Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical Model for Unsaturated Clay Soils Based on Granular Solid Hydrodynamics Theory
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 19, Issue 10
Abstract
Starting from the thermodynamic framework of a mixture, combined with the modified soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) model, and considering the granular-level energy dissipation caused by temperature and saturation changes, this paper presents a thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM)-coupled model for unsaturated clay soils. The THM-coupled model of unsaturated soils plays an important role in environmental geotechnical engineering. However, the physical basis of THM coupling problems has not been fully clarified. By extending granular solid hydrodynamics (GSH) theory to unsaturated soils, the constitutive relations of mean effective stress and plastic deformation can be quantitatively and theoretically determined. The model was validated by comparison with experimental data in terms of the influences of temperature and suction on compression characteristic, thermal volume change behavior, shear strength properties, and water-retention characteristics of the soil. As a result, the THM coupling behavior of unsaturated soils can be well interpreted.
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Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants 51878035 and 51678043).
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Published In
International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 19 • Issue 10 • October 2019
Copyright
© 2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jul 27, 2018
Accepted: Apr 9, 2019
Published online: Jul 18, 2019
Published in print: Oct 1, 2019
Discussion open until: Dec 18, 2019
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