Numerical and experimental studies of pressure-controlled cavity expansion in completely decomposed granite soils of Hong Kong

Compaction grouting is the injection of a viscous grout into a soil under high pressure, which then densifies the surrounding soil by reducing void space. Laboratory and field tests of compaction grouting have been carried out. In this paper, a numerical model is used to simulate the compaction grouting process with the primary purpose of investigating relationships among various control parameters, such as injection pressure, void ratio and excess pore water pressure at various radial distances from the injection point. The compaction process is treated as a cavity expansion process in the numerical simulation. The soil is modelled with an elasto-plastic Mohr–Coulomb model using the commercial finite element program ABAQUS. In addition to numerical simulations, pressure-controlled cavity expansion laboratory tests were carried out on completely decomposed granite (CDG) soil specimens. Data collected from laboratory tests are compared with the finite element simulation to validate the finite element analyses. Factors that control the compaction process, such as the coefficient of earth pressure (K), initial void ratio, number of loading cycles and effective confining pressure, are explored in the numerical simulations.     

Compaction bands and induced permeability reduction in Tuffeau de Maastricht calcarenite

The mechanical behavior and permeability of the Tuffeau de Maastricht calcarenite were studied. Compactions bands were found to form in the “transitional” regime between brittle faulting and cataclastic flow. In order to predict the formation of compaction bands, bifurcation analysis was applied on a model developed by Lade and Kim. The numerical results proved to be in good agreement with the experimental ones where the localization point was identified to be the onset of shear-enhanced compaction (a threshold in differential stress after which significant reduction of porosity is induced). Before the onset of shear-enhanced compaction, permeability was primarily controlled by the effective mean stress, independent of the deviatoric stresses. With the onset of shear-enhanced compaction, however, coupling of the deviatoric and hydrostatic stresses induced considerable permeability and porosity reduction.     

脆性基多孔材料孔洞的尺寸效应及其破坏模式研究

运用材料真实破坏过程分析系统RFPA2D,对含多孔的脆性材料进行单轴加载情况下的破坏机制以及孔洞的尺寸效应研究。其中的数值模型具有同样的尺寸（高 宽= 65 mm 100 mm）、同样的孔洞分布类型、同样的孔隙率（20 %）、不同的孔洞直径。数值计算的结果显示,各种孔径的模型具有近似的抗压强度,并且可以观察到没有裂纹局部化的拉破坏模式。结果表明,含孔脆性材料的近似脆性行为并没有引起材料的尺寸效应。     

Insights into the water retention behaviour of GMZ bentonite pellet mixture

Bentonite pellets are recognized as good buffer/backfill materials for sealing technological voids in high-level radioactive waste (HLW) repository. Compared to that of a traditional compacted bentonite block, one of the most important particularities of this material is the initially discrete pellets and the inevitable heterogeneous porosity formed, leading to a distinctive water retention behaviour. In this paper, water retention and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) tests were conducted on pellet mixture (constant volume), single pellet (free swelling) and compacted block (constant volume) of GMZ bentonite, water retention properties and pore structure evolutions of the specimens were comparatively investigated. Results show that the water retention properties of the three specimens are almost similar to each other in the high suction range (>?10 MPa), while the water retention capacity of pellet mixture is lower than those of the compacted block and single pellet in the low suction range (<?10 MPa). Based on the capillary water retention theory (the Young–Laplace equation), a new concept ‘saturated void ratio’ that was positively related to water content and dependent on pore size distribution of the specimen was defined. Then, according to the product of saturated void ratio and water density in saturated void, differences of water retention properties for the three specimens at low suctions were explained. Meanwhile, MIP tests indicate that as suction decreases, the micro- and macrovoid ratios of pellet mixture and compacted block decrease as the mesovoid ratio increases, while all the void ratios of single pellets increase. This could be explained that upon wetting, water is successively adsorbed into the inter-layer, inter-particle and inter-pellet voids, leading to the subdivision of particles and swelling of aggregates and pellets. Under constant volume condition, aggregates and pellets tend to swell and fill into the inter-aggregates or inter-pellets voids. While under free swelling condition, the particles and aggregates in a single pellet tend to swell outward rather than squeezing into the inter-aggregate voids, leading to the expansion of the pores and even formation of cracks. Results including the effects of initial conditions (initial dry density and fabric) and constraint conditions (constant volume or free swelling) on the water retention capacity and pore structure evolution reached in this work are of great importance in designing of engineering barrier systems for the HLW repository.

