抗转动特性对颗粒材料分散性失稳的影响研究

对于岩土类的颗粒材料,在特定的应变加载路径下会发生非局部化的失稳现象,此时应力状态处于Mohr-Coulomb屈服面内,试样整体急剧失稳。采用颗粒离散元方法,研究抗转动特性对颗粒材料在等比例应变加载路径下宏、细观力学特性的影响。模拟发现,较为松散的试样更易发生分散性失稳,此时颗粒集合体的应力-应变状态满足Hill材料失稳准则。采用考虑颗粒转动的接触模型进行离散元模拟,通过改变颗粒间接触的转动摩擦系数,从宏观和细观层面分析等比例应变加载路径中颗粒材料的稳定性。颗粒抗转动能力的增强可以降低材料发生分散性失稳的可能性,随着转动摩擦系数的增加,应力路径由应变软化逐渐转为应变硬化,原本会发生分散性失稳的松散颗粒集合体表现出与密实颗粒集合体相似的宏观力学特性;颗粒集合体的内部结构表现出相应的细观作用机制,转动摩擦系数的增加有效地抑制了颗粒转动,虽然降低了颗粒体系的配位数,但增加了颗粒之间的接触力,增强了颗粒体系力链结构的稳定性和各向异性,形成稳定的结构持续抵抗外荷载的施加,从而试样整体不会形成松散的接触状态而失去稳定性。     

颗粒物质在等比例应变加载下的分散性失稳模式

由地下水引起的静力液化可能是边坡失稳的隐含机制之一,松砂在不排水剪切条件下可能发生静力液化,密实的颗粒集合体在特定的应变路径下也会出现相似的现象,即试样整体发生急剧的失稳,应力状态尚处于峰值强度线以内。该种失稳模式称为分散性失稳,是为了强调失稳模式中没有出现应变局部化或者剪切带。采用连续-离散耦合分析方法,研究由不规则形状颗粒组成的密实集合体在等比例应变加载路径下的力学特性。根据Hill的材料失稳理论,当试样的应力增量 和应变增量 对应的2阶功 为负时,试样即发生不可逆的整体失稳破坏。以根据不同等比例应变路径得到 曲线为界,在 平面内将试样的应力状态分为剪缩区、剪胀-稳定区和剪胀-非稳定区,连接不同围压下试样发生分散性失稳时的应力状态形成失稳线发现,峰值强度线高于临界状态线,临界状态线高于失稳线。     

岩石损伤断裂的沙堆元胞自动机模拟

在岩石材料的加载过程中,当荷载超过某一临界值时,岩石的变形从稳定变形阶段突变为不稳定变形阶段,即使是保持荷载不变,破裂也会继续发展,表现为“雪崩”式的破坏过程。基于自组织临界性理论及沙堆元胞自动机模型,对岩石失稳破坏过程中的损伤演化、裂纹扩展规律进行了探讨,从新的角度研究了岩石失稳破坏的细观演化规律。     

渐进坍塌型崩岸的力学机制及模拟

针对渐进坍塌型崩岸,从土力学和河流动力学两方面理论出发,建立了岸坡稳定的力学模式,结合室内概化模拟试验和数值计算,分析了岸坡稳定或破坏的力学机制,揭示了缓坡出现崩岸的原因。结果表明,岸坡坡脚未受水流冲失时,若坡内渗流出逸坡降小于渗透破坏的临界坡降,岸坡处于稳定状态,当坡脚被水流冲失后,渗流渗径缩短,水土结合处坡面出逸坡降增大,大于临界坡降时则出现渗透破坏,引起局部小幅度土体崩塌,其后部土体失去支撑而陆续产生失稳破坏,随着时间的延长,土体崩塌现象逐步向后发展,最终导致岸坡整体崩塌破坏。     

渐进坍塌型崩岸的力学机制及模拟

针对渐进坍塌型崩岸,从土力学和河流动力学两方面理论出发,建立了岸坡稳定的力学模式,结合室内概化模拟试验和数值计算,分析了岸坡稳定或破坏的力学机制,揭示了缓坡出现崩岸的原因。结果表明,岸坡坡脚未受水流冲失时,若坡内渗流出逸坡降小于渗透破坏的临界坡降,岸坡处于稳定状态,当坡脚被水流冲失后,渗流渗径缩短,水土结合处坡面出逸坡降增大,大于临界坡降时则出现渗透破坏,引起局部小幅度土体崩塌,其后部土体失去支撑而陆续产生失稳破坏,随着时间的延长,土体崩塌现象逐步向后发展,最终导致岸坡整体崩塌破坏。     

