MRI: Acquisition of a High Pressure and Temperature True Triaxial Testing Equipment with a Multiphase Fluid Flow System

University Of Wyoming, Laramie WY

Investigators

Abstract

The demand for better underground civil infrastructure requires an improved basic understanding of the complex behaviors of man-made or natural materials such as bedrocks. This MRI award supports the acquisition of a true triaxial testing equipment with the capability to simulate high pressure and temperature, three-dimensional stresses, and multiphase fluid flow conditions. Valuable experimental data will be generated to improve our understanding of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical-biological (THMCB) interactions of these materials. The scientific knowledge gained will 1) improve the reliability of our civil infrastructure, 2) reduce risks and economic losses during subsurface exploration, 3) ensure a safe and permanent storage for pollutants, and 4) improve extraction of drinking water, hydrocarbons, and alternative energy sources. This project also will train future scientists and engineers as well as broadening the participation of women, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities in STEM fields. Some educational activities will be pursued as part of this project, including the incorporation of equipment testing into existing undergraduate and graduate courses, Wyoming State Science Fair exhibits, and Engineering Summer Program classes. Other activities include establishment of an educational website, an outreach program for Wyoming School Districts, and annual workshops. This project aims to advance our understanding of the fundamental aspects of THMCB processes in solid and porous media. Acquisition of the instrument will provide the unique ability to reproduce most in-situ subsurface conditions or extreme conditions that are unattainable through conventional instruments. The equipment can apply three independent principal stresses, heat multiple pore fluids at the same temperature of a test specimen, and perform coupled process measurements over complex loading trajectories. The project will advance fundamental research on rock mechanics, materials science, geophysics, biological engineering, environmental engineering and sustainability, hydrologic science, transport phenomena, and THMCB processes. The project will 1) reveal the physics behind the complex failure mechanism of materials, 2) quantify three-dimensional material strengths, 3) determine the impact of chemical and biological processes on permeability, 4) develop new numerical techniques to study groundwater flows, 5) improve interpretation of geophysical data, and 6) advance multiphysics computational models for simulating coupled THMCB processes of porous materials. The project will promote regional and national research collaborations from universities, government agencies, research institutions and private companies to tackle critical issues like global warming, energy independence, water resource demands, and natural hazards. This project is jointly funded by CBET-MRI Program and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) Program. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.