     

黏性土干/湿过程中土结构演化特征研究进展

干湿变化是自然界中土体必然经历的过程,对土体工程性质有重要影响。系统掌握干/湿过程中土结构演化特征,对深入认识土体宏观力学性质有重要意义。基于国内外大量文献资料,着重总结了黏性土在干燥过程、湿化过程和干湿循环过程中微观结构的演化特征,得到了以下几点主要认识:（1）含水率是影响土体微观结构的关键因素之一,在最优含水率干侧制备的土样呈典型的团聚体结构,孔隙分布曲线具有双峰特征,而在湿侧则呈相对均匀的基质结构,孔隙分布曲线呈现单峰特征;（2）在干燥过程中（吸力增加）,到达缩限之前,土体积的减小主要由大的宏观孔隙收缩所致。在不同的吸力区间内,主要受影响的孔隙尺寸是不同的;（3）在湿化过程中（吸力减小）,团聚体内的小孔隙和团聚体间的大孔隙都逐渐增大,且以团聚体内的孔隙增大为主,孔隙结构的演化特征与侧限条件密切相关;（4）在干湿循环过程中,土结构变化并不是完全可逆的,土体产生的累积收缩/膨胀形变量主要来自于宏观孔隙,随着干湿循环次数的增加,土体的体变特性会达到一个平衡状态,可用弹性孔隙比进行描述。除此以外,还总结了土结构观测的常规技术方法,包括SEM、ESEM、MIP和CT技术等。最后针对土结构研究现状,提出了今后的研究重点和方向,主要包括制样新方法、观测新技术、湿化过程的微观结构以及微观结构参数与宏观力学模型相结合等。     

Macroscopic criteria for Green type porous materials with spheroidal voids: application to double porous materials

Combined effects of matrix plastic compressibility and void shape are investigated for ductile porous materials. To this end, a spheroidal volume containing a confocal spheroidal (prolate or oblate) void subjected to uniform strain rate boundary conditions has been first studied. A Green type matrix is chosen as a prototype for investigating effects of plastic compressibility. This is carried out by using a kinematics limit analysis theory from which a closed‐form expression of the macroscopic criterion is established for the considered class of materials. These results are then extended to ductile porous materials made up of a green matrix containing randomly oriented spheroidal voids. In the framework of a two‐step homogenization procedure, the obtained results are implemented to describe the macroscopic behavior of double porous materials involving spherical voids at the microscale and randomly oriented and distributed spheroidal voids at the mesoscale. For validation purpose, the new derived criteria are assessed and validated by comparing their predictions to available upper bounds and numerical data from literature. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A compression model for sand–silt mixtures based on the concept of active and inactive voids

