Stress-strain-sorption facilities

Uniaxial compaction cell

An Instron 8562 servo-controlled loading frame, furnished with a 100kN load cell, is coupled with a compaction vessel in which the temperature and fluid pressure are precisely controlled. This compression testing system is mainly used to investigate the mechanical response of earth materials undergoing any physical-chemical reactions with reservoir fluids under in-situ hydro-thermo-mechanical conditions, e.g. measuring the swelling stress developed in shale/coal due to CO2/CH4 adsorption, which is of great importance for CO2  sequestration and enhanced shale gas/coal bed methane recovery with CO2.

3D Dilatometer

This setup consists of 3 high resolution (~25nm) eddy current sensors assembled in orthorhombic directions, which are sealed in a glass chamber. This setup aims to measure the sorption/desorption induced swelling/shrinkage of the tiny cubic solid (<15mm) exposed to the low pressure gas (e.g. water vapour) environments.