differential equation of second order as the model problem, the fundamental idea, implementation strategy and detailed algorithm are described. Representative numerical examples are given to show the effectiveness and reliability of the proposed approach.
基金the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities under Grant No.HEUCFZ1125National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No.10972064
文摘The dynamic inhomogeneous finite element method is studied for use in the transient analysis of one dimensional inhomogeneous media. The general formula of the inhomogeneous consistent mass matrix is established based on the shape function. In order to research the advantages of this method, it is compared with the general finite element method. A linear bar element is chosen for the discretization tests of material parameters with two fictitious distributions. And, a numerical example is solved to observe the differences in the results between these two methods. Some characteristics of the dynamic inhomogeneous finite element method that demonstrate its advantages are obtained through comparison with the general finite element method. It is found that the method can be used to solve elastic wave motion problems with a large element scale and a large number of iteration steps.
