Course Details
Course Information Package
Course Unit Title | COMPUTATIONAL GEO-MECHANICS AND APPLICATIONS | ||||||||
Course Unit Code | MPE501 | ||||||||
Course Unit Details | MSc Oil & Gas and Offshore Engineering (Required Courses) - | ||||||||
Number of ECTS credits allocated | 7 | ||||||||
Learning Outcomes of the course unit | By the end of the course, the students should be able to:
| ||||||||
Mode of Delivery | Face-to-face | ||||||||
Prerequisites | NONE | Co-requisites | NONE | ||||||
Recommended optional program components | NONE | ||||||||
Course Contents | Introduction: revision and introduction to geomechanics, rock testing, friction and deformation in low and high porosity rocks, pore pressure, reservoir behaviour, effective stress concept. How these materials differ from other engineering materials and are not suited to simple constitutive modelling. Methods of analysis: mathematical models, governing differential equations, boundary conditions, continuum assumptions, discrete modelling, geometric considerations. Flow through porous media: basic Darcy’s law, variable and anisotropic permeability, Biot formulation for flow in a deforming porous material. Numerical analysis of flow through porous media: development of the finite element and finite difference equations. Consolidation simulation: time-integration algorithms, Terzaghi’s consolidation theory, application to problems. Elasto-plastic models: linear elastic, LEPP, hyperbolic, non-linear stiffness, anisotropic. Selection of appropriate models. Structure interaction, interface elements. Numerical solution of geomechanics problems: practical procedure, examples: 1D consolidation, axisymmetric flow, 3D flow, axisymmetric borehole and pile analysis, 3D analysis of laterally loaded piles and anchors. | ||||||||
Recommended and/or required reading: | |||||||||
Textbooks |
| ||||||||
References |
| ||||||||
Planned learning activities and teaching methods | The course will be presented through theoretical lectures in class. The lectures will present to the student the course content and allow for questions. Part of the material will be presented using visual aids. Lecture notes, project assignments, practice questions, feedback and additional material such as site videos and photographs will be available to students at any time on the e-learning Moodle platform. The learning process will be enhanced with the requirement from the student to solve exercises. These include self-evaluation exercises which will be solved in class. These exercises will not be graded. Numerical analysis projects will be given as part of their assessment following software demonstrations in class. The instructor will be available to students during office hours or by appointment in order to provide any additional tutoring. | ||||||||
Assessment methods and criteria |
| ||||||||
Language of instruction | English | ||||||||
Work placement(s) | NO |