Investigation of the Stress-Strain and Strength Behaviors of Ice Containing Methane Hydrate

Mechanical properties and deformation behaviors of methane hydrate are important to assess the stability of gas hydrate reservoirs. In this study, using a high-pressure and low-temperature triaxial testing apparatus, the stress-strain relationship and strength of ice containing methane hydrate were studied. The results showed that the strength increased with a decrease of temperature, and the stress-strain relationship showed an elastoplastic strain-hardening behavior. When the confining pressure was less than 10 MPa, the strength increased with confining pressure. Also, it decreased with further increases of confining pressure beyond 10 MPa. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)CR.1943-5495.0000044. (C) 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers.