Zhao, Wu
(2019)
Strength of Granite Saturated by Various Fluids.
Master's Thesis, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
Abstract
This thesis describes experiment-based research aiming to evaluate the change of strength of granite saturated by different fluids. The granite specimens are vacuum saturated with water, hydrochloric acid (HCl), sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and kerosene. Then, the flexural tensile strength of granite specimens was measured in three-point bending tests. Results indicate the strength of granite saturated by fluids is decreased compared with dry granite. However, there is no significant difference between these types of fluids. Compared to the dry granite specimens, water, HCl, NaOH, and kerosene reduce the strength of granite by 25%, 32%, 26%, and 24%, respectively. HCl in a range of low loading rate (less than 20 MPa/min) shows a greater strength reduction, but even this effect is relatively small and only marginally statistically significant. Also, the polar fluid (aqueous) does not have a different performance compared to the nonpolar fluid (kerosene), although there is a small difference wherein the kerosene-saturated specimens are very slightly stronger (although of marginal statistical significance) compared with those saturated by aqueous solutions. The experiments suggest that chemical fluid-rock interaction plays a minimal role compared to the mechanical influence of the fluid, for example through lubrication of grain boundaries and/or local pore pressure generation. Initial discussion is provided for this revised hypothesis through demonstration that specimens saturated by more viscous hydraulic oil are consistently weaker than those saturated by less viscous kerosene.
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Details
| Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
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| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
|
| ETD Committee: |
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| Date: |
23 January 2019 |
| Date Type: |
Publication |
| Defense Date: |
19 November 2018 |
| Approval Date: |
23 January 2019 |
| Submission Date: |
20 November 2018 |
| Access Restriction: |
No restriction; Release the ETD for access worldwide immediately. |
| Number of Pages: |
67 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
Swanson School of Engineering > Chemical and Petroleum Engineering |
| Degree: |
MS - Master of Science |
| Thesis Type: |
Master's Thesis |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Rock Mechanics, Stress Corrosion, Tensile Strength, Granite |
| Date Deposited: |
23 Jan 2019 16:41 |
| Last Modified: |
23 Jan 2019 16:41 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/35532 |
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