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At least 433 records · Page 24

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DOE OSTI2023

Probabilistic Evaluation of Geomechanical Risks in CO2 Storage: An Exploration of Caprock Integrity Metrics Using a Multilaminate Model

The probabilistic uncertainty assessment of geomechanical risk—specifically, caprock failure—attributable to CO2 injection, as presented in a simplified hypothetical geological model, was the focus of this study. Our approach amalgamates the implementation of a multilaminate model, the creation of a response surface model in conjunction with the Box–Behnken sampling design, the execution of associated numerical modeling experiments, and the utilization of Monte Carlo simulations. Probability distributions to encapsulate the inherent variability (elastic and mechanical properties of the caprock and reservoir) and uncertainty in prediction estimates (vertical displacement, total strain, and F value) were employed. Our findings reveal that the Young modulus of the caprock is a key factor controlling equivalent total strain but is insufficient as a stand-alone indicator of caprock integrity. It is confirmed that the caprock can accommodate significant deformation without failure, if it possesses a low Young’s modulus and high mechanical strength properties, such as the friction angle and uniaxial compressive strength. Similarly, vertical displacement was found to be an unreliable indicator for caprock integrity, as caprock failure can occur across a broad spectrum of vertical displacements, particularly when both the Young modulus and mechanical strength properties have wide ranges. This study introduces the F value as the most dependable indicator for caprock failure, although it is a theoretical attribute (the shortest distance between the Mohr circle and the nearest failure envelope used to measure the sensitivity to failure) and not physically measurable in the field. Deviatoric stress levels were found to vary based on stress regimes, with the maximum levels observed under extensive and compressive stress regimes. In conjunction with the use of the response surface method, this study demonstrates the efficacy of the multilaminate framework and the Mohr–Coulomb constitutive model in providing a simplified, yet effective, probabilistic model of the mechanical behavior of caprock failure, reducing mathematical and computational complexities.

Energy & Fuels↗

NASA NTRS1986

The effects of mantle and anelasticity on nutations, earth tides, and tidal variations in rotation rate

The paper models the effects of mantle anelasticity on luni-solar nutations, on tidal deformation, on tidal variations in rotation rate, and on the eigenfrequency of the free core nutation. The results can be used to invert observations to solve for the anelastic contributions to the shear and bulk moduli of the upper and lower mantle. Specific anelastic models are used to numerically estimate the effects of anelasticity on these geodetic observables. The nutation estimates are compared with observational results. Among the conclusions: (1) mantle anelasticity is likely to be the most important source of damping for the free core nutation; (2) present VLBI nutation results are, in principle, accurate enough to usefully bound anelasticity at diurnal periods. But the discrepancy between the VLBI observed nutations and the 1984 IAU nutation model cannot be explained by anelasticity and is not yet well enough understood to allow anelasticity to be determined from the data.

Wahr, John↗

NASA NTRS1989

GPS measurements of strain accumulation across the Imperial Valley, California: 1986-1989

The Global Positioning System (GPS) data collected in southern California from 1986 to 1989 indicate considerable strain accumulation across the Imperial Valley. Displacements are computed at 29 stations in and near the valley from 1986 to 1988, and at 11 sites from 1988 to 1989. The earlier measurements indicate 5.9 +/- 1.0 cm/yr right-lateral differential velocity across the valley, although the data are heavily influenced by the 1987 Superstition Hills earthquake sequence. Some measurements, especially the east-trending displacements, are suspects for large errors. The 1988 to 1989 GPS displacements are best modeled by 5.2 +/- 0.9 cm/yr of valley crossing deformation, but rates calculated from conventional geodetic measurements (3.4 to 4.3 cm/yr) fit the data nearly as well. There is evidence from GPS and Very Long Base Interferometry (VLBI) observations that the present slip rate along the southern San Andreas fault is smaller than the long-term geologic estimate, suggesting a lower earthquake potential than is currently assumed. Correspondingly, a higher earthquake potential is indicated for the San Jacinto fault. The Imperial Valley GPS sites form part of a 183 station network in southern California and northern Baja California, which spans a cross-section of the North American-Pacific plate boundary.

