Modeling a Flexible Membrane for Triaxial Tests with Coupled FDM–DEM: Considering Realistic Particle Shape Effects
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 24, Issue 8
Abstract
Particle morphology plays a crucial role in determining the mechanical behavior of granular materials. This paper focused on investigating the effects of boundary conditions on the triaxial mechanical properties of soil samples, with particular consideration given to the influence of particle shape. To achieve this, a numerical model was proposed, which couples the finite difference method (FDM) and the discrete element method (DEM) to simulate the behavior of a rubber membrane and soil particles, respectively. The particle morphology was accurately reconstructed using spherical harmonics (SH) analysis, and the shell cells in the FDM were utilized to construct the boundary modeling. Through a series of simulations, the macroscopic and microscopic mechanical responses of soil particles, both within and outside the shear band, were investigated. The obtained simulation results were then compared with those derived from the DEM simulation using a particle-based membrane. The research findings pertaining to the influence of boundary conditions and particle shape provide significant contributions to our understanding of granular material behavior. These findings offer valuable insights that can be applied in the design and analysis of geotechnical structures.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or codes that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
This study was supported by the General Research Fund (Grant No. CityU 11207321) and the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong SAR (Nos. PolyU 15220221 and PolyU 15227923), the National Science Foundation of China (No. 52378371), the Start-up Fund for RAPs under the Strategic Hiring Scheme (P0048196), and the BL13W beamline of Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF).
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 24 • Issue 8 • August 2024
Copyright
© 2024 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 12, 2023
Accepted: Jan 30, 2024
Published online: May 30, 2024
Published in print: Aug 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Oct 30, 2024
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Engineering fundamentals
- Engineering materials (by type)
- Finite difference method
- Finite element method
- Geomechanics
- Geotechnical engineering
- Granular materials
- Laboratory tests
- Material mechanics
- Material properties
- Materials engineering
- Methodology (by type)
- Numerical methods
- Particles
- Soil mechanics
- Soil properties
- Tests (by type)
- Triaxial tests
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