Strength Characteristics of Shallow Gassy Sand in the Hangzhou Bay
In view of geological origin, formation of the shallow
gas reservoir of the Hangzhou Bay, northern Zhejiang Province,
eastern China, and original occurrence characteristics of the gassy
sand are analyzed. Generally, gassy sand in scale gas reservoirs is in
the state of residual moisture content and the approximate scope of
initial matric suction of sand ranges about from 0kPa to100kPa.
Results based on GDS triaxial tests show that the classical shear
strength formulas of unsaturated soil can not effectively describe basic
strength characteristics of gassy sand; the relationship between
apparent cohesion and matric suction of gassy sand agrees well with
the power function, which can reasonably be used to describe the
strength of gassy sand. In the stress path of gas release, shear strength
of gassy sand will increase and experimental results show the formula
proposed in this paper can effectively predict the strength increment.
When saturated strength indexes of the sand are used in engineering
design, moderate reduction should be considered.
[1] X. Q. PANG, W. Z. ZHAO, A. G. SUN, S. C. ZHANG, M. W. LI, Y. Q.
DANG, F. Y. XU, R. L. ZHOU, D. W. ZHANG, Z. Y.XU, Z. Q. GUANG, J.
F. CHEN, and S. M. LI, "Geochemistry and origin of the giant Quaternary
shallow gas accumulations in the eastern Qaidam Basin, NW China,"
Organic Geochemistry, no.36, pp. 1636-1649. 2005.
[2] W. Z. LU, "Quaternary shallow gas distribution and quaternary exploration
prospects in southeast coastal and Yangtze River regions of China," Nature
Gas Industry, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 25-29, 1998.
[3] W. S. JIANG, Z. YE, H. P. ZHEN, and Z. M. Yong, "Quaternary shallow
gas characteristics in Hangzhou Bay and the exploration method," Nature
Gas Industry, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 20-23, 1997.
[4] D. D. RICE, and G. E. CLAYPOOL, "Generation, accumulation and
resource potential of biogenic gas," Bulletin of American Association of
Petroleum Geologists, no. 65, pp. 5-25, 1981.
[5] G. D.FLOODGATE, and A. G. JUDD, "The origin of shallow gas,"
Continental Shelf Research, vol. 12, no. 10, pp. 1145-1156, 1992.
[6] G. W. SHURR, and J. L. RIDGLEY, "Unconventional shallow biogenic gas
systems," Bulletin of American Association of Petroleum Geologists, no.
86, pp. 1939-1970, 2002.
[7] R. C. SURDAM, Z. S. JIAO, and Y. GANSHIN, "A new approach to
exploring for anomalously pressured gas accumulations: The key to
unlocking huge, unconventional gas resources," Geological Journal of
China Universities, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 307-338, 2003.
[8] C. Y. XIE, "Effects on the hydraulic structures along the Yangtze River in
Anhui province from the shallow gas in soft soil," Express Water
Resources & Hydropower Information, vol. 21, no. 10, pp. 11-16, 2000.
[9] Y. Q. TANG, W. M. YE, and Y. HUANG, "Marsh gas in shallow soils and
safety measures for tunnel construction," Engineering Geology, no. 67, pp.
373-378, 2003.
[10] L. W. KONG, A. G. GUO, S. Y. CHEN, and Y. Q. Huang, "Influence of
shallow natural gas blowout on stratum damage and hazard analysis of pile
foundation," Journal of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Engineering,
vol. 24, no. 4, pp. 375-381, 2004.
[11] M. Z. FENG, and J. JI, "The geological hazard evaluation by shallow
layered natural gas in Shanghai region," Shanghai Geology, no. 4, pp.
44-47, 2006.
[12] L. W. KONG, A. G. GUO, J. B. CHEN, and G. S. LIU, "On strength
property of gassy fine sand and model tests of pile foundation,"
Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and
Geotechnical Engineering. Osaka, Japan: Millpress Rotterdam
Netherlands, pp. 2009-2012, 2005.
[13] S. J. WHEELER, "A conceptual model for soils containing large gas
bubbles," Geotechnique, no. 38, pp. 389-397, 1988.