A compression model for sand–silt mixtures is needed in geotechnical engineering, for example in the analysis and prediction of deformation of levees and embankments due to internal erosion. In this paper, we introduce a novel concept of dividing the voids of a granular material into two hypothetical fractions: active and inactive voids. The active voids are kinematically available to the compression process. The inactive voids are kinematically unavailable to the compression process. The volume of active voids is dependent on the initial density and effective stress level. The volume of inactive voids is dependent on the amount of fines in the mixture. The current paper considers 1-D and isotropic compression behavior of sand–silt mixtures at stress levels lower than 2 MPa, so no substantial particle breakage is expected to occur. To successfully predict the void ratio for a sand–silt mixture during compression loading, we need (1) a mathematical expression for the evolution of the active void ratio during compression and (2) a relationship between the inactive void ratio and fines content of the mixture. For sand–silt mixtures with any amount of fines, the proposed model requires five material parameters, which are determined from two compression tests, and four minimum void ratio tests on sand–silt mixtures with different fines content. The performance of the proposed model is verified for six different types of sand–silt mixture with various fines contents, by comparing the predicted void ratios with the measured data from the experiments. The comparisons show a good agreement between the predictions and the measured data and prove the suitability of the proposed model for the prediction of compressibility of sand–silt mixtures with any amount of fines.     

颗粒材料剪胀性的微观力学分析

剪胀性是颗粒材料在加载过程中表现出来的重要变形特性。以孔隙胞元描述颗粒材料内部结构的最小单元,通过对单个孔隙胞元进行剪切受力分析,探讨了剪切过程中颗粒材料体积的改变对应力比和单个孔隙胞元形状的依赖关系,解释了排列密实的颗粒材料在剪切过程中先压缩后剪胀的微观机制。用离散元数值模拟得到了在双轴剪切过程中单个孔隙胞元形状以及孔隙胞元体积变形的演化过程。离散元数值结果表明,加载过程中孔隙胞元形状由初始各向同性到沿大主应力方向变大变长、体积变形先压缩后膨胀,并且体积变形在加载过程中存在局部化现象,体积变化大的孔隙胞元在较大变形时,排列成倾斜的窄带。综合孔隙胞元的受力分析和离散元数值结果表明,致密排列颗粒材料的剪胀性与微观尺度上孔隙胞元的几何结构及其内部的力链传递方式密切相关。     

Analysis of Swelling and Shrinkage Behavior of Compacted Clays

The impact of the variation in compaction condition on the swelling and shrinkage behavior of three soils has been examined. Two natural soils, namely red soil and black cotton soil, and one artificially mixed soil sample of commercial bentonite with well-graded sand, were studied. Compaction curve for Standard Proctor conditions were plotted and four compaction conditions were selected. Experimental results showed that clay mineralogy dominates over compaction conditions in influencing the swelling and shrinkage behavior of the tested soils. Monitoring of void ratio (e)−water content (w) relations during shrinkage showed that soil specimens generally shrunk in three distinct linear stages. A small reduction in void ratio occurred on reduction in water content during the first shrinkage stage and was termed as initial shrinkage. In second stage, void ratio decreased rapidly with reduction in water content and was termed as primary shrinkage. In third and final stage, reduction in water content is accompanied by a marginal change in void ratio and it’s called residual shrinkage. Irrespective of initial compaction conditions studied, the transition from primary to residual shrinkage for all the specimens occurred within a narrow range of water content (10–15%).     

Use of acoustic emissions to investigate localization in high-porosity sandstone subjected to true triaxial stresses

Acoustic emissions were used to investigate the evolution of damage and strain localization in Castlegate sandstone specimens subjected to true triaxial states of stress, where the intermediate principal stress ranged from equal to minimum compression to equal to maximum compression. Three failure modes were observed: shear band formation at low mean stresses, compaction localization at intermediate stresses, and no localization at high mean stresses. For shear bands, the onset of localization consistently occurred prior to peak stress, while compaction localization initiated at the beginning of a stress plateau. The band angle (defined as the angle between the band normal and the maximum compression direction) determined by fitting a plane through the localized acoustic emission events corresponded well with the shear band angle expressed on the specimen jacket. As expected, the band angle decreased with increasing mean stress. The theoretically predicted dependence of band angle on deviatoric stress state was not confirmed; however, data scatter due to natural variations in material could obscure such a trend. Each failure mode displayed a unique acoustic emission rate response; therefore, this rate response alone can be used to determine the failure mode and the onset of localization in Castlegate sandstone.     

