Effect of Particle Shape on Contact Network and Shear-Induced Anisotropy of Granular Assemblies: A DEM Perspective
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 150, Issue 3
Abstract
The particle shape plays an important role in the macroscopic response of granular materials. Based on discrete element method (DEM) simulation results of triaxial tests on samples with different particle shapes, this study focuses on the microcharacteristics of contact network and anisotropy in granular media during shearing by a quad-partition method. Numerical results show that the interlocking is enhanced, and stronger contact force will be generated along the loading direction as the deviation of particle shape from a sphere, causing the increase of shear strength. Sliding mainly occurs in weak contacts, and the microscopic dissipative behavior in weak contact sliding plays a key role in the transformation from contraction to dilation. The samples with different particle shapes all reach the maximum proportion of sliding contacts at the phase transformation state that is the transition points of volumetric change. The anisotropy of samples increases as the deviation of particle shape from a sphere, and the contribution of the normal contact force anisotropy to the shear strength is the largest one. With the increase of the particle axial ratio, the mean coordination number and geometrical anisotropy increase due to the oriented alignment occurring at the critical state. Compared with superball particles, the ellipsoid particles have lower compressibility with a smaller axial strain and volumetric strain at the peak state.
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Data Availability Statement
All data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 52278327) and the Beijing Natural Science Foundation (No. 8222020).
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Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 150 • Issue 3 • March 2024
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 15, 2023
Accepted: Oct 24, 2023
Published online: Dec 26, 2023
Published in print: Mar 1, 2024
Discussion open until: May 26, 2024
ASCE Technical Topics:
- Anisotropy
- Axial forces
- Contact mechanics
- Continuum mechanics
- Deformation (mechanics)
- Discrete element method
- Dynamics (solid mechanics)
- Engineering fundamentals
- Engineering materials (by type)
- Engineering mechanics
- Forces (type)
- Granular materials
- Laboratory tests
- Material mechanics
- Material properties
- Materials engineering
- Methodology (by type)
- Numerical methods
- Particles
- Shear strength
- Solid mechanics
- Strength of materials
- Structural mechanics
- Tests (by type)
- Triaxial tests
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