均质土岸坡崩塌与河床冲淤交互过程试验

在弯道水槽中展开系列试验,研究水力冲刷过程中均质土岸坡冲刷崩塌输移与河床冲淤过程及其影响因素。该过程及变化特征可描述为:水下坡面侵蚀及坡脚淘刷导致岸坡失稳崩塌;暂时堆积在凹岸坡脚处的崩塌体加剧附近水流紊动程度利于其输运与分解;分解后较粗的颗粒随弯道螺旋流以推移质形式被输移至下游凸岸落淤,较细的颗粒大部分都随水流以悬移质形式被携带至下游出口;水流结构随岸坡及河床变形而调整;如此循环往复。试验成果进一步表明:冲刷状态下,试验材料黏性越小、近岸流速越大、作用时间越长,岸坡冲刷崩塌量及河床冲刷量都越大;同条件下岸坡冲刷崩塌总量大于河床冲刷总量,且河床相对冲刷率随岸坡冲刷崩塌量的增大而减小,数值范围为0.40~0.92。     

岩石圆孔结构破坏过程变形场演化的实验研究

采用自行设计的岩石材料破坏过程变形场监测系统(Geo-DSCM系统),观测了受单轴压缩的岩石圆孔结构破坏过程中的变形场演化。圆孔结构由大理岩方板在中心钻孔加工而成,以0.02 mm/min的位移加载速度进行单轴压缩至破坏。实验结果表明,载荷水平较低时圆孔结构的拉应力集中部位发生变形集中现象;当载荷水平接近加载曲线的峰值点时,变形集中在两条共轭的与加载方向成一定角度的局部化带上;之后,变形的集中迁移到其中一条带上集中,结构最终在此带上形成宏观裂纹而破坏。     

三维复杂块体系统边坡深层加固条件下稳定性及破坏机制模型试验研究

白鹤滩水电站左岸为强卸荷岩体三维复杂块体系统高边坡,采用三维地质力学模型试验,进行了边坡变形特性、失稳破坏过程、破坏机制、边坡稳定性及加固处理效果研究。模型试验表明,边坡失稳模式为块体滑动破坏,破坏形态表现为底滑面的剪切破坏和后缘结构面的拉裂破坏以及块体沿底滑面和侧滑面的滑动。边坡破坏过程为模型结构面初裂、结构面组合块体边界贯通、最终至边坡整体失稳3个阶段。采用地质力学模型试验综合法获得了左岸块体系统边坡整体稳定安全系数,典型块体稳定安全系数与三维刚体法及块体单元法(BEM)计算成果对比基本一致,模型试验综合法安全系数相对较大。同时,针对层内错动带LS_(337)界面部位相对变位监测表明,深层混凝土置换洞加固有效地控制了底滑面的滑动变形,提高了相关结构面组合块体的稳定性,边坡加固效果较为明显。研究成果对白鹤滩工程左岸强卸荷区三维复杂块体系统边坡及类似工程边坡稳定性及加固处理具有重要的指导意义。     

缓倾坡外软硬互层型高斜坡演化及失稳机理研究

基于对贵州省德江县香树坪斜坡工程地质条件分析及斜坡变形破坏特征分析,建立了缓倾坡外软硬互层型高斜坡演化概念模型,分析了斜坡演化机制,将斜坡形成及变形破坏过程分为河谷形成过程中的时效变形、滑移-逐级拉裂、滑移-弯曲-剪断3个阶段。并通过数值分析,再现了斜坡失稳机理及发生过程。基于软硬互层特性在斜坡演化过程中的作用量化分析表明,由于硬岩层限制软岩层的变形,导致坡体不易发生整体失稳。但软岩持续蠕变导致硬岩内能量积累增大,局部变形扩大,最终发生失稳破坏。     

