Finite strain analysis of nonuniform deformation inside shear bands in sands

A methodology has been developed to extend the incremental (Eulerian) Digital Image Correlation (DIC) technique to enable a Lagrangian‐based large‐strain analysis framework to examine the nature of strain and kinematic nonuniformity within shear bands in sands. Plane strain compression tests are performed on dense sands in an apparatus that promotes unconstrained persistent shear band formation. DIC is used to capture incremental, grain‐scale displacements in and around shear bands. The performance of the developed accumulation algorithm is validated by comparing accumulated displacements with two sources of reference measurements. A comparison between large and infinitesimal rotation is performed, demonstrating the nature of straining within shear bands in sands and the necessity of using a finite strain formulation to characterize ensuing behavior. Volumetric strain variation along the shear band is analyzed throughout macroscopic postpeak deformation. During softening, volumetric activity within the shear band is purely dilative. During the global critical state, the shear band material is seen on the average to deform at zero volumetric strain; however, locally, the sand is seen to exhibit significant nonzero volumetric strain, putting into question the current definition of critical state. At the softening‐critical state transition, a spatially periodic pattern of alternating contraction and dilation along the shear band is evidenced, and a preliminary evaluation indicates that the periodicity appears to be a physical phenomenon dictated only in part by median grain size. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Phenomenological issues related to strain localization in sensitive clays

A negative second order work, strain softening, is often noticed in contractant material like sensitive clays. Failure in such clays will lead to the formation of localized deformation zone of intense inelastic strain, known as shear band. Conditions, emergence and inclination of shear band has been very well demonstrated in past decades in different manners, however a definite thickness of shear band is still an open question due to several reasons. Mesh dependency, loss of ellipticity is another challenge associated with finite element analyses for strain softening clays. This paper covers a comprehensive review of classical theories of strain localization and associated limitation. Mesh dependency, ill-possed boundary value problem is addressed using finite element simulation examples and experimental results.     

不同应力路径下剪切带的数值模拟

采用回映应力更新算法,编写了基于伏斯列夫面的超固结黏土本构关系模型子程序,嵌入非线性有限元软件ABAQUS。通过对单元试验进行三轴压缩、三轴伸长及平面应变等问题的模型预测,再现了超固结黏土在不同初始超固结比和应力路径时的变形和强度特性,从而验证了子程序的正确性。借助该本构模型,对三轴压缩、三轴伸长及平面应变应力路径下超固结黏土体变形局部化问题,进行了三维数值模拟。分析结果表明：超固结黏土在三轴压缩及伸长状态时,土体变形局部化在应力-应变关系软化时出现,而平面应变状态时,在应力-应变关系硬化阶段出现,其超固结黏土的剪胀特性在剪切带的形成过程中起重要作用。     

不同应力路径下超固结黏土试样变形局部化分析

基于改进伏斯列夫面超固结黏土三维本构模型,利用有限元软件ABAQUS材料子程序接口,采用回映应力更新算法,实现了该模型在有限元分析中的应用。通过该模型与比奥固结理论的耦合,对超固结比为8的超固结黏土在三轴压缩、三轴伸长及平面应变应力条件下的变形局部化问题,进行了水-土耦合弹塑性有限元分析。分析结果表明：剪切带带内、带外点经历不同应力路径;剪切带带外单元经历了体缩、剪胀及被吸水体缩过程,而剪切带带内单元一直保持剪胀趋势;剪切带的形成伴随着剪胀,剪切带内、外出现了负的孔压,且孔压的分布也具有局部化特性。关于剪切带带内、外的孔隙水压及体变变化趋势与剪切速率有关,而平面应变介于三轴压缩与三轴伸长之间,但平面应变较早出现剪切带。孔隙水的迁移速度影响剪切带带内单元的剪胀,进而影响剪切带的形成及发展;而围压和弱单元位置也对剪切带的形成也有影响。     

Coupled computations for an elastic‐perfectly plastic soil using adaptive mesh refinement