[14] G. C. SILLS, and S. J. WHEELER, "The significance of gas for offshore
operations," Geotechnique, vol. 51, no.7, pp. 629-639. 1992.
[15] G. C. SILLS, and R. GONZALEZ, "Consolidation of naturally gassy soft
soil," Geotechnique, vol. 51, no. 7, pp. 629-639. 2001.
[16] VANOUDHEUSDEN, E. N. SULTAN, and P. COCHONAT,
"Mechanical behavior of unsaturated marine sediments: experimental
and theoretical approaches," Marine Geology, vol. 213, no. 1-4, pp.
323-342, 2004.
[17] J. L. H. GROZIC, F. NADIM, and T. J. KVALSTAD, "On the undrained
shear strength of gassy clays," Computers and Geotechnics, vol. 32, no. 7,
pp. 483-490, 2005,
[18] C. M. LIN, Y. L. LI, H. C. ZHOU, Z. P. ZHANG, S. W. GEORGE, and R.
JENNIE, "Geology and pore-water pressure sealing of shallow biogenic
gas in the Qiantang River incised valley fills," Journal of
palaeogeography, vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 314-329, 2009.
[19] G. M. REN, "Discuss on pressure characteristics and the causes of the
shallow biological gas reservoir in China," Petroleum Exploration and
Development, vol. 26, no. 3, pp. 18-21, 1999.
[20] A. W. BISHOP, and G. E. BLIGHT, "Some aspects of effective stress in
saturated and unsaturated soils," Geotechnique, vol. 13, no. 3, pp.
177-197, 1963.
[21] D. G. FREDLUND and MORGENSTERN, "The shear strength of
unsaturated soils," Canadian Geotechnical Journal, vol. 15, no. 3, pp.
313-321, 1978.
[22] S. K. VANAPALLI, D. G. FREDLUND, D. E. PAUFAHL, and A. W.
CLIFTON, "Model for predication of shear with respect to matric
suction," Canadian Geotechnical Journal, no. 33, pp. 379-392, 1996.
[1] X. Q. PANG, W. Z. ZHAO, A. G. SUN, S. C. ZHANG, M. W. LI, Y. Q.
DANG, F. Y. XU, R. L. ZHOU, D. W. ZHANG, Z. Y.XU, Z. Q. GUANG, J.
F. CHEN, and S. M. LI, "Geochemistry and origin of the giant Quaternary
shallow gas accumulations in the eastern Qaidam Basin, NW China,"
Organic Geochemistry, no.36, pp. 1636-1649. 2005.
[2] W. Z. LU, "Quaternary shallow gas distribution and quaternary exploration
prospects in southeast coastal and Yangtze River regions of China," Nature
Gas Industry, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 25-29, 1998.
[3] W. S. JIANG, Z. YE, H. P. ZHEN, and Z. M. Yong, "Quaternary shallow
gas characteristics in Hangzhou Bay and the exploration method," Nature
Gas Industry, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 20-23, 1997.
[4] D. D. RICE, and G. E. CLAYPOOL, "Generation, accumulation and
resource potential of biogenic gas," Bulletin of American Association of
Petroleum Geologists, no. 65, pp. 5-25, 1981.
[5] G. D.FLOODGATE, and A. G. JUDD, "The origin of shallow gas,"
Continental Shelf Research, vol. 12, no. 10, pp. 1145-1156, 1992.
[6] G. W. SHURR, and J. L. RIDGLEY, "Unconventional shallow biogenic gas
systems," Bulletin of American Association of Petroleum Geologists, no.
86, pp. 1939-1970, 2002.
[7] R. C. SURDAM, Z. S. JIAO, and Y. GANSHIN, "A new approach to
exploring for anomalously pressured gas accumulations: The key to
unlocking huge, unconventional gas resources," Geological Journal of
China Universities, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 307-338, 2003.
[8] C. Y. XIE, "Effects on the hydraulic structures along the Yangtze River in
Anhui province from the shallow gas in soft soil," Express Water
Resources & Hydropower Information, vol. 21, no. 10, pp. 11-16, 2000.
[9] Y. Q. TANG, W. M. YE, and Y. HUANG, "Marsh gas in shallow soils and
safety measures for tunnel construction," Engineering Geology, no. 67, pp.
