Large-scale physical modeling study on the interaction between rockfall and flexible barrier

Flexible barriers have been widely applied in rockfall mitigation in recent years. However, the behavior of flexible barriers under the impact of boulders is still not fully understood. To investigate the interaction between a flexible barrier and a falling boulder, a large-scale physical modeling device has been constructed at a site in Hong Kong. Using this device, large-scale impact tests using boulders with different diameters were conducted. Test results are presented and analyzed in this paper. The motion of the boulder during impact is traced and analyzed. The impact forces on the flexible ring net and the supporting structures are measured and compared. From the comparison, the impact reduction rates (IRR) of boulders with different diameters are calculated. Moreover, a simple approach for estimating the impact loading of a boulder on a flexible barrier is proposed in this study. This approach is calibrated and verified using measured impact forces in the tests.     

米尺度裂隙岩体模型水流-传热试验的数值模拟分析

为了研究高放射性核废物地下处置库近场的水流-传热耦合问题,采用国内高放废物地下处置库预选场址--甘肃北山地区的花岗岩石块体,加工组合成米尺度的规则裂隙岩体模型,设置边界热源和裂隙水流,试验模拟裂隙水水流与传热之间的相互作用。作为该室内模型试验的前期理论研究,采用等效孔隙介质数值模型,着重分析了裂隙开度、裂隙流量和热源功率对流场和温度场的影响。在设定条件下,计算分析表明：热传导和裂隙水水流由热源作用初期的不耦合很快转化为耦合;不流动的裂隙水主要表现为热存储和热传导,而流动的裂隙水还引起流动传热和水与岩石之间的对流换热,使岩体温度场明显不同于单纯热传导的情况;如果保持裂隙水流量不变,则裂隙开度的变化对水流-传热影响不大;如果保持裂隙水流速不变,则裂隙开度的变化对水流-传热影响显著;热源功率越大,通过裂隙水的热流量越大,裂隙水压强越大,而当温度超过100 ℃时,裂隙水会因汽化而压强显著增大;加热7 d时,热量的输入和输出几乎相等,裂隙水流带走的热量接近热源供给的热量,模型系统基本达到了热平衡。     

土的三维破坏准则在颗粒流模型中的应用

Savage-Hutter(S-H)颗粒流模型用一个只与材料参数相关的土压力系数来描述颗粒流内部的应力状态,不能很好地反映颗粒体在运动时的本构关系。通过引入颗粒体应力与速度梯度之间的关系,得到了一个能够反映颗粒流本构模型的崩塌动力学模型。另外,为解除S-H模型中对横向应力大小的假定,通过引入Von Mises、Drucker-Prager、Mohr-Coulomb和Matsuoka-Nakai等土的三维破坏准则,得到了广义摩擦系数的4种表达形式。该模型的主要优势是通过引入颗粒流的本构关系,能较好地体现颗粒流体在运动中的内在机制,并且材料强度参数简单易知。分析了由Drucker-Prager准则和Mohr-Coulomb准则所得到的材料强度参数,并探讨了广义摩擦系数与应力洛德角等物理量之间的关系。用所建议的模型来模拟颗粒流的运动过程,并将数值计算与试验结果进行对比,发现两者能够较好吻合。     

大型水泥土屏障模型试验研究

由于帷幕注浆和深层搅拌桩防渗在技术与经济上具有一定的优势,在填埋场工程及污染场地中常作为首选方案,现有室内试验都是采用纯黏土作为隔离屏障。但在实际工程中水泥土垂直隔离屏障却应用得更加广泛,而在国内外针对水泥土屏障的研究却鲜有报道。拟通过大型模型试验来分析屏障厚度和水泥掺量对隔离效果的影响进行初步研究。     

On the impact of dry granular flow against a rigid barrier with basal clearance via discrete element method

Landslides - Rigid barriers are prevalent structure countermeasures for mitigating granular flow hazards in mountainous areas. To reduce maintenance for barriers, a basal clearance is commonly set...     

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.     