An adaptive mesh refinement algorithm has been developed for non‐linear computations in geomechanics, based on a smoothed stress–strain finite element formulation. This uses estimates of error in the incremental shear strain invariant to guide the regeneration of unstructured meshes at regular intervals during loading. Following each mesh‐update, no re‐analysis of previous increments with the new mesh is necessary. Algorithm performance has been investigated by analysing a passive earth pressure problem using a linear elastic‐perfectly plastic Mohr–Coulomb soil model. Perfectly drained behaviour has been considered, as have partially drained situations using hydromechanical coupling, while undrained behaviour has been approximated using time steps close to zero. In all cases, mesh adaptivity has been successful in capturing regions of high strain gradient. The results have been compared with analytical solutions. Accurate computations of limit load and shear band orientation have been obtained for a wide range of material dilation angles. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Capturing strain localization in reinforced soils

Lade’s single hardening soil model with Cosserat rotation embodied in the finite element method is employed to investigate the behavior of geosynthetic reinforced soils with special attention to the development of shear banding. The ability of the finite element model to detect shear banding in a reinforced soil is examined against three high quality small-scale laboratory plane strain tests on Toyoura sand with and without reinforcement. These three tests were chosen because of the clear failure surfaces that developed in the soil during loading. The FEM analyses were able to reasonably simulate the plane strain laboratory tests including both unreinforced and reinforced cases. The FEM analyses gave reasonably good agreement with the experimental results in terms of global stress–strain relationships and shear band occurrences. Furthermore, and based on FE analyses of a hypothetical geosynthetic reinforced soil (GRS) retaining wall, it is shown that the geosynthetic reinforcements are very effective in hindering the formation of shear bands in GRS retaining walls when small spacing between the reinforcement layers was used. When used properly, the geosynthetic reinforcements made the soil behave as a truly reinforced mass of considerable stiffness and strength.     

Numerical studies of shear banding in interface shear tests using a new strain calculation method

Strain localization is closely associated with the stress–strain behaviour of an interphase system subject to quasi‐static direct interface shear, especially after peak stress state is reached. This behaviour is important because it is closely related to deformations experienced by geotechnical composite structures. This paper presents a study using two‐dimensional discrete element method (DEM) simulations on the strain localization of an idealized interphase system composed of densely packed spherical particles in contact with rough manufactured surfaces. The manufactured surface is made up of regular or irregular triangular asperities with varying slopes. A new simple method of strain calculation is used in this study to generate strain field inside a simulated direct interface shear box. This method accounts for particle rotation and captures strain localization features at high resolution. Results show that strain localization begins with the onset of non‐linear stress–strain behaviour. A distinct but discontinuous shear band emerges above the rough surface just before the peak stress state, which becomes more expansive and coherent with post‐peak strain softening. It is found that the shear bands developed by surfaces with smaller roughness are much thinner than those developed by surfaces with greater roughness. The maximum thickness of the intense shear zone is observed to be about 8–10 median particle diameters. The shear band orientations, which are mainly dominated by the rough boundary surface, are parallel with the zero extension direction, which are horizontally oriented. Published in 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Non‐linear analysis of shear band formation in sand

The paper investigates the incipience of shear band with an incrementally non‐linear constitutive equation. Necessary conditions for the emergence of shear band are derived. The lower bound solution is obtained by taking the strain rate inside and outside the shear band into consideration. Numerical results of localized bifurcation for general stress and strain are presented and compared with experiments. In the principal stress space, the stresses at the onset of shear band form a surface, which is partially enclosed by the failure surface for homogeneous straining. The significance of the analysis for identification of the material parameters and verification of the constitutive model against experiments is discussed. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Application of scanning X-ray analytical microscope to the petrographic characterization of a ductile shear zone: an alternative method to image microstructures

A ductile shear zone within a metasomatic biotite band in the Ryoke granite, Teshima, SW Japan, has been studied using the scanning X-ray analytical microscope (SXAM). This enabled the quantitative distributions of major elements, such as Si, K, Fe, Al and Ca, to be determined within the shear zone. These element maps were processed to transform them into images showing the distribution of minerals such as quartz, biotite, plagioclase and K-feldspar, which form the major minerals within the biotite band and the granite protolith. Mineral profiles based on these mineral maps compared with the simple shear strain profile reveal that the shear zone is most intense where quartz and biotite have been substituted for the primary mineral assemblage of the granite protolith, suggesting that the stresses imposed on the granite caused the shear strain to localize along the biotite band to produce the observed shear zone. It appears that the rheological behavior changed around 50–60% of quartz modal composition.     