土体拉伸破坏过程微细结构变化测试系统研发与应用

针对目前土体拉伸测试水平的不足,研发了一套土体拉伸破坏过程微细结构变化测试系统,主要由拉伸加载装置、图像采集装置、图像处理程序3部分组成。拉伸加载装置为测试系统提供均匀、稳定的外部荷载和观测面;图像采集装置可利用跟踪平台连续拍摄拉伸过程中不同应力状态下的微细观结构图像,并利用基于数字散斑相关法的相对位移场计算,通过预拉伸可确定断裂带演化区域,即观测区域;图像处理程序可对所拍摄图像进行增强、融合、拼接、分割处理,并对图像中孔隙与颗粒的量化特征参数进行提取。基于所研发的测试系统开展了黏性土拉伸破坏的微细观试验,研究结果表明：黏性土在整个拉伸破坏过程中,颗粒结构调整在先,孔隙演化在后,孔隙的形成与贯通将最终导致试样的拉伸破坏;孔隙度与孔隙分布分维随拉伸变形量的增加而增长,颗粒分布分维随拉伸变形量的增加而降低,但均表现有相似的阶段性,据此可将整个拉伸破坏过程划分为孔隙的萌生、发展、贯通3个阶段。     

Stiffness pathologies in discrete granular systems: Bifurcation,neutral equilibrium,and instability in the presence of kinematic constraints

The paper develops the stiffness relationship between the movements and forces among a system of discrete interacting grains. The approach is similar to that used in structural analysis, but the stiffness matrix of granular material is inherently nonsymmetric because of the geometrics of particle interactions and of the frictional behavior of the contacts. Internal geometric constraints are imposed by the particles' shapes, in particular, by the surface curvatures of the particles at their points of contact. Moreover, the stiffness relationship is incrementally nonlinear, and even small assemblies require the analysis of multiple stiffness branches, with each branch region being a pointed convex cone in displacement space. These aspects of the particle-level stiffness relationship give rise to three types of microscale failure: neutral equilibrium, bifurcation and path instability, and instability of equilibrium. These three pathologies are defined in the context of four types of displacement constraints, which can be readily analyzed with certain generalized inverses. That is, instability and nonuniqueness are investigated in the presence of kinematic constraints. Bifurcation paths can be either stable or unstable, as determined with the Hill–Bažant–Petryk criterion. Examples of simple granular systems of three, 16, and 64 disks are analyzed. With each system, multiple contacts were assumed to be at the friction limit. Even with these small systems, microscale failure is expressed in many different forms, with some systems having hundreds of microscale failure modes. The examples suggest that microscale failure is pervasive within granular materials, with particle arrangements being in a nearly continual state of instability.     

Micromechanics of vortices in granular media: connection to shear bands and implications for continuum modelling of failure in geomaterials

Recent analysis of data from triaxial tests on sand and discrete element simulations indicate the final pattern of failure is encoded in grain motions during the nascent stages of loading. We study vortices that are evident from grain displacements at the start of loading and bear a direct mathematical connection to boundary conditions, uniform continuum strain and shear bands. Motions of three grains in mutual contact, that is, 3‐cycles, manifest vortices. In the initial stages of loading, 3‐cycles initiate a rotation around a region Ω^* where the shear band ultimately develops. This bias sets a course in 3‐cycle evolution, determining where they will more likely collapse. A multiscale spatial analysis of 3‐cycle temporal evolution provides quantitative evidence that the most stable, persistent 3‐cycles degrade preferentially in Ω^*, until essentially depleted when the shear band is fully formed. The transition towards a clustered distribution of persistent 3‐cycles occurs early in the loading history—and coincides with the persistent localisation of vortices in Ω^*. In 3D samples, no evidence of spatial clustering in persistent 3‐cycle deaths is found in samples undergoing diffuse failure, while early clustering manifests in a sample that ultimately failed by strain localisation. This study not only delivered insights into the possible structural origins of vortices in dense granular systems but also a tool for the early detection of the mode of failure—localised versus diffuse—a sample will ultimately undergo. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Macroscopic and microscopic behaviors of granular materials under proportional strain path: a DEM study

Under the proportional strain loading path, particle assemblies may exhibit various failure modes. Besides the strain localization, the diffuse failure may also occur under certain conditions. The diffuse failure mode corresponds to a homogeneous occurrence of failure with stress states strictly included within the plastic limit condition. This paper emphasizes the influences of the density degree and the rolling resistance under the strain path. A contact model considering rolling friction is adopted in a discrete element method analysis as an approximate means to account for the effects of particle shape. Mechanical responses indicate that loose assemblies without the rolling resistance are more vulnerable to static liquefaction. A sample with a smaller initial void ratio or larger rolling friction coefficient will reinforce the stability of the structure and reduce the likelihood of failure. For microscopic properties, the evolution of coordination numbers, contact forces, force chains and the anisotropies of the assemblies are explored and discussed. Rotational resistance helps increase the shear stress of the granular material, and the microscopic parameters indicate that the assembly has a strong anisotropy and a stable structure to resist the increasing loading.     

