Particle Contacts in Discrete Materials

The objective of the research reported herein is to take a closer look into some aspects of granular materials. Seldom in laboratory testing does one simulate field conditions for such soils. An extreme example in this regard is the concept of conducting a triaxial test of 2-ft (0.6-m) size particles as riprap.for a rock fill dam... Using an apparatus diameter of 10 particles, the appropriate height of test samples would require a specimen 20 ft (6.1 m) in diameter and 40 ft (12.2 m) high and a machine capable of producing a load on the order of 30,000,000lb (13,590,000 kg). Obviously, such test do not abound in the literature. Knowledge of the action of such soils are simply extrapolations from their smaller relatives. Recognizing that the two major attributes of granular materials are particle contacts and porosity, and experiment was devised to study these factors and to determine whether the two might be related.