2020/01/17 by Nick Barnett, Md Mizanur Rahman, Md. Mizanur Rahman +6 · 52 citations
Engineering · #Composite material #Consolidation (business) #Discrete element method #Geology #Geotechnical Engineering and Soil Mechanics #Geotechnical Engineering and Soil Stabilization #Geotechnical Engineering and Underground Structures #Geotechnical engineering #Granular material #Materials science #Matrix (chemical analysis) #Mechanics #Mineralogy #Physics #Void ratio
paper · doi:10.1680/jgeot.19.p.103
published in Géotechnique 71(5), 423-440 (ICE Publishing)
openalex publication_date 2020/01/17 · openalex created_date 2020/01/23 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
The discrete-element method (DEM) was used to simulate constant-volume (undrained) triaxial compression tests for coarse particles (sand) mixed with non-plastic fines. Simulations were performed on granular mixtures with a range of fines contents (f c ) – namely, 0, 0·05, 0·10 and 0·20. The critical state and micromechanical responses of these mixtures were evaluated. The influence of f c on sand behaviour was captured when f c < f thre , where f thre represents a threshold fines content, which corresponds to a transition from a fines-in-sand soil matrix to a sand-in-fines soil matrix. The DEM was utilised to assess the micromechanical participation of fines within the sand skeleton (matrix). Such evaluations led to assessing the performance of the equivalent granular void ratio (e*), the equivalent granular state parameter (ψ*) and ultimately their inherent parameter b, which represents the proportion of fines actively participating in the sand skeleton structure. It was observed that through capturing the stress partition of contact types within granular mixtures, a reasonable approximation of the active proportion of contacts within the sand matrix could be obtained. This led to a new DEM interpretation of the b parameter. The study therefore evaluated the concept and applicability of the equivalent state theory for sand–fines mixtures.