A Coupled CFD–DEM Approach to Examine the Hydraulic Critical State of Soil under Increasing Hydraulic Gradient
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 20, Issue 9
Abstract
Increasing hydraulic gradients and associated seepage in a soil foundation accompanied by a reduction in effective stress, degradation of soil stiffness, and diminished internal stability contribute to adverse conditions in engineered earth structures, including dams and transport infrastructure. Although much attention has been drawn into these geotechnical challenges, most previous analytical and experimental studies could not properly capture the detailed response of fluid and soil particles, especially the localized or microscopic fluid–soil perspectives. In this regard, this paper aims to apply a numerical approach to analyze the response of a soil–fluid system under increasing hydraulic gradients. Soils with different gradation properties and porosities are created using the discrete element method (DEM), which is then coupled with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) based on Navier-Stokes equations. This numerical investigation reveals different stages in the development of hydraulic critical state, that is, from localized erosion (e.g., piping) to overall heave and fluidization. The transformation of fluid and particle characteristics, such as particle migration, the erosion rate, and hydraulic conductivity associated with porosity when soil approaches critical state, is discussed in detail. Micromechanical degradation within the contact network and the associated reduction in effective stress of soil due to an increasing hydraulic gradient are also analyzed in this study. A number of key factors that govern the soil response, such as friction, porosity, and grain uniformity, are addressed through numerical investigations. This study demonstrates acceptable numerical predictions for hydraulic behavior and erosion rates that are in good agreement with previous experimental data.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
This research was supported by the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council's Linkage Projects funding scheme (LP160101254), and the Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Advanced Technologies in Rail Track Infrastructure (ITTC-Rail), University of Wollongong. The financial and technical support from SMEC, Coffey, GeoHabour–Australia, Sydney Trains and ARTC (Australian Rail Track Corporation) is much appreciated. English is edited by a professional Editor Mr. Bill Clayton.
References
Chang, D. S., and L. M. Zhang. 2013. “Extended internal stability criteria for soils under seepage.” Soils Found. 53 (4): 569–583. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sandf.2013.06.008.
Ciantia, M. O., M. Arroyo, J. Butlanska, and A. Gens. 2016. “DEM modelling of cone penetration tests in a double-porosity crushable granular material.” Comput. Geotech. 73: 109–127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2015.12.001.
de Bono, J. P., and G. R. McDowell. 2014. “DEM of triaxial tests on crushable sand.” Granular Matter 16 (4): 551–562. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10035-014-0500-x.
Di Felice, R. 1994. “The voidage function for fluid-particle interaction systems.” Int. J. Multiphase Flow 20 (1): 153–159. https://doi.org/10.1016/0301-9322(94)90011-6.
Duong, T. V., A. M. Tang, Y.-J. Cui, V. N. Trinh, J.-C. Dupla, N. Calon, J. Canou, and A. Robinet. 2013. “Effects of fines and water contents on the mechanical behavior of interlayer soil in ancient railway sub-structure.” Soils Found. 53 (6): 868–878. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sandf.2013.10.006.
Fannin, R. J., and R. Moffat. 2006. “Observations on internal stability of cohesionless soils.” Géotechnique 56 (7): 497–500. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.2006.56.7.497.
Feng, K., B. M. Montoya, and T. M. Evans. 2017. “Discrete element method simulations of bio-cemented sands.” Comput. Geotech. 85: 139–150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2016.12.028.
Fleshman, M. S., and J. D. Rice. 2014. “Laboratory modeling of the mechanisms of piping erosion initiation.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 140 (6): 04014017. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001106.
Hayashi, S., and J. T. Shahu. 2000. “Mud pumping problem in tunnels on erosive soil deposits.” Géotechnique 50 (4): 393–408. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.2000.50.4.393.
Hudson, A., G. Watson, L. Le Pen, and W. Powrie. 2016. “Remediation of mud pumping on a ballasted railway track.” Procedia Eng. 143: 1043–1050. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2016.06.103.