Larsen, Shawn↗

NASA NTRS1992

Global Positioning System measurements of strain accumulation across the Imperial Valley, California - 1986-1989

The Global Positioning System (GPS) data collected in southern California from 1986 to 1989 indicate considerable strain accumulation across the Imperial Valley. Displacements are computed at 29 stations in and near the valley from 1986 to 1988, and at 11 sites from 1988 to 1989. The earlier measurements indicate 5.9 =/- 1.0 cm/yr right-lateral differential velocity across the valley, although the data are heavily influenced by the 1987 Superstition Hills earthquake sequence. Some measurements, especially the east-trending displacements, are suspects for large errors. The 1988 to 1989 GPS displacements are best modeled by 5.2 =/- 0.9 cm/yr of valley crossing deformation, but rates calculated from conventional geodetic measurements (3.4 to 4.3 cm/yr) fit the data nearly as well. There is evidence from GPS and Very Long Base Interferometry (VLBI) observations that the present slip rate along the southern San Andreas fault is smaller than the long-term geologic estimate, suggesting a lower earthquake potential than is currently assumed. Correspondingly, a higher earthquake potential is indicated for the San Jacinto fault. The Imperial Valley GPS sites form part of a 183 station network in southern California and northern Baja California, which spans a cross-section of the North American-Pacific plate boundary.

Larsen, Shawn↗

NASA NTRS1999

A Hierarchical Approach to Buckling Load Calculations

The advantages of using a hierarchical analysis approach to calculate the buckling load of an axially compressed composite cylindrical shell is demonstrated using an example taken from a recent experimental program. The Delft Interactive Shell DEsign COde (DISDECO) shell design code is used for this hierarchical analysis approach to provide an accurate prediction of the critical buckling load of the actual shell structure. DISDECO includes the influence of the boundary conditions, initial geometric imperfections, the effects of stiffener and load eccentricities, and the effects of prebuckling deformations caused by edge constraints in the analysis. It is shown that the use of DISDECO makes it relatively simple to proceed step by step from simple to more complex models and solution procedures. As a final step in the hierarchical analysis approach, the critical buckling load and the estimated imperfection sensitivity of the shell are verified by conducting an analysis of a large finite element model with one of the current generation two-dimensional shell analysis codes with advanced capabilities needed to represent both geometric and material nonlinearities.

Arbocz, Johann↗

NASA NTRS2003

Furrow Topography and the Elastic Thickness of Ganymede's Dark Terrain Lithosphere

The effective elastic thickness of Ganymede's lithosphere tell of the satellite's thermal evolution through time. Generally it has been inferred that dark terrain, which is less tectonically deformed than grooved terrain, represents regions of cooler and thicker lithosphere [1]. The ancient dark terrain is cut by furrows, tectonic troughs about 5 to 20 km in width, which may have formed in response to large ancient impacts [1, 2]. We have applied the methods of [3] to estimate effective elastic thickness based on topographic profiles across tectonic furrows, extracted from a stereo-derived digital elevation model (DEM) of dark terrain in Galileo Regio [4]. Asymmetry in furrow topography and inferred flexure suggests asymmetric furrow fault geometry. We find effective elastic thicknesses ~0.4 km, similar to analyzed areas alongside bright grooved terrain. Data and Analysis: A broken-plate elastic model.

Pappalardo, Robert T.↗

NASA NTRS2012

Static Indentation Load Capacity of the Superelastic 60NiTi for Rolling Element Bearings

The nickel-rich, binary nickel-titanium alloys, such as 60NiTi (60Ni-40Ti by wt%), are emerging as viable materials for use in mechanical components like rolling element bearings and gears. 60NiTi is a superelastic material that simultaneously exhibits high hardness and a relatively low elastic modulus (approx.100 GPa). These properties result in the potential to endure extremely high indentation loads such as those encountered in bearings, gears and other mechanical components. In such applications, quantifying the load that results in permanent deformation that can affect component performance and life is important. In this paper, the static load capacity is measured by conducting indentation experiments in which 12.7 mm diameter balls made from the ceramic Si3N4 are pressed into highly polished, hardened 60NiTi flat plates. Hertz stress calculations are used to estimate contact stress. The results show that the 60NiTi surface can withstand an approximately 3400 kN load before significant denting (>0.6 microns deep) occurs. This load capacity is approximately twice that of high performance bearing steels suggesting that the potential exists to make highly resilient bearings and components from such materials.

