Characteristics of structural loess strength and preliminary framework for joint strength formula

The strength of structural loess consists of the shear strength and tensile strength. In this study, the stress path, the failure envelope of principal stress （ Kf line）, and the strength failure envelope of structurally intact loess and remolded loess were analyzed through three kinds of tests： the tensile strength test, the uniaxial compressive strength test, and the conventional triaxial shear strength test. Then, in order to describe the tensile strength and shear strength of structural loess comprehensively and reasonably, a joint strength formula for structural loess was established. This formula comprehensively considers tensile and shear properties. Studies have shown that the tensile strength exhibits a decreasing trend with increasing water content. When the water content is constant, the tensile strength of the structurally intact soil is greater than that ofremolded soil. In the studies, no loss of the originally cured cohesion in the structurally intact soil samples was observed, given that the soil samples did not experience loading disturbance during the uniaxial compressive strength test, meaning there is a high initial structural strength. The results of the conventional triaxial shear strength test show that the water content is correlated with the strength of the structural loess. When the water content is low, the structural properties are strong, and when the water content is high, the structural properties are weak, which means that the water content and the ambient pressure have significant effects on the stress-strain relationship of structural loess. The established joint strength formula of structural loess effectively avoids overestimating the role of soil tensile strength in the traditional theory of Mohr-Coulomb strength.

Three-dimensional FDEM numerical simulation of failure processes observed in Opalinus Clay laboratory samples

This study presents the first step of a research project that aims at using a three-dimensional （3D） hybridfinite-discrete element method （FDEM） to investigate the development of an excavation damaged zone（EDZ） around tunnels in a clay shale formation known as Opalinus Clay. The 3D FDEM was first calibratedagainst standard laboratory experiments, including Brazilian disc test and uniaxial compression test. Theeffect of increasing confining pressure on the mechanical response and fracture propagation of the rockwas quantified under triaxial compression tests. Polyaxial （or true triaxial） simulations highlighted theeffect of the intermediate principal stress （s2） on fracture directions in the model： as the intermediateprincipal stress increased, fractures tended to align in the direction parallel to the plane defined by themajor and intermediate principal stresses. The peak strength was also shown to vary with changing s2. 2014 Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Production and hosting byElsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

THE ENVELOPE SOLITON OF STRESS WAVE ON THE WALL OF A FLUID-FILLED CIRCULAR TUBE

The reductive perturbation method of multiple-scales is used to investigate the weak nonlinear modulation of the stress wave on the wall of a fluid-filled elastic circular tube. In the case of a single mode, the nonlinear Schrodinger equation which the wave amplitude satisfies and its envelope soliton solution of stress wave are obtained.