373-378, 2003.
[10] L. W. KONG, A. G. GUO, S. Y. CHEN, and Y. Q. Huang, "Influence of
shallow natural gas blowout on stratum damage and hazard analysis of pile
foundation," Journal of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Engineering,
vol. 24, no. 4, pp. 375-381, 2004.
[11] M. Z. FENG, and J. JI, "The geological hazard evaluation by shallow
layered natural gas in Shanghai region," Shanghai Geology, no. 4, pp.
44-47, 2006.
[12] L. W. KONG, A. G. GUO, J. B. CHEN, and G. S. LIU, "On strength
property of gassy fine sand and model tests of pile foundation,"
Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and
Geotechnical Engineering. Osaka, Japan: Millpress Rotterdam
Netherlands, pp. 2009-2012, 2005.
[13] S. J. WHEELER, "A conceptual model for soils containing large gas
bubbles," Geotechnique, no. 38, pp. 389-397, 1988.
[14] G. C. SILLS, and S. J. WHEELER, "The significance of gas for offshore
operations," Geotechnique, vol. 51, no.7, pp. 629-639. 1992.
[15] G. C. SILLS, and R. GONZALEZ, "Consolidation of naturally gassy soft
soil," Geotechnique, vol. 51, no. 7, pp. 629-639. 2001.
[16] VANOUDHEUSDEN, E. N. SULTAN, and P. COCHONAT,
"Mechanical behavior of unsaturated marine sediments: experimental
and theoretical approaches," Marine Geology, vol. 213, no. 1-4, pp.
323-342, 2004.
[17] J. L. H. GROZIC, F. NADIM, and T. J. KVALSTAD, "On the undrained
shear strength of gassy clays," Computers and Geotechnics, vol. 32, no. 7,
pp. 483-490, 2005,
[18] C. M. LIN, Y. L. LI, H. C. ZHOU, Z. P. ZHANG, S. W. GEORGE, and R.
JENNIE, "Geology and pore-water pressure sealing of shallow biogenic
gas in the Qiantang River incised valley fills," Journal of
palaeogeography, vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 314-329, 2009.
[19] G. M. REN, "Discuss on pressure characteristics and the causes of the
shallow biological gas reservoir in China," Petroleum Exploration and
Development, vol. 26, no. 3, pp. 18-21, 1999.
[20] A. W. BISHOP, and G. E. BLIGHT, "Some aspects of effective stress in
saturated and unsaturated soils," Geotechnique, vol. 13, no. 3, pp.
177-197, 1963.
[21] D. G. FREDLUND and MORGENSTERN, "The shear strength of
unsaturated soils," Canadian Geotechnical Journal, vol. 15, no. 3, pp.
313-321, 1978.
[22] S. K. VANAPALLI, D. G. FREDLUND, D. E. PAUFAHL, and A. W.
CLIFTON, "Model for predication of shear with respect to matric
suction," Canadian Geotechnical Journal, no. 33, pp. 379-392, 1996.
@article{"International Journal of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences:60622", author = "Wang Yong and Kong Ling-Wei and Guo Ai-Guo", title = "Strength Characteristics of Shallow Gassy Sand in the Hangzhou Bay", abstract = "In view of geological origin, formation of the shallow
gas reservoir of the Hangzhou Bay, northern Zhejiang Province,
eastern China, and original occurrence characteristics of the gassy
sand are analyzed. Generally, gassy sand in scale gas reservoirs is in
the state of residual moisture content and the approximate scope of
initial matric suction of sand ranges about from 0kPa to100kPa.
Results based on GDS triaxial tests show that the classical shear
strength formulas of unsaturated soil can not effectively describe basic
strength characteristics of gassy sand; the relationship between
apparent cohesion and matric suction of gassy sand agrees well with
the power function, which can reasonably be used to describe the
strength of gassy sand. In the stress path of gas release, shear strength
of gassy sand will increase and experimental results show the formula
proposed in this paper can effectively predict the strength increment.
When saturated strength indexes of the sand are used in engineering
design, moderate reduction should be considered.", keywords = "Gassy sand, Gas release, Occurrence characteristics,
strength", volume = "4", number = "11", pages = "597-5", }