DellaCorte, Christopher↗

DOE OSTI2024

Impact of LWR assembly structural features on cladding burst behavior under LOCA conditions

This provides an initial scoping study on clad balloon and burst behavior for burnup extension of reactor fuel. The associated issues with burnup extension are fuel fragmentation, relocation, and dispersal in the event of cladding failure. The general finding of this work is that the structural features, spacer grids and mixing vanes, locally suppress cladding deformation but have little impact on the overall clad performance during loss-of-coolant accidents. The work detailed in a previous report by Capps et al. focused on core optimization via neutronics, thermal hydraulics and thermomechanical analysis for burnups beyond 62 GWD/tU and enrichments above 5%. Uncertainty of fuel fragmentation relocation and dispersal in high-burnup rods during accident conditions was also investigated. The dispersal aspect of fuel fragmentation depends on cladding rupture. Thus, assessing uncertainties in the rupture behavior is helpful in estimating the dispersal of high-burnup fuel. This study builds on the previous work by assessing the impact of assembly structural features on cladding balloon and burst behavior in a full-length fuel rod. In this work, the BISON fuel performance code was used to generate 2D radial and height meshes containing structural features commonly used in nuclear fuel assemblies. First, meshes were generated with spacer grids. Results were then compared to the cladding burst temperature and balloon strain results from the previous work. A mesh sensitivity study was performed to ensure that mixing vanes and spacer grid effects were appropriately considered, resulting in a more refined mesh than the previous study. The balloon deformation and burst times of the cladding were compared to the original case. Consideration was also given to the effect of rod initial pressure. In conclusion, 3D quarter rod simulations were also performed and found good agreement with the 2D simulations in clad deformation and reasonable agreement in burst times.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Temporal and Spatial Evolution of Non-Elastic Strain Accumulation in Stanstead Granite During Brittle Creep

Understanding the long-term behavior of brittle rocks requires fundamental consideration of time-dependent strain evolution and brittle creep processes. Previous studies have evaluated sub-critical crack growth during time-dependent deformation and damage evolution in brittle rocks; however, there is an incomplete knowledge of how damage evolves spatially and temporally within the body of intact rocks, where distributed regions of damage interact and coalesce during creep. This paper presents laboratory research focusing on evaluating brittle creep damage processes in Stanstead granite (SG) using 2-dimensional digital image correlation (2D-DIC). In the laboratory, the prismatic SG specimens were loaded beyond an estimated Crack Damage stress threshold (CD) level and then maintained a constant stress to initiate the creep process. DIC was used to characterize full-field spatiotemporal strain evolution, which was then interpreted in the context of local regions of “damage”, determined according to a strain-based criterion. Here, a method was proposed for identifying “existing” and “new” damage regions over specified intervals during the test, followed by spatial clustering of these regions to assess their spatiotemporal evolution. The clustering analysis results demonstrated the extension of existing damage regions was the main damage process during brittle creep, which is consistent with existing models of sub-critical crack growth. In addition, temporal analysis of tensile and shear strains on a point-by-point basis revealed both new damage formation and the strain concentration within existing damaged regions significantly contribute to overall specimen strain during primary creep. In contrast, during secondary creep, increases in specimen deformation are influenced by the accumulation of strains within already damaged regions.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2024

A multiscale model to understand the interface chemistry, contacts, and dynamics during lithium stripping

A reversible Li-metal electrode, paired with a solid electrolyte, is critical for attaining higher energy density and safer batteries beyond the current lithium-ion cells. A stable stripping process may be even harder to attain as the stripping process will remove Li-atoms from the surface, and naturally reduce surface contact area, if not self-corrected by other mechanisms, such as diffusion and plastic deformation under an applied external stack pressure. Here, we capture these mechanisms occurring at multiple length- and time- scales, i.e., interface interactions, vacancy hopping, and plastic deformation, by integrating density functional theory (DFT) simulations, kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC), and continuum finite element method (FEM). By assuming the self-affine nature of multiscale contacts, we predict the steady-state contact area as a function of stripping current density, interface wettability, and stack pressure. We further estimate the exponential increase of overpotential due to contact area loss to maintain the same stripping current density. We demonstrate that a lithiophilic interface requires less stack pressure to reach the same steady-state contact area fraction than a lithiophobic interface. A “tolerable steady-state” contact area loss for maintaining stable stripping is estimated at 20 %, corresponding to a 10 % increase in overpotential. To constrain contact loss within the tolerance, the required stack pressure is 0.1, 0.5, and 2 times the yield strength of lithium metal for three distinct interfaces, lithiophilic Li/lithium oxide(Li2O), Li/lithium lanthanum zirconium oxide(LLZO), and lithiophoblic Li/lithium fluoride(LiF), respectively. The modeling results agree with experiments on the impact of the stack pressure quantitatively, while the discrepancy in stripping rate sensitivity is attributed to the simplifying interface interaction in our simulations. Overall, this multiscale simulation framework demonstrates the importance of electrochemical-mechanical coupling in understanding the dynamics of the Li/SE interface during stripping.

