Mechanical Properties of Shale under the Coupling Effect of Temperature and Confining Pressure

In this paper, the authors have studied the changes in the mechanical properties of shale caused by temperature and pressure changes in the process of shale gas development. The mechanical properties of shale are evaluated by the rock triaxial test method in the temperature range from 25°C to 120°C. Then, we have analyzed the influence of the temperature and pressure parameters on the stress-strain curves, peak stress, and elastic modulus characteristics of shale. The results show that the mechanical properties of shale change with change in temperature and confining pressure. With increase in temperature, the peak stress and the elastic modulus characteristics gradually decrease. With increase in the confining pressure, the peak stress increases significantly, and the elastic modulus also tends to increase. The research results have an important theoretical and practical significance for shale gas development.