A micromechanics-based model for estimating localized failure with effects of fabric anisotropy

This paper presents a micromechanics-based approach to investigate the effects of fabric anisotropy on the behavior of localized failure in granular materials. Based on a micromechanical analysis, the origin of deviatoric stress is decomposed into two components: contact force anisotropy and fabric anisotropy. Using a micro–macro approach, the back stress is interpreted as an contribution to the change of the fabric’s principal direction. The evolution of the back stress is deduced from the stress–fabric relationship and determined with reference to the deviation of the principal directions between the rate of the reduced stress tensor and the actual reduced stress tensor. With this micro–macro framework, a mixed (isotropic–kinematic) hardening model is developed based on the classical isotropic hardening theory. A laboratory simple shear test is first analyzed to validate the proposed model and illustrate the kinematic-hardening mechanism which is usually displayed under non-proportional loading. The analysis further focuses on the anisotropic aspect of localized failure. It has been discovered that the fabric anisotropy can play an important role in the occurrence of shear banding. An increasing degree of fabric anisotropy tends to delay the initiation of the strain localization and result in higher failure strength. The effects of fabric anisotropy have also been illustrated by comparing the theoretical predictions and measured results on the shear band inclination angle, shear strain level and dilatancy at bifurcation.     

Influence of Lode angle‐dependent failure criteria on shear localization analysis in sand

Geotechnical experiments show that Lode angle‐dependent constitutive formulations are appropriate to describe the failure of geomaterials. In the present study, we have adopted one such class of failure criteria along with a versatile constitutive relationship to theoretically analyze the effects of Lode angle on localized shear deformation or shear band formation in loose sand for both drained and undrained conditions. We determine the variation in the possible stress states for shear localization due to the introduction of Lode angle by considering the localized deformation as a bifurcation problem. Further, similar bifurcation analysis is performed for the stress states along a specific loading path, namely, plane strain compression at the constitutive level. In addition, the plane strain compression tests have been simulated as a boundary value finite element problem to see how Lode angle affects the post‐localization response. Results show that the inclusion of a Lode angle parameter within the failure criterion has considerable effects on the onset, plastic strain, and propagation of shear localization in loose sand specimens. For drained condition, we notice early inception of shear localization and multiple band formation when the Lode angle‐dependent failure criterion is used. Undrained localization characteristics, however, found to be independent of Lode angle consideration.     

Dynamic analysis of strain localization in water‐saturated clay using a cyclic elasto‐viscoplastic model

A computational framework is presented for dynamic strain localization and deformation analyses of water‐saturated clay by using a cyclic elasto‐viscoplastic constitutive model. In the model, the nonlinear kinematic hardening rule and softening due to the structural degradation of soil particles are considered. In order to appropriately simulate the large deformation phenomenon in strain localization analysis, the dynamic finite element formulation for a two‐phase mixture is derived in the updated Lagrangian framework. The shear band development is shown through the distributions of viscoplastic shear strain, the axial strain, the mean effective stress, and the pore water pressure in a normally consolidated clay specimen. From the local stress–strain relations, more brittleness is found inside the shear bands than outside of them. The effects of partially drained conditions and mesh‐size dependency on the shear banding are also investigated. The effect of a partially drained boundary is found to be insignificant on the dynamic shear band propagation because of the rapid rate of applied loading and low permeability of the clay. Using the finer mesh results in slightly narrower shear bands; nonetheless, the results manifest convergency through the mesh refinement in terms of the overall shape of shear banding and stress–strain relations. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Kinematic modelling of shear band localization using discrete finite elements