Feng, Min↗

DOE OSTI2021

Evaluating the state-of-the-art in remote volcanic eruption characterization Part I: Raikoke volcano, Kuril Islands

Raikoke, a small, unmonitored volcano in the Kuril Islands, erupted in June 2019. We integrate data from satellites (including Sentinel-2, TROPOMI, MODIS, Himawari-8), the International Monitoring System (IMS) infrasound network, and global lightning detection network (GLD360) with information from local authorities and social media to retrospectively characterize the eruptive sequence and improve understanding of the pre-, syn- and post- eruptive behavior. In this work, we observe six infrasound pulses beginning on 21 June at 17:49:55 UTC as well as the main Plinian phase on 21 June at 22:29 UTC. Each pulse is tracked in space and time using lightning and satellite imagery as the plumes drift eastward. Post-eruption visible satellite imagery shows expansion of the island's surface area, an increase in crater size, and a possibly-linked algal bloom south of the island. We use thermal satellite imagery and plume modeling to estimate plume height at 10–12 km asl and 1.5–2 × 10 6 kg/s mass eruption rate. Remote infrasound data provide insight into syn-eruptive changes in eruption intensity. Our analysis illustrates the value of interdisciplinary analyses of remote data to illuminate eruptive processes. However, our inability to identify deformation, pre-eruptive outgassing, and thermal signals, which may reflect the relatively short duration (~12 h) of the eruption and minimal land area around the volcano and/or the character of closed-system eruptions, highlights current limitations in the application of remote sensing for eruption detection and characterization.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2022

Measurement of grain boundary strength of Inconel X-750 superalloy using in-situ micro-tensile testing techniques in FIB/SEM system

Grain boundaries (GBs), known as two-dimensional defects, are omnipresent in polycrystalline metallic alloys and thus influence a wide range of mechanical properties under different environmental conditions like irradiation and corrosion. Therefore, quantifying the strength of individual GBs is critical for understanding the degradation of mechanical properties of materials under different conditions. In this study we developed an efficient approach for the fabrication of micro-tensile specimens with a GB almost perpendicular to the tensile direction, which is expected to advance the development of individual GB tensile testing at micro or nanoscale in a wide scope of materials. Further, an in-situ cantilever micro-tensile testing method was developed and used to quantify the strength of a Σ3 GB in Inconel X-750 with the combination of finite element modeling. The average ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of a non-irradiated Σ3 GB is estimated at around 1.4 GPa, comparable to that of a neutron-irradiated Σ3 GB with a dose of ~1.5 dpa (1.3 GPa). Moreover, the in-situ push-to-pull micro-tensile testing technique developed in this work provides valuable insights into the high-angle GB deformation and fracture behavior. This method generates qualitatively similar ductility behavior before and after neutron irradiation as the bulk material testing. However, the ductility and UTS values obtained from this method are different from bulk measurements due to vastly different specimen dimensions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2020

Seasonal and Long‐Term Groundwater Unloading in the Central Valley Modifies Crustal Stress

Abstract Changes in terrestrial water content cause elastic deformation of the Earth's crust. This deformation is thought to play a role in modulating crustal stress and seismicity in regions where large water storage fluctuations occur. Groundwater is an important component of total water storage change in California, helping to drive annual water storage fluctuations and loss during periods of drought. Here we use direct estimates of groundwater volume loss during the 2007–2010 drought in California's Central Valley obtained from high resolution Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar‐based vertical land motion data to investigate the effect of groundwater volume change on the evolution of the stress field. We show that GPS‐derived elastic load models may not capture the contribution of groundwater to terrestrial water loading, resulting in an underestimation of nontectonic crustal stress change. We find that groundwater unloading during the drought causes Coulomb stress change of up to 5.5 kPa and seasonal fluctuations of up to 2.6 kPa at seismogenic depth. We find that faults near the Valley show the largest stress change and the San Andreas fault experiences only ~40 Pa of Coulomb stress change over the course of a year from groundwater storage change. Annual Coulomb stress change peaks dominantly in the fall, when the groundwater level is low; however, some faults experience peak stress in the spring when groundwater levels are higher. Additionally, we find that periods of increased stress correlate with higher than average seismic moment release but are not correlated with an increase in the number of earthquakes. This indicates groundwater loading likely contributes to nontectonic loading of faults, especially near the Valley edge, but is not a dominant factor in modulation of seismicity in California because the amplitude of stress change declines rapidly with distance from the Valley. By carefully quantifying and spatially locating groundwater fluctuations, we will improve our understanding of what drives nontectonic stress and forces that modulate seismicity in California.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