Micromechanical analysis of cyclic and asymptotic behaviors of a granular backfill

The paper examines the mechanics and physics of granular material responses at the macroscopic and microscopic levels during both monotonic and cyclic loadings. A numerical analysis referring to a long retaining wall is conducted using a two-dimensional discrete element model representing a granular system with a free top surface. On one of the lateral boundaries referring to the retaining wall, both active and passive loadings were applied monotonically as well as cyclically. First, the development of sheared zones and classic failure wedges resulting from active and passive monotonic displacements are discussed with respect to Rankine’s and Roscoe’s solution angles. Then, a series of loading cycles were performed using slow small-amplitude displacements at different stress states chosen before the occurrence of failure along the passive monotonic stress response curve. Particular interest is focused on the ultimate asymptotic cyclic response of the granular system, the occurrence of a high-mobility (convective) zone and a detailed macroscopic and microscopic analysis. Finally, major kinematical features that are displayed during cyclic loading from different starting stresses to eventually reach the same asymptotic state were elucidated through particle vortex-like flux formations, including contact rotations. The change in material stiffness was also investigated based on the evolution of strong and weak contact networks, together with the analysis of fabric anisotropy within the entire domain, including the high-mobility zone considered separately.

     

Three-dimensional random network model for thermal conductivity in particulate materials

This paper describes a three-dimensional random network model to evaluate the thermal conductivity of particulate materials. The model is applied to numerical assemblies of poly-dispersed spheres generated using the discrete element method (DEM). The grain size distribution of Ottawa 20–30 sand is modeled using a logistic function in the DEM assemblies to closely reproduce the gradation of physical specimens. The packing density and inter-particle contact areas controlled by confining stress are explored as variables to underscore the effects of micro- and macro-scales on the effective thermal conductivity in particulate materials. It is assumed that skeletal structure of 3D granular system consists of the web of particle bodies interconnected by thermal resistor at contacts. The inter-particle contact condition (e.g., the degree of particle separation or overlap) and the particle radii determine the thermal conductance between adjacent particles. The Gauss–Seidel method allows evaluation of the evolution of temperature variation in the linear system. Laboratory measurements of thermal conductivity of Ottawa 20–30 sand corroborate the calculated results using the proposed network model. The model is extended to explore the evolution of thermal conduction depending on the nucleation habits of secondary solid phase as an anomalous material in the pore space. The proposed network model highlights that the coordination number, packing density and the inter-particle contact condition are integrated together to dominate the heat transfer characteristics in particulate materials, and allows fundamental understanding of particle-scale mechanism in macro-scale manifestation.     

Dynamic instabilities under isotropic drained compression of idealized granular materials

The compressibility behaviour of loose and contracting granular assemblies, normally consolidated and overconsolidated, under isotropic drained compression is investigated in this paper. Short cylindrical samples of water-saturated monodisperse glass beads, initially assembled in loose state by moist-tamping technique, are isotropically compressed in a classical axisymmetric triaxial machine. Very loose glass bead samples experience numerous unexpected events, sometimes cascading, under undetermined triggered effective isotropic stress in loading and in unloading, while the classical compressibility behaviour of granular material is recovered once these events ignored. Each event, resembling the stick–slip instability during shear in triaxial compression, is characterized by a transient dynamic phase I with very fast drop of effective isotropic stress \(\sigma ^{'}\) due to an excess pore pressure development at nearly constant volume and constant axial strain, followed by a quasi-static phase II with gradual increase in axial \(\varepsilon _\mathrm{a}\) (contraction) and volumetric \(\varepsilon _\mathrm{v}\) (compaction) strain, and a full progressive recovery of \(\sigma ^{'}\) to the previous level before event. A short-lived liquefaction with null \(\sigma ^{'}\) measured in the first phase I results in a local collapse state. Collapse events also happen on unsaturated moist and dry states. Rare events even occur during the unloading of subsequent isotropic compression cycles. The effects of triggered isotropic stress are discussed, the instability characteristics measured, the comparison with stick–slip instability made and the hypothesis of micro-structural instability with local collapse of contact networks and rapid micro-structural rearrangement argued.     