Evolution of pore structure and hydraulic conductivity of randomly distributed soluble particle mixture

The plane strain behavior of particulate mixtures containing soluble particles was investigated by conducting both laboratory tests and numerical analysis. To perform the laboratory experiments, soluble mixtures were prepared using photoelastic disks and ice disks with diameters in the ratios (D_{ice disk}/D_{photoelastic disk}) of 0.5 and 0.7, and the evolution of the force chain and pore structure was monitored during the dissolution of the ice disks. Subsequently, numerical analysis was conducted by using the 2‐dimensional discrete element method for the soluble mixtures, and it was compared with the experimental results. Additionally, parametric studies were implemented by varying the particle size ratios between the soluble and non‐soluble particles and the volumetric fraction of the soluble particles. The results of the laboratory experiments and numerical analysis demonstrate that (1) after the dissolution of the soluble particles, the pore fabric of the specimens changed, resulting in a force chain changes, local void increases, and coordination number decreases; (2) the effects of soluble particles on the macro‐behaviors of the mixtures could be divided into 3 zones based on the particle size ratios between the soluble and non‐soluble particles and volumetric fraction of soluble particles. These zones were as follows: (Zone 1)—with a small total soluble volume, slight decrease in the in situ lateral pressure (K₀), and minor increase in the hydraulic conductivity (k); (Zone 2)—with a moderate soluble particle; the dissolution generated a honey‐comb particle structure; (Zone 3)—the total soluble volume was very large, and the high volumetric fraction of the dissolving particle collapsed the pore structure, decreasing in the in situ lateral pressure (K₀) but increasing the hydraulic conductivity (k). The horizontal stress returned to almost the original level, and the internal arching formation increased significantly with the hydraulic conductivity (k).     

Study of mechanical behavior and strain localization of methane hydrate bearing sediments with different saturations by a new DEM model

This paper presents a numerical investigation into mechanical behavior and strain localization in methane hydrate (MH) bearing sediments using the distinct element method (DEM). Based on the results of a series of laboratory tests on the bonded granules idealized by two glued aluminum rods and the available experimental data of methane hydrate samples, a pressure and temperature dependent bond contact model was proposed and implemented into a two-dimensional (2D) DEM code. This 2D DEM code was then used to numerically carry out a series of biaxial compression tests on the MH samples with different methane hydrate saturations, whose results were then compared with the experimental data obtained by Masui et al. [9]. In addition, stress, strain, void ratio and velocity fields, the distributions of bond breakage and averaged pure rotation rate (APR) as well as the evolution of strain localization were examined to investigate the relationships between micromechanical variables and macromechanical responses in the DEM MH samples. The numerical results show that: (1) the shear strength increases as methane hydrate saturation S_MH increases, which is in good agreement with the experimental observation; (2) the strain localization in all the DEM MH samples develops with onset of inhomogeneity of void ratio, velocity, strain, APR, and distortion of stress fields and contact force chains; and (3) the methane hydrate saturation affects the type of strain localization, with one shear band developed in the case of 40.9% and 67.8% methane saturation samples, and two shear bands formed for 50.1% methane saturation sample.     

Numerical modelling of fluid flow in microscopic images of granular materials

A program for the simulation of two‐dimensional (2‐D) fluid flow at the microstructural level of a saturated anisotropic granular medium is presented. The program provides a numerical solution to the complete set of Navier–Stokes equations without a priori assumptions on the viscous or convection components. This is especially suited for the simulation of the flow of fluids with different density and viscosity values and for a wide range of granular material porosity. The analytical solution for fluid flow in a simple microstructure of porous medium is used to verify the computer program. Subsequently, the flow field is computed within microscopic images of granular material that differ in porosity, particle size and particle shape. The computed flow fields are shown to follow certain paths depending on air void size and connectivity. The permeability tensor coefficients are derived from the flow fields, and their values are shown to compare well with laboratory experimental data on glass beads, Ottawa sand and silica sands. The directional distribution of permeability is expressed in a functional form and its anisotropy is quantified. Permeability anisotropy is found to be more pronounced in the silica sand medium that consists of elongated particles. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Capillary collapse of loose pyroclastic unsaturated sands characterized at grain scale

