Abstract The research program outlined in this paper starts with the assumption that if there is a significant relationship between drilling and cutting specific energies in atmospheric conditions, there would also be a significant relationship between these variables in hyperbaric conditions. Five “model rock samples” having uniaxial compressive strength varying from 9 to 160 MPa were subjected to full-scale laboratory drilling tests with polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) drill bits and a core drill, as well as laboratory full- and small-scale linear cutting tests with a conical and chisel cutter in atmospheric conditions. As a result, significant correlations between drilling and cutting specific energies were found for atmospheric conditions of laboratory. PDC drill bits and core drill bit used in laboratory tests were also used in the subsea drilling operations under hyperbaric conditions in Bismarck Sea. The conical cutter used in the laboratory tests are intended to be used on mechanical miners for subsea metal production. Core samples taken from Bismarck undersea mineral deposits were also subjected to physical and mechanical property tests in the deck and separately in the laboratories of Istanbul Technical University; and small-scale linear cutting tests were also applied in the university. Significant correlations were also found between the results of small- and full-scale cutting test. It is concluded that the capabilities of in-situ measurements will permit to detect some physical and mechanical properties of undersea mineral deposits. These properties interpreted with laboratory drilling and cutting tests would serve a basis to predict performance of mechanical miners to be used in hyperbaric conditions.

中文翻译：

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可切削性和可钻性研究，用于预测在深海海底采矿的高压条件下挖掘机械矿工的性能

摘要 本文概述的研究计划首先假设，如果大气条件下钻探和切割比能量之间存在显着关系，那么高压条件下这些变量之间也存在显着关系。对 5 个单轴抗压强度从 9 到 160 MPa 不等的“模型岩石样品”进行了全尺寸实验室钻孔测试，使用多晶金刚石复合片 (PDC) 钻头和岩心钻，以及实验室全尺寸和小尺寸线性在大气条件下使用锥形和凿形刀具进行切割测试。结果，在实验室的大气条件下，发现钻削比能和切削比能之间存在显着相关性。用于实验室测试的PDC钻头和岩心钻头也用于俾斯麦海高压条件下的海底钻探作业。实验室测试中使用的锥形刀具旨在用于机械采矿机进行海底金属生产。取自俾斯麦海底矿床的岩心样品也在甲板上进行了物理和机械性能测试，并分别在伊斯坦布尔技术大学的实验室进行了测试；小规模的直线切削试验也在该大学进行了应用。小规模和全规模切割试验的结果之间也发现了显着的相关性。结论是，原位测量的能力将允许检测海底矿床的一些物理和机械特性。