Grading evolution and critical state in a discrete numerical model of Fontainebleau sand

Granular materials reach critical states upon shearing. The position and shape of a critical state line (CSL) in the compression plane are important for constitutive models, interpretation of in situ tests and liquefaction analyses. It is not fully clear how grain crushing may affect the identificat...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Ciantia, Matteo Oryem|||0000-0003-1897-4471, Arroyo Álvarez de Toledo, Marcos|||0000-0001-9384-9107, O'Sullivan, Catherine, Gens Solé, Antonio|||0000-0001-7588-7054, Liu, T.
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2019
País:España
Institución:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
Repositorio:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/126295
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2117/126295
https://dx.doi.org/10.1680/jgeot.17.P.023
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Sand
discrete-element modelling
particle crushing/crushability
sands
shear strength
stress path
Sorra
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria civil::Geotècnia::Mecànica de sòls
Descripción
Sumario:Granular materials reach critical states upon shearing. The position and shape of a critical state line (CSL) in the compression plane are important for constitutive models, interpretation of in situ tests and liquefaction analyses. It is not fully clear how grain crushing may affect the identification and uniqueness of the CSL in granular soils. Discrete-element simulations are used here to establish the relation between breakage-induced grading evolution and the CSL position in the compression plane. An efficient model of particle breakage is applied to perform a large number of tests, in which grading evolution is continuously tracked using a grading index. Using both previous and new experimental results, the discrete-element model is calibrated and validated to represent Fontainebleau sand, a quartz sand. The results obtained show that, when breakage is present, the inclusion of a grading index in the description of critical states is advantageous. This can be simply done using the critical state plane (CSP) concept. A CSP is obtained for Fontainebleau sand.