Indraratna, B., W. Korkitsuntornsan, and T. T. Nguyen. 2020. “Influence of Kaolin content on the cyclic loading response of railway subgrade.” Transp. Geotech. 22: 100319. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trgeo.2020.100319.
Indraratna, B., V. T. Nguyen, and C. Rujikiatkamjorn. 2011. “Assessing the potential of internal erosion and suffusion of granular soils.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 137 (5): 550–554. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000447.
Indraratna, B., A. K. Rault, and H. Khabbaz. 2007. “Constriction-based retention criterion for granular filter design.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 133 (3): 266–276. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1090-0241(2007)133:3(266).
Indraratna, B., C. Rujikiatkamjorn, B. Ewers, and M. Adams. 2010. “Class A prediction of the behaviour of soft estuarine soil foundation stabilised by short vertical drains beneath a rail track.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 136 (5): 686–696. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000270.
Kafui, K. D., C. Thornton, and M. J. Adams. 2002. “Discrete particle-continuum fluid modelling of gas–solid fluidised beds.” Chem. Eng. Sci. 57 (13): 2395–2410. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0009-2509(02)00140-9.
Ke, L., and A. Takahashi. 2012. “Strength reduction of cohesionless soil due to internal erosion induced by one-dimensional upward seepage flow.” Soils Found. 52 (4): 698–711. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sandf.2012.07.010.
Kloss, C., and C. Goniva. 2011. “LIGGGHTS-open source discrete element simulations of granular materials based on LAMMPS.” In Vol. 2 of Supplemental Proc.: Materials Fabrication, Properties, Characterization, and Modeling, 781–788. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Kloss, C., C. Goniva, A. Hager, S. Amberger, and S. Pirker. 2012. “Models, algorithms and validation for opensource DEM and CFD-DEM.” Prog. Comput. Fluid Dyn. Int. J. 12 (2/3): 140–152. https://doi.org/10.1504/PCFD.2012.047457.
Kokusho, T., and Y. Fujikura. 2008. “Effect of particle gradation on seepage failure in granular soils.” In Proc., 4th Int. Conf. on Scour and Erosion, 497–504. Tokyo: Japanese Geotechnical Society.
Li, Y., Y. Xu, and C. Thornton. 2005. “A comparison of discrete element simulations and experiments for “sandpiles” composed of spherical particles.” Powder Technol. 160 (3): 219–228. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.powtec.2005.09.002.
Minh, N. H., and Y. P. Cheng. 2013. “A DEM investigation of the effect of particle-size distribution on one-dimensional compression.” Géotechnique 63 (1): 44–53. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.10.P.058.
Nguyen, T. T., and B. Indraratna. 2016. “Hydraulic behaviour of parallel fibres under longitudinal flow: A numerical treatment.” Can. Geotech. J. 53 (7): 1081–1092. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2015-0213.
Nguyen, T. T., and B. Indraratna. 2017a. “Experimental and numerical investigations into hydraulic behaviour of coir fibre drain.” Can. Geotech. J. 54 (1): 75–87. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2016-0182.
Nguyen, T. T., and B. Indraratna. 2017b. “The permeability of natural fibre drains, capturing their micro-features.” Proc. Inst. Civ. Eng. Ground Improv. 170 (3): 123–136. https://doi.org/10.1680/jgrim.16.00032.
Nguyen, T. T., and B. Indraratna. 2020. “The energy transformation of internal erosion based on fluid-particle coupling.” Comput. Geotech. 121: 103475. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2020.103475.
Nguyen, T. T., B. Indraratna, R. Kelly, N. M. Phan, and F. Haryono. 2019. “Mud pumping under railtracks: Mechanisms, assessments and solutions.” Aust. Geomech. J. 54 (4): 59–80.
Richards, K. S., and K. R. Reddy. 2007. “Critical appraisal of piping phenomena in earth dams.” Bull. Eng. Geol. Environ. 66 (4): 381–402. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-007-0095-0.