Laboratory validation of lattice Boltzmann method for modeling pore-scale flow in granular materials

Characteristics of fluid flow through various engineering structures, such as granular filters and asphalt pavements, influence their design life. Numerical simulation of fluid flow is useful for evaluating the hydraulic characteristics of these materials. Among various techniques, the lattice Boltzmann (LB) method is widely accepted due to the ease of implementing boundary conditions and the numerical stability in a wide variety of flow conditions. It has proven to be extremely efficient in the simulation of fluid flow through the complex geometries of granular materials. In this study, two-dimensional and three-dimensional LB models were developed to represent pore-scale monophasic Newtonian incompressible fluid flow in granular materials. Three-dimensional geometries of compacted aggregates and asphalt specimens were generated from X-ray Computed Tomography technique and used as input for the LB model. The accuracy of the models was verified by comparing the results with analytical solutions of simple geometries and hydraulic conductivity measurements on the compacted aggregates and hot mix asphalt specimens. The results of LB simulations were in excellent agreement with those obtained from analytical calculations and laboratory measurements.     

Numerical modeling of contaminated neutral drainage from a waste-rock field test cell

Contaminated drainage related to the leaching of soluble metals under near-neutral conditions, known as contaminated neutral drainage (CND), may arise when metal species are soluble at neutral pH. Such a phenomenon has been sporadically observed in effluent from the Tio mine waste-rock pile in Quebec, Canada, particularly from older sections of the pile, where Ni concentrations are increasing with time. It has been postulated that Ni is retained within the fresh waste rock as sorbed species, but as the rock ages, sorption sites become saturated and more Ni is released to the effluent. A field test program was initiated to evaluate the geochemical behavior of the waste rock. This paper presents a numerical analysis of CND generation from waste-rock field test cells including water flow and multi-component transport with geochemical reactions (e.g. sulfide oxidation, pH neutralization, and Ni sorption), using the code MIN3P. The model was able to represent the delay before Ni is seen in the effluent, as caused by sorption of Ni onto Fe-oxide particles. Once the sorption sites are saturated, the model allows Ni release into the effluent by millerite dissolution, expressed by the shrinking core model. A sensitivity analysis indicated that sorption parameters significantly affected the simulated results, so their selection should be based on sound independent field or experimental data.     

Multiscale characterization and modeling of granular materials through a computational mechanics avatar: a case study with experiment

Through a first-generation computational mechanics avatar that directly links advanced X-ray computed tomographic experimental techniques to a discrete computational model, we present a case study where we made the first attempt to characterize and model the grain-scale response inside the shear band of a real specimen of Caicos ooids subjected to triaxial compression. The avatar has enabled, for the first time, the transition from faithful representation of grain morphologies in X-ray tomograms of granular media to a morphologically accurate discrete computational model. Grain-scale information is extracted and upscaled into a continuum finite element model through a hierarchical multiscale scheme, and the onset and evolution of a persistent shear band is modeled, showing excellent quantitative agreement with experiment in terms of both grain-scale and continuum responses in the post-bifurcation regime. More importantly, consistency in results across characterization, discrete analysis and continuum response from multiscale calculations are found, achieving the first and long sought-after quantitative breakthrough in grain-scale analysis of real granular materials.     

具有复杂计算域和地形的潮汐流动数值模拟

采用无结构网格上的Roe型二阶精度迎风型FVM格式的有限体积方法对具有复杂计算域和地形的胜利油田海域的潮汐流动进行数值模拟。为保证Roe格式能够应用于复杂地形条件下的计算,采用Ropers格式来解决通量梯度项与源项的平衡问题,对摩擦力源项采用分步法求解以增加格式的稳定性。应用此方法对地形复杂的胜利油田海域进行了实际模拟,数值计算结果和实测结果吻合较好。     

Numerical modeling of Forchheimer flow to a pumping well in a confined aquifer using the strong-form mesh-free method

A numerical analysis of non-Darcian flow to a pumping well in a confined aquifer using the strong-form mesh-free (MFREE) method is described. This technique is targeted at problems that use advanced numerical approaches for modeling non-Darcian flow and it supports the assumption that the non-Darcian flow follows the Forchheimer equation. Interpolation functions including the multi-quadrics (MQ) basis function (containing shape factors q and α) and the Gaussian (EXP) basis function (with shape factor ω) were found to be important defining parameters which had significant influence on the numerical results. A series of numerical experiments revealed that when q?=?2 and α?=?0.1, the mesh-free method yielded good results and the range of 10^?6?–?10^?3 might be a good choice for the shape factor ω in the EXP basis function. A comparison between the strong-form MFREE method and the finite difference method was done; the results showed that the strong-form MFREE method was very effective for solving non-Darcian flow near a pumping well in a confined aquifer, and was favorable over the finite-difference method, which could undergo oscillation and converging problems at early times.     