Fabric evolution of granular materials along imposed stress paths

The stress–strain behavior of a granular material is dominated by its internal structure, which is related to the spatial connectivity of particles, and the force chain network. In this study, a series of discrete element simulations were carried out to investigate the evolution of internal structure and force chain networks in initially isotropic granular materials along various imposed stress paths. The fabric tensor of the strong sub-network, which is the bearing network toward loading, can be related to the applied stresses uniquely. The principal directions of fabric tensor of the strong sub-network coincide with those of stress tensor during the loading process in the Lode coordinate system. The fabric of the whole contact network in the pre- and post-peak deformation stages can be related to the applied stresses as \(q_{\phi } = B\left( {q/p} \right)^{z}\) (B and z are constants depending on loading condition, such as the stress paths and mean stress level) and \(\phi_{1} :\phi_{2} :\phi_{3} \approx \left( {\sigma_{1} } \right)^{0.4} :\left( {\sigma_{2} } \right)^{0.4} :\left( {\sigma_{3} } \right)^{0.4}\), respectively. At the critical stress state, the deviator of fabric tensor of the strong sub-network is much larger than that of the whole contact network. When plotted on the π-plane, the fabric state of the strong sub-network can be expressed as a Lade’s surface, while the fabric state of the whole network corresponds to an inverted Lade’s surface.     

Diffuse instabilities with transition to localization in loose granular materials

This paper is concerned with diffuse and other ensuing failure modes in geomaterials when tested under homogeneous states of shearing in various loading programs and drainage conditions. Material instability is indeed the basic property that accounts for the instability of an initially homogeneous deformation field leading to diffuse failure and strain localization in geomaterials. The former is normally characterized by a runaway type of failure accompanied with a sudden and violent collapse of the material in the absence of any localization phenomena. Against this backdrop, we present a brief overview of material instability in elastoplastic solids where one finds a rich source of theoretical concepts including bifurcation, strain localization, diffuse failure and second‐order work, as well as a considerable body of experiments. Some compelling laboratory experimental studies of material instability with focus to diffuse failure are then presented and interpreted based on the second‐order work. Finally, various material instability analyses using an elastoplastic constitutive and a general finite element analysis of the above‐mentioned laboratory experimental tests are presented as a boundary value problem. It is shown that instability can be captured from otherwise uniform stress, density and hydraulic states, whereas uniform deviatoric loads are being applied on the external boundaries of a specimen. Although the numerical simulations reproduce well the laboratory experimental results, they also highlight the hierarchy of failure modes where localization phenomena emerge in the post‐bifurcation regime as a result of a degradation of homogeneity starting from a diffuse mode signalled by a zero second‐order work. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Micromechanical analysis of failure propagation in frictional granular materials

The extent to which the evolution of instabilities and failure across multiple length scales can be reproduced with the aid of a bifurcation analysis is examined. We adopt an elastoplastic micropolar constitutive model, recently developed for dense cohesionless granular materials within the framework of thermomicromechanics. The internal variables and their evolution laws are conceived from a direct consideration of the dissipative mechanism of force chain buckling. The resulting constitutive law is cast entirely in terms of the particle scale properties. It thus presents a unique opportunity to test the potential of micromechanical continuum formulations to reproduce key stages in the deformation history: the development of material instabilities and failure following an initially homogeneous deformation. Progression of failure, initiating from frictional sliding and rolling at contacts, followed by the buckling of force chains, through to macroscopic strain softening and shear banding, is reproduced. Bifurcation point, marking the onset of shear banding, occurred shortly after the peak stress ratio. A wide range of material parameters was examined to show the effect of particle scale properties on the progression of failure. Model predictions on the thickness and angle of inclination of the shear band and the structural evolution inside the band, namely the latitudinal distribution of particle rotations and the angular distributions of contacts and the normal contact forces, are consistent with observations from numerical simulations and experiments. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.