Salimzadeh, S., and N. Khalili. 2016. “Fully coupled XFEM model for flow and deformation in fractured porous media with explicit fracture flow.” Int. J. Geomech. 16 (4): 04015091. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0000623.
Schmertmann, J. H. 2000. “The non-filter factor of safety against piping through sand.” In Judgment and Innovation, Geotechnical Special Publication 111, edited by F. Silva, and E. Kavazanjian, 65–132. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Shamy, U. E., and M. Zheghal. 2005. “Coupled continuum-discrete model for saturated granular soils.” J. Eng. Mech. 131 (4): 413–426. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9399(2005)131:4(413).
Shire, T., and C. O’Sullivan. 2013. “Micromechanical assessment of an internal stability criterion.” Acta Geotech. 8 (1): 81–90. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-012-0176-5.
Skempton, A. W., and J. M. Brogan. 1994. “Experiments on piping in sandy gravels.” Géotechnique 44 (3): 449–460. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.1994.44.3.449.
Tao, J., and H. Tao. 2017. “Factors affecting piping erosion resistance: Revisited with a numerical modeling approach.” Int. J. Geomech. 17 (11): 04017097. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0000999.
Tezaghi, K. 1922. “Der grundbruch an stauwerken und seine verhutung (The failure of dams and its prevention).” Die Wasserkraft 17 (24): 445–449.
Tsuji, Y., T. Kawaguchi, and T. Tanaka. 1993. “Discrete particle simulation of two-dimensional fluidized bed.” Powder Technol. 77 (1): 79–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/0032-5910(93)85010-7.
Wan, C. F., and R. Fell. 2008. “Assessing the potential of internal instability and suffusion in embankment dams and their foundations.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 134 (3): 401–407. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1090-0241(2008)134:3(401).
Wheeler, L. N., W. A. Take, and N. A. Hoult. 2017. “Performance assessment of peat rail subgrade before and after mass stabilization.” Can. Geotech. J. 54 (5): 674–689. https://doi.org/10.1139/cgj-2016-0256.
Xiao, M., and N. Shwiyhat. 2012. “Experimental investigation of the effects of suffusion on physical and geomechanic characteristics of sandy soils.” Geotech. Test. J. 35 (6): 104594. https://doi.org/10.1520/GTJ104594.
Zeghal, M., and U. El Shamy. 2008. “Liquefaction of saturated loose and cemented granular soils.” Powder Technol. 184 (2): 254–265. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.powtec.2007.11.032.
Zhao, J., and T. Shan. 2013. “Coupled CFD–DEM simulation of fluid–particle interaction in geomechanics.” Powder Technol. 239: 248–258. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.powtec.2013.02.003.
Zhou, Z. Y., S. B. Kuang, K. W. Chu, and A. B. Yu. 2010. “Discrete particle simulation of particle–fluid flow: Model formulations and their applicability.” J. Fluid Mech. 661: 482–510. https://doi.org/10.1017/S002211201000306X.
Zhu, H. P., Z. Y. Zhou, R. Y. Yang, and A. B. Yu. 2007. “Discrete particle simulation of particulate systems: Theoretical developments.” Chem. Eng. Sci. 62 (13): 3378–3396. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ces.2006.12.089.
Zou, Y., C. Chen, and L. Zhang. 2020. “Simulating progression of internal erosion in gap-graded Sandy gravels using coupled CFD-DEM.” Int. J. Geomech. 20 (1): 04019135. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GM.1943-5622.0001520.
Zou, Y.-H., Q. Chen, X.-Q. Chen, and P. Cui. 2013. “Discrete numerical modeling of particle transport in granular filters.” Comput. Geotech. 47: 48–56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2012.06.002.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 20 • Issue 9 • September 2020
Copyright
© 2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 28, 2019
Accepted: Apr 1, 2020
Published online: Jun 17, 2020
Published in print: Sep 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Nov 17, 2020
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.