|
Article |
H.P.T. Laboratory, Department of Geology, Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Utrecht, PO BOX 80.021, 3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands
Experiments have been carried out on dry and fluid-saturated quartz sands to investigate the behaviour during compaction under diagenetic conditions and to evaluate the importance of stress-induced solution transfer ('pressure solution') as a compaction mechanism. The experiments were performed at temperatures (T) in the range 150–350°C, applied effective stresses (
e) up to 20.7 MPa and pore fluid pressures (P1) of 12.5 and 15.5 MPa, using material with a grain size (d) in the range 20–100 µm and an initial porosity of 45–52%. Dry quartz sands underwent significant compaction during the loading stage, but showed very little compaction creep once full load was achieved (i.e. essentially time-independent compaction). In contrast, fluid-saturated material at constant applied effective stress showed substantial time-dependent compaction (i.e. creep). With increasing temperature, there is a decreasing number of grains in the wet-compacted sand which show intragranular cracks and an increasing number of grains which show dissolution features at contacts with adjacent grains. In addition, there is a decreasing dependence of the volumetric strain rate, ß on e, with both increasing volumetric strain (ev) and increasing e and a decreasing dependence of ß on ev with increasing temperature. These observations suggest that, for wet quartz sand, a gradual change might occur from compaction creep controlled by time-dependent microcracking, at T = 250–300 °C, to compaction creep controlled by stress-induced intergranular solution transfer at T = 300–350 °C.
This article has been cited by other articles:
 |
|
 |
|
  O. Pettersen Sandstone compaction, grain packing and Critical State Theory Petroleum Geoscience, 2007; 13: 63 - 67. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 Y. Bernabe and B. Evans Numerical modelling of pressure solution deformation at axisymmetric asperities under normal load Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 2007; 284: 185 - 205. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 W. He, A. Hajash, and D. Sparks Creep compaction of quartz aggregates: Effects of pore-fluid flow--A combined experimental and theoretical study Am J Sci, 2003; 303: 73 - 93. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. De Meer, M. R. Drury, J. H. P. De Bresser, and G. M. Pennock Current issues and new developments in deformation mechanisms, rheology and tectonics Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 2002; 200: 1 - 27. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
X. Zhang, J. Salemans, C. J. Peach, and C. J. Spiers Compaction experiments on wet calcite powder at room temperature: evidence for operation of intergranular pressure solution Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 2002; 200: 29 - 39. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. Gundersen, D. K. Dysthe, F. Renard, K. Bjorlykke, and B. Jamtveit Numerical modelling of pressure solution in sandstone, rate-limiting processes and the effect of clays Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 2002; 200: 41 - 60. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. R. Niemeijer and C. J. Spiers Compaction creep of quartz-muscovite mixtures at 500{degrees}C: Preliminary results on the influence of muscovite on pressure solution Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 2002; 200: 61 - 71. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 Experimental Study of the Compaction of Phyllosilicate-Bearing Sand at Elevated Temperature and with Controlled Pore Water Pressure Journal of Sedimentary Research, 2000; 70: 107 - 116.
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. R. Giles, S. L. Indrelid, and D. M. D. James Compaction -- the great unknown in basin modelling Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 1998; 141: 15 - 43. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