Modelling shear band is an important problem in analysing failure of earth structures in soil mechanics. Shear banding is the result of localization of deformation in soil masses. Most finite element schemes are unable to model discrete shear band formation and propagation due to the difficulties in modelling strain and displacement discontinuities. In this paper, a framework to generate shear band elements automatically and continuously is developed. The propagating shear band is modelled using discrete shear band elements by splitting the original finite element mesh. The location or orientation of the shear band is not predetermined in the original finite element mesh. Based on the elasto‐perfect plasticity with an associated flow rule, empirical bifurcation and location criteria are proposed which make band propagation as realistic as possible. Using the Mohr–Coulomb material model, various results from numerical simulations of biaxial tests and passive earth pressure problems have shown that the proposed framework is able to display actual patterns of shear banding in geomaterials. In the numerical examples, the occurrence of multiple shear bands in biaxial test and in the passive earth pressure problem is confirmed by field and laboratory observations. The effects of mesh density and mesh alignment on the shear band patterns and limit loads are also investigated. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On double shearing in frictional materials

This paper evaluates the mechanical behaviour of yielding frictional geomaterials. The general Double Shearing model describes this behaviour. Non‐coaxiality of stress and plastic strain increments for plane strain conditions forms an important part of this model. The model is based on a micro‐mechanical and macro‐mechanical formulation. The stress–dilatancy theory in the model combines the mechanical behaviour on both scales. It is shown that the general Double Shearing formulation comprises other Double Shearing models. These models differ in the relation between the mobilized friction and dilatancy and in non‐coaxiality. In order to describe reversible and irreversible deformations the general Double Shearing model is extended with elasticity. The failure of soil masses is controlled by shear mechanisms. These shear mechanisms are determined by the conditions along the shear band. The shear stress ratio of a shear band depends on the orientation of the stress in the shear band. There is a difference between the peak strength and the residual strength in the shear band. While peak stress depends on strength properties only, the residual strength depends upon the yield conditions and the plastic deformation mechanisms and is generally considerably lower than the maximum strength. It is shown that non‐coaxial models give non‐unique solutions for the shear stress ratio on the shear band. The Double Shearing model is applied to various failure problems of soils such as the direct simple shear test, the biaxial test, infinite slopes, interfaces and for the calculation of the undrained shear strength. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Transient bifurcation condition of partially saturated porous media at finite strain

Bifurcation of unsaturated soils into a localized shear band is a ubiquitous failure mode of partially saturated soils. The density and degree of saturation have major impacts on the inception of localized deformations in unsaturated soils. Unsaturated fluid flow may dramatically change the density and degree of fluid saturation of unsaturated soils. Therefore, the unsaturated fluid flow is a potential trigger for shear banding in such materials. In this paper, we derive a simplified bifurcation condition of localized deformation in unsaturated soils under the local transient condition at finite strain. This transient bifurcation condition is implemented into a nonlinear finite element code to study the inception of localized deformation in unsaturated soil specimens. Numerical simulations are conducted to study the impact of soil fabrics of density, a ‘bonding’ variable, and intrinsic permeability on the inception of localized failures via the transient bifurcation criterion. Mesh sensitivity analysis is performed to demonstrate the viscosity effect of unsaturated fluid flow on the localized deformation. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the transient bifurcation condition can detect the localized deformation triggered by the internal unsaturated fluid flow process in unsaturated soils. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A model of strain localization in porous sandstone as a function of tectonic setting,burial and material properties; new insight from Provence (southern France)

