Understanding rock behaviour at depth: Integration of high pressure-temperature-pore fluid measurements via a servo-controlled stiff testing system for experimental geomechanics

岩石在深部的特性主要受围压、温度、孔隙流体压力和应变率的控制。了解这些变量至关重要，如果我们要：i）改善对我们的社区和基础设施构成风险的地质灾害的缓解; ii）安全，经济和可持续地开采加拿大的深层自然资源。拟议的设施将看到一个高容量，刚性测试框架转换成一个最先进的伺服控制三轴测试系统，能够模拟在深度经历的压力和温度条件。该设施将位于不列颠哥伦比亚大学耗资7500万美元新建的地球科学大楼内，并将研究人员与岩石力学、结构地质学、火山学和资源开采（深水采矿和碳氢化合物储层水力压裂）领域的重叠专业知识联系起来。这组研究人员在实验岩石力学方面有着良好的记录，结合了实地观察和最先进的数值建模。这种协同作用导致改进的实验设计和更强大的结果解释。作为一个团体，他们已经就这些主题发表了大量文章，所要求的设备将使我们能够继续并建立在我们以前的研究成功基础上。

The behaviour of rock at depth is primarily controlled by confining pressure, temperature, pore fluid pressure and strain rate. It is crucial to understand these variables if we are to: i) improve the mitigation of geo-hazards that pose a risk to our communities and infrastructure; and ii) safely, economically and sustainably extract Canada's natural resources at depth. The proposed facility would see the conversion of a high capacity, stiff testing frame into a state-of-the-art servo-controlled triaxial test system capable of simulating the pressure and temperature conditions experienced at depth. The facility will be housed in the new $75 million Earth Science Building at UBC, and will link researchers with overlapping expertise in rock mechanics, structural geology, volcanology and resource extraction (deep mining and hydrofracking of hydrocarbon reservoirs). This group of researchers have a proven track record in experimental rock mechanics, integrated with field-based observations and state-of-the-art numerical modelling. This synergy leads to both improved experimental design and more robust interpretation of results. As a group, they have published extensively on these topics, and the requested equipment would allow us to continue and build upon our previous research successes.