Influence of Fines Content on the Mechanical Behavior of Methane Hydrate-Bearing Sediments

Methane hydrate-bearing sediments with different amounts of fines content and at three densities were artificially prepared under controlled temperature and pressure conditions. The void ratios of specimens after isotropic consolidation tend to decrease with a rise in fines content. The fines particles enter into the pore space between sand grains and densify the specimens. A series of triaxial compression tests were performed to systematically investigate the influences of fines content and density on the shear properties of hydrate-free sediments and methane hydrate-bearing sediments. The test results demonstrate that a rise in fines content within methane hydrate-bearing sediments significantly enhances peak shear strength and promotes dilation behavior. These influences are particularly prominent for specimens at loose packing state. A decrease in void ratio increases the shear strength and stiffness of hydrate-free sediments and methane hydrate-bearing sediments containing fines content of 0% and 8.9%. It is noted that the formation of methane hydrate in samples with varying amounts of fines content increases the stress ratios at the critical state. The addition of fines particles into coarse-grained sand grains alters the internal microstructure of sand matrix and the hydrate formation pattern in the pore space between sand grains and fines particles.