Coupled CFD-DEM simulations of submarine landslide induced by thermal dissociation of methane hydrate

This paper analyzes the process of a landslide triggered by thermal dissociation of methane hydrates by coupling the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and the Distinct Element Method (DEM). The equation of state for slightly compressible liquid was implemented into Navier-Stokes equations-based CFD. DEM was employed to simulate the behavior of soil skeletons by introducing a two-dimensional thermal-hydro-mechanical bond contact model of methane hydrate bearing sands. The numerical result identifies four typical stages of submarine landslide, i.e. the initiation of hydrate dissociation, the onset of submarine landslide, the slide process, and the stabilization of slide. The microscopic information (e.g. displacement field, velocity field of fluid, pore pressure) corresponding to these four typical stages is helpful for a better understanding of the phenomenon of the landslide triggered by thermal dissociation of gas hydrates.