Experimental study on the road energy harvesting of piezoelectric ceramic in unbound granular materials based on a large-scale triaxial apparatus

As one of the methods to harvest and then reuse the traffic-induced mechanical energy or one of the materials to make specific piezoelectric sensors, the application of piezoelectric ceramic to the traffic engineering has drawn more and more attention in recent years. However, few studies have tried to install the piezoelectric ceramic especially piezoelectric patch in the unbound granular materials (UGMs) of pavement base or subbase layers, and then to investigate their coupling including the power generation characteristics of piezoelectric ceramic and the resilient behavior of UGMs under traffic loading. In this study, a special piezoelectric transducer in which the piezoelectric ceramic worked in a single 31-mode was made and it was installed in the UGMs sample. A series of resilient deformation tests based on a large-scale triaxial apparatus was performed to explore the effects of water content of UGMs, confining pressure, cyclic stress magnitude and initial deviatoric stress on the open-circuit voltage generated by piezoelectric patch, and the influences of power generation on the resilient modulus of UGMs. Test results show that the open-circuit voltage in saturated sample is larger than that in sample of optimum moisture condition. The increase in both confining pressure and cyclic stress magnitude lead to the increase in open-circuit voltage, while the influence of initial deviatoric stress is slight. However, the development patterns of open-circuit voltage over either confining pressure or cyclic stress magnitude are very different between the two water content conditions. The power generation by piezoelectric ceramic tends to lower the resilient modulus of UGMs. In general, the installation of piezoelectric ceramic in the UGMs of base or subbase layers is feasible, which provides another way to harvest the traffic-induced mechanical energy. The cyclic stress level should be the key factor influencing the power generation of piezoelectric ceramic, while the confining pressure and water content of UGMs would play minor but non-negligible roles.

     

Numerical modeling of the flow and transport of radionuclides in heterogeneous porous media

This paper is concerned with numerical methods for the modeling of flow and transport of contaminant in porous media. The numerical methods feature the mixed finite element method over triangles as a solver to the Darcy flow equation and a conservative finite volume scheme for the concentration equation. The convective term is approximated with a Godunov scheme over the dual finite volume mesh, whereas the diffusion–dispersion term is discretized by piecewise linear conforming triangular finite elements. It is shown that the scheme satisfies a discrete maximum principle. Numerical examples demonstrate the effectiveness of the methodology for a coupled system that includes an elliptic equation and a diffusion–convection–reaction equation arising when modeling flow and transport in heterogeneous porous media. The proposed scheme is robust, conservative, efficient, and stable, as confirmed by numerical simulations.      

Numerical modeling of two-phase fluid flow and oil slick transport in estuarine water

Oil spills is one of the most important hazards in the estuarine and coastal water. In recent decades, engineers try to predict the status of oil slick to manage the pollution spreading. The prediction of oil slick transport is carried out mainly by means of numerical models. In the current study, the development and application of a two-phase fluid flow model to simulate oil transport in the marine environment are presented. Different transport and fate processes are included in the developed model. The model consists of the Lagrangian method for the advection process, the Random Walk technique for horizontal diffusion process and the empirical equations for the fate processes. The major forces for driving oil particles are fluid current, wind speed and turbulent flow. Therefore, the multi-component hydrocarbon method has been included to the developed model in order to predict fate processes. As prediction of particle velocity components is of major importance for oil slick advection, therefore the binomial interpolation procedure has been chosen for the particle velocity components computations. In addition, shoreline boundary condition is included in the developed model to simulate shore response to oil slick transport near the beaches. The results of the model applications are compared with the analytical solutions, experimental measurements and other numerical models cited in literature. Comparisons of different sets of results represent the capability of developed model to predict the oil slick transport. In addition, the developed model is tested for two oil spill cases in the Persian Gulf.     