NASA NTRS1973

Concerning the meteoritic origin of the Puchezh-Katunki crater

Criticism of the works of Vardaniants (1961) and Goretskii (1962) regarding the origin of the Puchezh-Katunki crater, and development of a new hypothesis regarding this disturbance. Although Vardaniants defines the Puchezh-Katunki disturbance as a structure of explosive nature and assumes that the explosion originated as a consequence of accumulation of gases in the crystalline basement of the Russian platform, he lacks evidence to qualify this explosion as coming from a depth. Goretskii's tectonic-injection hypothesis attributes the formation of the disturbance to penetration of an intrusion of basic and ultrabasic rocks into the Paleozoic rocks of the platform. It is shown that, even if the intrusion were spread somewhere at depth, it could not account for the extent of the deformation in the disturbance. It is suggested that this disturbance is of meteoritic origin, since the structure and morphology of the region are similar to the sloping conical surface produced by an explosive meteor crater. The energy, mass, and size of the asteroid which could cause such a disturbance are estimated, and it is shown that the probability of the occurrence of an impact of this size is finite over geological time.

Firsov, L.↗

NASA NTRS1999

A Global Ocean Tide Model From TOPEX/POSEIDON Altimetry: GOT99.2

Goddard Ocean Tide model GOT99.2 is a new solution for the amplitudes and phases of the global oceanic tides, based on over six years of sea-surface height measurements by the TOPEX/POSEIDON satellite altimeter. Comparison with deep-ocean tide-gauge measurements show that this new tidal solution is an improvement over previous global models, with accuracies for the main semidiurnal lunar constituent M2 now below 1.5 cm (deep water only). The new solution benefits from use of prior hydrodynamic models, several in shallow and inland seas as well as the global finite-element model FES94.1. This report describes some of the data processing details involved in handling the altimetry, and it provides a comprehensive set of global cotidal charts of the resulting solutions. Various derived tidal charts are also provided, including tidal loading deformation charts, tidal gravimetric charts, and tidal current velocity (or transport) charts. Finally, low-degree spherical harmonic coefficients are computed by numerical quadrature and are tabulated for the major short-period tides; these are useful for a variety of geodetic and geophysical purposes, especially in combination with similar estimates from satellite laser ranging.

Ray, Richard D.↗

NASA NTRS2018

Fast Linearized Coronagraph Optimizer (FALCO) I: A Software Toolbox for Rapid Coronagraphic Design and Wavefront Correction

The Fast Linearized Coronagraph Optimizer (FALCO) is an open-source toolbox of routines for coronagraphic focal plane wavefront correction. The goal of FALCO is to provide a free, modular framework for the simulation or testbed operation of several common types of coronagraphs. FALCO includes routines for pair-wise probing estimation of the complex electric ﬁeld and Electric Field Conjugation (EFC) control, and we ask the community to contribute other wavefront correction algorithms. FALCO utilizes and builds upon PROPER, an established optical propagation library. The key innovation in FALCO is the rapid computation of the linearized response matrix for each deformable mirror (DM), which facilitates re-linearization after each control step for faster DM-integrated coronagraph design and wavefront correction experiments. FALCO is freely available as source code in MATLAB at github.com/ajeldorado/falco-matlab and will be available later this year in Python 3 at github.com/ajeldorado/falco-python.

Shaklan, Stuart B.↗

NASA NTRS1992

A microwave holography methodology for diagnostics and performance improvement for large reflector antennas

This microwave holography technique utilizes the Fourier transform relation between the complex far field radiation pattern of an antenna and the complex aperture field distribution. Resulting aperture phase and amplitude distribution data can be used to precisely characterize various crucial performance parameters, including panel alignment, panel shaping, subreflector position, antenna aperture illumination, directivity at various frequencies, and gravity deformation effects. The methodology of data processing presented here was successfully applied to the Deep Space Network (DSN) 34-m beam waveguide antennas. The antenna performance was improved at all operating frequencies by reducing the main reflector mechanical surface rms error to 0.43 mm. At Ka-band (32 GHz), the estimated improvement is 4.1 dB, resulting in an aperture efficiency of 52 percent. The performance improvement was verified by efficiency measurements and additional holographic measurements.

Rochblatt, D. J.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Microwave antenna holography

Rochblatt, David J.↗