The reduction in volume for unsaturated soils wetted at constant total stress is indicated as capillary collapse. Several studies conducted on standard laboratory specimens (macro-scale) outlined the role of initial void ratio, confining pressure and matric suction on collapse onset. Conversely, few observations were made at grain scale, although an important influence of soil structure has been supposed since years. This paper investigated the collapse of coarse and fine sands derived from a pyroclastic soil of Southern Italy. The X-ray computed tomography was used to identify the mechanisms acting at grain scale and to measure the local variations of soil structure. The experimental procedure consisted in preparing remoulded unsaturated specimens and reducing the matric suction until the collapse occurred under self-weight. At different stages of the process, the sample was imaged by X-ray tomography. The experimental results provided original insight into: (1) transformation of soil structure during the wetting tests; (2) variation of porosity, water content and degree of saturation for the whole specimen; and (3) local variations of those variables in several representative sub-volumes. It is worth noting that collapse of coarse sand specimen occurred before saturation. This was also emphasized by the presence of macro-voids at collapse.     

侧限条件下充填散体压缩承载和传力特性

充填散体的压缩承载和传力特性对防控充填开采矿山的地表变形具有重要意义。通过河卵石、碎石、尾矿、河砂、尾砂5种散体材料和7组不同粒径河卵石的侧限压缩试验,以及河卵石数值模拟压缩试验,分析了其压实过程和粒径对其变形、承载的影响,揭示了散体压缩过程中的传力特性。结果表明：散体压缩过程可分为空隙压密、颗粒破碎压密和压实固结3个阶段,且散体类型和粒径对其非线性压实过程基本没有影响,但对其内部结构重组过程有较大影响;压缩过程中,存在一个临界密实度使不同粒径河卵石的承载能力次序发生反转,且河卵石散体平均变形模量与颗粒特征因子呈负指数关系;基于河卵石数值模拟压缩试验得到的散体内部力链强度分布和“压力拱”,很好地证实了室内压缩试验中散体垂直应力沿加载方向呈递减的趋势,以及侧向应力在整个散体高度上先增后减这一试验结果。     

Modeling and calculating for the compaction characteristics of waste rock masses

Bearing and deformation behaviors of waste rock masses (WRM) are more usually considered in stress distribution in caved waste. As WRM is widely located in hidden and dangerous environments, herein, numerical calculation is the preferred research method, but there are no modules specifically designed to simulate WRM, and the distribution of blockiness size, void, and properties of WRM in existing programs is still immature. A construction and subdivision method for modeling WRM is proposed in this paper. That is on the basis of the intact rock mass numerical model established in 3D Voronoi, the blocks in the intact rock mass are removed at random to achieve the purpose of retrieving the WRM structure by means of predetermined porosity. Also, the Weibull distribution is introduced to describe the properties of joints randomly, and a uniaxial compression experiment is used to research the compaction characteristics of WRM. The modeling and parametric methods can more accurately reflect fragmentation characteristics, bulking characteristics, and compaction characteristics of WRM. Compared with the existing theoretical and experimental results, this method has a high degree of consistency with them. This experimental study provides a new and effective method for the safety control of backfilling technics of WRM in coal mines.     

