Multiscale THMC modeling of hydrate-bearing sediment published in JMPS

Multiscale modeling of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical behavior in hydrate-bearing sediment

How hydrate-bearing sediments respond to coupled thermal, hydraulic, mechanical and chemical loading matters for both geohazard assessment and gas recovery, yet most constitutive models are not grounded in what happens at the grain scale.

We develop a hybrid multiscale framework that couples the material point method, for the large-scale multiphysics processes, with the discrete element method, which provides the material response through a representative volume element embedded at every material point.

The simulations capture shear banding, shear-induced dilation and the resulting negative pore pressure. Higher hydrate saturation raises shear strength but makes failure more brittle, while higher confining stress stabilizes the sediment by suppressing dilation.