The presence of particles larger than the permissible dimensions of conventional laboratory specimens causes difficulty in the determination of shear strength of coarse-grained soils. In this research, the influence o...The presence of particles larger than the permissible dimensions of conventional laboratory specimens causes difficulty in the determination of shear strength of coarse-grained soils. In this research, the influence of particle size on shear strength of coarse-grained soils was investigated by resorting to experimental tests in different scale and numerical simulations based on discrete element method (DEM). Experimental tests on such soil specimens were based on using the techniques designated as "parallel" and "scalping" to prepare gradation of samples in view of the limitation of laboratory specimen size. As a second approach, the direct shear test was numerically simulated on assemblies of elliptical particles. The behaviors of samples under experimental and numerical tests are presented and compared, indicating that the modification of sample gradation has a significant influence on the mechanical properties of coarse-grained soils. It is noted that the shear strengths of samples produced by the scalping method are higher than samples by the parallel method. The scalping method for preparing specimens for direct shear test is therefore recommended. The micromechanical behavior of assemblies under direct shear test is also discussed and the effects of stress level on sample behavior are investigated.展开更多
By combining DEM (Discrete Element Method) and FEM (Finite Element Method), a model is established to simulate the breakage of twodimensional sharp-edge particles, in which the simulated particles are assumed to h...By combining DEM (Discrete Element Method) and FEM (Finite Element Method), a model is established to simulate the breakage of twodimensional sharp-edge particles, in which the simulated particles are assumed to have no cracks. Particles can, however, crush during different stages of the numerical analysis, if stress-based breakage criteria are fulfilled inside the particles. With this model, it is possible to study the influence of particle breakage on macro- and micro-mechanical behavior of simulated angular materials. Two series of tests, with and without breakable particles, are simulated under different confining pressures based on conditions of biaxial tests. The results, presented in terms of micromechanical behavior for different confining pressures, are compared with macroparameters. The influence of particle breakage on microstructure of sharp-edge materials is discussed and the related confining pressure effects are investigated. Breakage of particles in rockfill materials are shown to reduce the anisotropy coefficients of the samples and therefore their strength and dilation behaviors.展开更多
The mechanical behavior of granular materials depends much on the shape of the constituent particles. Therefore appropriate modeling of particle, or grain, shape is quite important. This study employed the method of d...The mechanical behavior of granular materials depends much on the shape of the constituent particles. Therefore appropriate modeling of particle, or grain, shape is quite important. This study employed the method of direct modeling of grain shape (Matsushima & Saomto, 2002), in which, the real shape of a grain is modeled by combining arbitrary number of overlapping circular elements which are connected to each other in a rigid way. Then, accordingly, a discrete-element program is used to simulate the assembly of grains. In order to measure the effects of grain shape on mechanical properties of assembly of grains, three types of grains-high angular grains, medium angular grains and round grains are considered where several biaxial tests are conducted on assemblies with different grain types, The results show that the angularity of grains greatly affects the behavior of granular soil.展开更多
A numerical model is developed to simulate saturated granular soil, based on the discrete element method. Soil particles are represented by Lagrangian discrete elements, and pore fluid, by appropriate discrete element...A numerical model is developed to simulate saturated granular soil, based on the discrete element method. Soil particles are represented by Lagrangian discrete elements, and pore fluid, by appropriate discrete elements which represent alternately Lagrangian mass of water and Eulerian volume of space. Macroscale behavior of the model is verified by simulating undrained biaxial compression tests. Micro-scale behavior is compared to previous literature through pore pressure pattern visualization during shear tests. It is demonstrated that dynamic pore pressure patterns are generated by superposed stress waves. These pore-pressure patterns travel much faster than average drainage rate of the pore fluid and may initiate soil fabric change, ultimately leading to liquefaction in loose sands. Thus, this work demonstrates a tool to roughly link dvnamic stress wave patterns to initiation of liQuefaction nhenomena.展开更多
文摘The presence of particles larger than the permissible dimensions of conventional laboratory specimens causes difficulty in the determination of shear strength of coarse-grained soils. In this research, the influence of particle size on shear strength of coarse-grained soils was investigated by resorting to experimental tests in different scale and numerical simulations based on discrete element method (DEM). Experimental tests on such soil specimens were based on using the techniques designated as "parallel" and "scalping" to prepare gradation of samples in view of the limitation of laboratory specimen size. As a second approach, the direct shear test was numerically simulated on assemblies of elliptical particles. The behaviors of samples under experimental and numerical tests are presented and compared, indicating that the modification of sample gradation has a significant influence on the mechanical properties of coarse-grained soils. It is noted that the shear strengths of samples produced by the scalping method are higher than samples by the parallel method. The scalping method for preparing specimens for direct shear test is therefore recommended. The micromechanical behavior of assemblies under direct shear test is also discussed and the effects of stress level on sample behavior are investigated.
文摘By combining DEM (Discrete Element Method) and FEM (Finite Element Method), a model is established to simulate the breakage of twodimensional sharp-edge particles, in which the simulated particles are assumed to have no cracks. Particles can, however, crush during different stages of the numerical analysis, if stress-based breakage criteria are fulfilled inside the particles. With this model, it is possible to study the influence of particle breakage on macro- and micro-mechanical behavior of simulated angular materials. Two series of tests, with and without breakable particles, are simulated under different confining pressures based on conditions of biaxial tests. The results, presented in terms of micromechanical behavior for different confining pressures, are compared with macroparameters. The influence of particle breakage on microstructure of sharp-edge materials is discussed and the related confining pressure effects are investigated. Breakage of particles in rockfill materials are shown to reduce the anisotropy coefficients of the samples and therefore their strength and dilation behaviors.
文摘The mechanical behavior of granular materials depends much on the shape of the constituent particles. Therefore appropriate modeling of particle, or grain, shape is quite important. This study employed the method of direct modeling of grain shape (Matsushima & Saomto, 2002), in which, the real shape of a grain is modeled by combining arbitrary number of overlapping circular elements which are connected to each other in a rigid way. Then, accordingly, a discrete-element program is used to simulate the assembly of grains. In order to measure the effects of grain shape on mechanical properties of assembly of grains, three types of grains-high angular grains, medium angular grains and round grains are considered where several biaxial tests are conducted on assemblies with different grain types, The results show that the angularity of grains greatly affects the behavior of granular soil.
文摘A numerical model is developed to simulate saturated granular soil, based on the discrete element method. Soil particles are represented by Lagrangian discrete elements, and pore fluid, by appropriate discrete elements which represent alternately Lagrangian mass of water and Eulerian volume of space. Macroscale behavior of the model is verified by simulating undrained biaxial compression tests. Micro-scale behavior is compared to previous literature through pore pressure pattern visualization during shear tests. It is demonstrated that dynamic pore pressure patterns are generated by superposed stress waves. These pore-pressure patterns travel much faster than average drainage rate of the pore fluid and may initiate soil fabric change, ultimately leading to liquefaction in loose sands. Thus, this work demonstrates a tool to roughly link dvnamic stress wave patterns to initiation of liQuefaction nhenomena.