Numerical modeling and inverse parameter estimation of the large-scale mass movement Gradenbach in Carinthia (Austria)

This paper deals with the inverse problem of using time-displacement monitoring data to determine the material parameters of a numerical model of a large-scale mass movement. A finite element model for simulating the mechanical behavior is presented for the Gradenbach landslide in Carinthia, Austria. Particular attention is paid to the calibration of the constitutive relationships, which represent a prerequisite for a realistic quantitative analysis. After a short introduction to the concept of model-parameter identification, this paper demonstrates how to apply the proposed model identification strategy to determine model parameters for the Gradenbach example. The impact of the amount of reference data available for the inverse model-parameter analysis is evaluated by means of artificial reference data. Subsequently, the numerical model is calibrated using field measurement data. The results obtained are presented, and the benefits and drawbacks of the proposed concept are evaluated.     

Numerical study of the coupled hydro-mechanical effects in dynamic compaction of saturated granular soils

Dynamic compaction is a widely used method for improvement of loose granular deposits. Its applicability in saturated layers generally considered to be less effective because of the fact that part of the applied energy is absorbed by pore water. Up to now the majority of numerical simulations have focused on the analysis of dynamic compaction in dry/moist soils. In this paper, a fully coupled hydro-mechanical finite element code has been developed and employed to evaluate the dynamic compaction effects on saturated granular soils. After verification of the results by comparing the numerical results with those measured in a real field case of DC treatment in a highway, some sensitivity analyses have been performed to evaluate the effect of water phase on the dimensions of the zone of improvement in the soil beneath the tamper. The results indicate that in the DC process the soil demonstrate two different behaviors. At the very early stage after impact, the soil behaves in an undrained manner and high oscillation of pore pressure occurs. After this phase, consolidation begins during which the pore-water-flow out of the soil mass takes place. The numerical analysis reveals that most of the DC improvement occurs during the undrained phase. The main mechanism responsible for the densification of soil during the undrained phase seems to be the compressibility of pore water. The simulation results indicate that the improvement zone diminishes when the degree of saturation increases.     

非均匀颗粒流应力关系实验研究

颗粒流问题在自然界和许多工程领域都可能遇到。采用特殊的内外筒均可单独旋转的同心圆筒颗粒剪切实验装置,测量了非均匀离散颗粒在旋转剪切流动下的切应力变化,分析了颗粒浓度、粒径与边界条件等因素对颗粒流动应力的影响。结果表明,颗粒浓度和颗粒粒径均对剪切应力产生影响,Savage实验（内筒旋转）和Bagnold实验（外筒旋转）的结果产生差异的主要原因是边界滑移和旋转离心力。同时,基于已有成果,深入研究了颗粒应力关系变化的特点和规律。     

Self-organization in the rapid flow of granular material: evidence for a major flow mechanism

Based on the assumption that high-speed high-concentration sediment mass flows are primarily granular flows, their dynamic properties were studied. Such highly sheared granular flows are characterized by interparticle collisions. This so-called rapid granular flow regime has been analysed using two-dimensional computer simulations. It is shown that granular flows at the microstructural level are governed by deterministic chaos. The bulk behaviour is characterized by self-organization and an attractor controlling the energy dissipation of the flow. The existence of this rapid granular flow attractor easily explains the linear relation between drop height and travel distance of debris flows. A compelling consequence of the attractor is that rapid granular flow is the major flow regime in debris flows.     

刚性块体压入颗粒体系时的受力及力链演变

颗粒体系由大量离散颗粒组成,普遍存在于自然界中,比如砂土地基、泥石流及滑坡体等。外荷载通常沿着准直形的路径在体系内传递,形成区别于单个颗粒和整个体系的细观结构--力链,亦即颗粒物质具有典型的多尺度特征。采用颗粒离散元方法模拟刚性块体压入颗粒体系的过程,计算得到了刚性块体底部所受阻力与压入深度的幂率关系;给出力链的判断准则和搜索强力链程序,构建颗粒体系强力链网络,并分析了压入试验过程中力链的演变及其长度的分布规律。