The analysis of three cataclastic band sets from Provence (France) reveals that the band density, their conjugate angles, their ratio of shear displacement to compaction, and the amount of cataclasis within the bands differ and can be expressed as functions of tectonic setting and petrophysical properties. We identify (1) a dense and closely spaced network of shear-enhanced (reverse) compaction bands; (2) a regularly spaced less dense network of reverse compactional shear bands; and (3) a localized network of normal shear bands. The field data show that strain localization is favored in an extensional regime and is characterized by shear bands with a large shear to compaction ratio and a small conjugate band angle. In contrast, distributed strain is favored in a contractional regime and is characterized by compactional bands with a low ratio of shear to compaction and a large conjugate band angle. To explain the mechanical origin of this strain localization, we quantify the yield strength and the stress evolution in extensional and contractional regimes in a frictional porous granular material. We propose a model of strain localization in porous sands as a function of tectonic stresses, burial depth, material properties, strain hardening and fluid pressure. Our model suggests that stress reduction, inherent to extensional regime, favors strain localization as shear bands, whereas stress increase during contraction favors development of compactional bands.     

Analysis of soil‐structural interface behavior using three‐dimensional DEM simulations

The shear behavior at the interface between the soil and a structure is investigated at the macroscale and particle‐scale levels using a 3‐dimensional discrete element method (DEM). The macroscopic mechanical properties and microscopic quantities affected by the normalized interface roughness and the loading parameters are analyzed. The macro‐response shows that the shear strength of the interface increases as the normalized roughness of the interface increases, and stress softening and dilatancy of the soil material are observed in the tests that feature rough interfaces. The particle‐scale analysis illustrates that a localized band characterized by intense shear deformation emerges from the contact plane and gradually expands as shearing progresses before stabilizing at the residual stress state. The thickness of the localized band is affected by the normalized roughness of the interface and the normal stress, which ranges between 4 and 5 times that of the median grain diameter. A thicker localized band is formed when the soil has a rough shearing interface. After the localized band appears, the granular material structuralizes into 2 regions: the interface zone and the upper zone. The mechanical behavior in the interface zone is representative of the interface according to the local average stress analysis. Certain microscopic quantities in the interface zone are analyzed, including the coordination number and the material fabric. Shear at the interface creates an anisotropic material fabric and leads to the rotation of the major principal stress.     

基于数字图像测量系统的饱和细砂渐进破坏特性研究

基于亚像素角点检测的数字图像测量系统能够记录三轴试样表面方块角点的位移,从而获得试样表面每一时刻的局部应变及应变场。分析了试样不同位置的局部径向应变在剪切过程中的变化,获得了以不同初始成样含水率制备的松砂和密砂试样在不同特征时刻的应力与应变的特征值。通过轴向应变场的变化分析了从应变局部化出现到剪切带发育、形成的这一完整的渐进破坏过程,总结了剪切带形成时的局部最大轴向应变特征值,并定性地分析了剪切带内、外土体在渐进破坏过程中不同的轴向应变增长率。试验结果表明：在应变场中试样应变局部化明显,并可以依此确定应变局部化的出现、剪切带的形成;对于密砂及初始含水率为0%制备的松砂试样,应力在应变局部化出现之初即达到峰值,剪切带形成时应力已经开始下降,进入应变软化阶段;以初始含水率为6%和12%制备的松砂试样在达到应力峰值时剪切带已经形成;剪切带内土体的局部轴向应变增长幅度比剪切带外的土体大得多。试样整体轴向应变的增大主要是由剪切带内土体剪切破坏产生的较大轴向应变所致。     

Modal methods for the analysis of discrete systems

There has been much recent interest in the Distinct Element Method for analyzing soil and rock as a discontinuum composed of numerous individual deformable grains or blocks. The solution procedure for calculating element deformations relies on the superposition of element strain modes, where each strain mode is obtained by solving an independent dynamic equilibrium equation. It is shown here that this procedure sometimes applied incorrectly. For elements of arbitrary shape, the shear strain mode is not orthogonal to rotation and therefore cannot be superposed on rotation to give the true displaced shape and position.It is also shown that modal equations must be solved with respect to axes which translate and rotate with the element, and cannot be written with respect to fixed global coordinates as implemented in present distinct element codes.Finally it is shown that various alternative valid bases for modal decomposition can be derived from a single formulation and a number of examples are given for general element shapes.