Hardening in porous chalk from precompaction

Knowledge of compactant behavior and the associated subsidence for high porosity carbonate formations is crucial in applications such as enhanced oil recovery. To gain insights into inelastic compaction and failure modes of a porous chalk under different loading histories, triaxial compression experiments were conducted on a high porosity (45 %) chalk, tested using three stress paths: no precompaction (virgin rock), precompacted to 30 MPa, and precompacted to 60 MPa. For the virgin chalk with no precompaction under triaxial compression, the transition from axial splitting to shear fracturing to compaction banding was observed. By precompacting the specimens to mean stresses of 30 and 60 MPa, the brittle failure regime expanded. In 60 MPa precompacted specimens, shear fracture was observed over a larger range of mean stress. Furthermore, precompaction increased the internal friction angle due to permanent volume change, but the cohesion decreased due to damage.     

Stochastic micromechanical model of the deterioration of asphalt mixtures subject to moisture diffusion processes

The deleterious effect of moisture in the microstructure of asphalt mixtures, usually referred to as moisture damage, has been recognized as a main cause of early deterioration of asphalt pavements. The initiation and evolution of moisture‐related deterioration is strongly influenced by the internal air void structure of asphalt mixtures. Despite its importance, the majority of works conducted on the micromechanical modeling of asphalt mixtures overlook the role of the air void structure, mainly because of its high complexity and variability. This paper explores the influence of air void variability on the performance of asphalt mixtures subjected to moisture diffusion processes. A stochastic modeling technique based on random field theory was used to generate internal distributions of physical and mechanical properties of the asphalt matrix of the mixture that depend on probable air voids distributions. The analysis was conducted by means of a coupled numerical micromechanical model of moisture damage. The results showed that the variability and distribution of air voids are decisive in determining the moisture‐dependent performance of asphalt mixtures. Furthermore, it was also shown that a stochastic characterization of the diverse air void configurations is a feasible and useful approach to better represent and understand mechanically related deterioration processes in asphalt mixtures. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Strain localization in soft rock—a typical rate‐dependent solid: experimental and numerical studies

Strain localization developing inside soft rock specimens is examined through experimental observation and numerical simulation. In the experimental study, soft rock specimens are sheared at different strain rates under plane strain conditions and deformation and strain localization characteristics are analysed. Transition of localization mode from highly localized mode for higher strain rate to distributed and diffused mode of strain localization for lower strain rates was observed. In the numerical study, simulations of plane strain compression tests are carried out at different strain rates by using an overstressed‐type elasto‐viscoplastic model in finite element computations. The role of strain rates on setting gradients of strain fields across shear band is clarified. The probable mechanism for transition of localization mode is discussed. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The measurement of coal porosity with different gases

Sorption processes can be used to study different characteristics of coal properties, such as gas content (coalbed methane potential of a deposit), gas diffusion, porosity, internal surface area, etc. Coal microstructure (porosity system) is relevant for gas flow behaviour in coal and, consequently, directly influences gas recovery from the coalbed.This paper addresses the determination of coal porosity (namely micro- and macroporosity) in relation to the molecular size of different gases. Experiments entailed a sorption process, which includes the direct method of determining the “void volume” of samples using different gases (helium, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and methane). Because gas behaviour depends on pressure and temperature conditions, it is critical, in each case, to know the gas characteristics, especially the compressibility factor.The experimental conditions of the sorption process were as follows: temperature in the bath 35 °C; sample with moisture equal to or greater than the moisture-holding capacity (MHC), particle size of sample less than 212 μm, and mass ca. 100 g.The present investigation was designed to confirm that when performing measurements of the coal void volume with helium and nitrogen, there are only small and insignificant changes in the volume determinations. Inducing great shrinkage and swelling effects in the coal molecular structure, carbon dioxide leads to “abnormal” negative values in coal void volume calculations, since the rate of sorbed and free gas is very high. In fact, when in contact with the coal structure, carbon dioxide is so strongly retained that the sorbed gas volume is much higher than the free gas volume. However, shrinkage and swelling effects in coal structure induced by carbon dioxide are fully reversible. Methane also induces shrinkage and swelling when in contact with coal molecular structure, but these effects, although smaller than those induced by carbon dioxide, are irreversible and increase the coal volume.