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Changes in Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Low-Permeability Coal Induced by Pulsating Nitrogen Fatigue Fracturing Tests

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Abstract

Effective methane extraction in underground coal seams can improve the efficient utilization of fossil energy and reduce the risk of safety accidents in coal mines. Pulsating nitrogen fatigue fracturing technology is proposed as a novel and effective method to enhance gas production in low-permeability coal seams and improve gas extraction efficiency. In this study, a pulsating gas test system was established to apply fatigue fracturing of pulsating nitrogen to low-permeability coal. Mercury intrusion tests, wave velocity tests, and triaxial compression tests were used to reveal the changes in microstructure and mechanical properties of low-permeability coal under fatigue fracturing tests. Results show that the residual deformation of the coal changes considerably under fatigue fracturing. The strain of the coal is characterized by a periodic “expansion–contraction” variation with the intrusion and discharge of the pulsating nitrogen, and the residual strain increases gradually in this process. After fatigue fracturing, facilitates the seepage of gas and the development of micropores and transition pores toward mesopores and macropores enhances the permeability of the coal. The specific surface area of the pores is considerably improved in the transition pores and mesopores. The pore fractal dimension of the coal tends to decrease under fatigue fracturing, resulting in a more uniform distribution of pores and enhanced interpore connectivity within the coal. The fatigue period is negatively correlated with the strength and wave velocity evolution of the coal, and the peak intensity first decreases rapidly and then gradually stabilizes. The fatigue fracturing results in a substantial increase in the spatial complexity and connectivity of the fracture distribution throughout the specimen. On the basis of the evolution characteristics of residual volumetric strain, a fatigue damage model was constructed to analyze the characteristics of fatigue deformation and failure of coal.

Highlights

  • The pulsating nitrogen fatigue test of low-permeability coal was carried out.

  • The change of residual deformation of coal under pulsating nitrogen fatigue is obtained.

  • The influence mechanism of pulsating nitrogen fatigue on pore structure is analyzed.

  • The macromechanical parameters and damage evolution characteristics under pulsating nitrogen fatigue are evaluated.

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Abbreviations

\(M_{ad}\) :

Moisture

\(A_{ad}\) :

Ash

\(V_{ad}\) :

Volatile matter

\(V_{daf}\) :

Dry ash free volatile matter

\(\overline{V}\) :

Average value of incremental pores

\(S\) :

Variance of incremental pores

\(\Delta V_{i}\) :

Incremental volume of different pore diameters

\(n\) :

Number of measuring points

\(r_{{{\text{max}}}}\) :

Largest pore size

\(P\left( r \right)\) :

Density function of the pore size distribution

\(D\) :

Fractal dimension of the pores

\(a\) :

Proportional constant determined by the pore geometry

\(V_{s}\) :

Total pore volume

\(S_{v}\) :

Cumulative volume fraction of pores

\(P_{C}\) :

Capillary pressure

\(\sigma\) :

Surface tension of the liquid

\(\vartheta\) :

Wetting contact angle

\(r_{{{\text{max}}}}\) :

Maximum pore size

\(S_{v}\) :

Volume fraction of the intruded liquid phase

\(\sigma\) :

Peak strength

\(E\) :

Elastic modulus

\(\mu\) :

Poisson’s ratio

\(V_{p}\) :

Wave velocity

\(\phi_{0}\) :

Initial porosity

\(V_{p0}\) :

Initial pore volume

\(V_{0}\) :

Initial appearance total volume

\(\varepsilon_{v}\) :

Volumetric strain

\(\phi_{d}\) :

Critical porosity of microdamage

\(\varepsilon_{vd}\) :

Critical volumetric strain of microdamage

\(N_{d}\) :

Ultimate number of fatigue cycles

\(\varepsilon_{v}^{e}\) :

Elastic volumetric strain

\(\varepsilon_{v}^{p}\) :

Residual plastic volumetric strain

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (12002270), the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2020M683686XB, 2020M673451, 2021T140553, 2021M692600), the Scientific Research Program Funded by Shaanxi Provincial Education Department (22JK0477) and the Youth Talent Promotion Project of the Xi’an Association for Science and Technology (095920211334).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an, 710048, China

    Yi Xue & Jia Liu

  2. Deep Earth Energy Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Building 60, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia

    P. G. Ranjith

  3. State Key Laboratory for Geomechanics and Deep Underground Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221006, China

    Feng Gao

  4. Institute of Deep Earth Science and Green Energy, College of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518052, China

    Heping Xie & Jun Wang

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  1. Yi Xue
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  2. Jia Liu
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Correspondence to Jia Liu.

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Xue, Y., Liu, J., Ranjith, P.G. et al. Changes in Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Low-Permeability Coal Induced by Pulsating Nitrogen Fatigue Fracturing Tests. Rock Mech Rock Eng 55, 7469–7488 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00603-022-03031-2

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