A hybrid calibration approach to Hertz-type contact parameters for discrete element models

This study aims at providing a hybrid calibration framework to estimate Hertz-type contact parameters (particle-scale shear modulus and Poisson ratio) for both two-dimensional and three-dimensional discrete element modelling (DEM). On the basis of statistically isotropic granular packings, a set of analytical formulae between macroscopic material parameters (Young modulus and Poisson ratio) and particle-scale Hertz-type contact parameters for granular systems are derived under small-strain isotropic stress conditions. However, the derived analytical solutions are only estimated values for general models. By viewing each DEM modelling as an implicit mathematical function taking the particle-level parameters as independent variables and employing the derived analytical solutions as the initial input parameters, an automatic iterative scheme is proposed to obtain the calibrated parameters with higher accuracies. Considering highly nonlinear features and discontinuities of the macro-micro relationship in Hertz-based discrete element models, the adaptive moment estimation algorithm is adopted in this study because of its capacity of dealing with noise gradients of cost functions. The proposed method is validated with several numerical cases including randomly distributed monodisperse and polydisperse packings. Noticeable improvements in terms of calibration efficiency and accuracy have been made.     

各向异性初始应力状态下圆柱孔扩张理论弹塑性分析

传统的圆柱孔扩张理论假定初始应力为各向同性的。在城市地下管道的铺设、隧道工程等的水平掘进施工过程中,圆柱孔受到的初始竖向应力不等于初始水平应力,并不满足各向同性初始应力条件。考虑土体的各向异性初始应力条件,假定土体满足Mohr-Coulomb屈服准则,推导了各向异性初始应力状态下的圆柱孔扩张问题弹塑性解答。算例计算结果表明：土性参数一定时,在相同内压力作用下,各向异性初始应力状态下的圆柱孔扩张形成的塑性区半径大于各向同性初始应力状态下的圆柱孔扩张的塑性区半径,但前者的极限扩孔压力小于后者。     

一种适用于各向异性土体的破坏准则

自然界的土体通常具有各向异性的特点,而传统的破坏准则大多只适用于各向同性的土体。结合应力张量和反映材料各向异性状态的组构张量,定义了修正偏应力及其不变量,提出了适用于各向异性土体材料的破坏准则。给出了共轴条件下正交各向异性和横向各向异性材料在一般应力空间的破坏曲线以及不同应力区中主应力系数b与摩擦角的关系曲线,并分析了它们的特性以及与各向同性材料相应曲线的区别。通过与真三轴试验数据的比较,表明该准则能很好地描述各向异性土体材料的强度特点。     

压力控制的圆孔扩张数值模拟分析

受沉积历史的影响,实际工程中土体的初始应力往往呈各向异性,此时传统圆孔扩张理论的假定条件不再成立,故其适用性也受到限制。借助于FLAC有限差分数值软件,建立了以压力为圆孔扩张边界的二维圆孔扩张模型,从圆孔的变形、孔周土屈服范围、圆孔扩张产生的超静孔水压力分布等方面进行分析,获得在初始应力各向异性的条件下压力控制圆孔扩张过程土体响应规律。计算分析结果表明,初始应力各向异性时,压力控制的圆孔扩张孔口径向位移、塑性区分布、超静孔隙水压力影响范围各个方向不相等;塑性区的分布具有明显的方向性,塑性区最大半径位于孔周土体初始大主应力方向上,并且其值比在相同的扩张压力作用下各向同性初始应力条件下的塑性区半径大,因此传统的初始等应力条件下位移控制的圆孔扩张理论用于分析各向异性初始应力的工程是偏于不安全的。     

Simulation of yielding and stress–stain behavior of shanghai soft clay

In this paper, a simple bounding surface plasticity model is used to reproduce the yielding and stress–strain behavior of the structured soft clay found at Shanghai of China. A series of undrained triaxial tests and drained stress probe tests under isotropic and anisotropic consolidation modes were performed on undisturbed samples of Shanghai soft clay to study the yielding characteristics. The degradation of the clay structure is modeled with an internal variable that allows the size of the bounding surface to decay with accumulated plastic strain. An anisotropic tensor and rotational hardening law are introduced to reflect the initial anisotropy and the evolution of anisotropy. Combined with the isotropic hardening rule, the rotational hardening rule and the degradation law are incorporated into the bounding surface formulation with an associated flow rule. Validity of the model is verified by the undrained isotropic and anisotropic triaxial test and drained stress probe test results for Shanghai soft clay. The effects of stress anisotropy and loss of structure are well captured by the model.     

Elastic shear stiffness anisotropy and fabric anisotropy of natural clays

Natural clays usually show anisotropic stiffness due to their deposition process and anisotropic in situ stress state. The stiffness anisotropy depends on both of the stress anisotropy and fabric anisotropy, while the latter can be quantified by the stiffness anisotropy at isotropic stress states. This paper measures the K₀ value (i.e., stress anisotropy) and elastic shear stiffness anisotropy of natural Shanghai clay in a triaxial apparatus with horizontal and vertical bender elements. The results show that the K₀ value of Shanghai clay lies in the range of 0.40–0.66, and an empirical equation is proposed to estimate the K₀ value based on the plasticity index and initial void ratio. The fabric anisotropy of natural Shanghai clay lies in the range of 1.2–1.4 with a stronger fabric in the horizontal plane. Moreover, the experimental data of the stiffness anisotropy and fabric anisotropy of different clays in the literature are reviewed and analyzed. It reveals that the stiffness anisotropy generally increases, while the fabric anisotropy remains nearly the same during K₀ consolidation. For normally consolidated clay, the fabric anisotropy generally lies in the range of 1.1–1.7. For overconsolidated clays, the fabric anisotropy generally increases as the overconsolidation ratio increases. Empirical equations are proposed to approximately estimate the fabric anisotropy of clays based on its stress normalized elastic shear stiffness.

     

A model for stress and plastic strain induced nonlinear,hyperelastic anisotropy in soils

The experimental evidence that cohesive and granular soils possess an elastic range in which the elasticity is both nonlinear and anisotropic—with stiffness and directional characteristics strongly dependent on stress and plastic strain (the so‐called ‘stress history’)—is given a formulation based on hyperelasticity. This is accomplished within the framework of elastoplastic coupling, through a new proposal of elastic potentials and a combined use of a plastic‐strain‐dependent fabric tensor and nonlinear elasticity. When used within a simple elastoplastic framework, the proposed model is shown to yield very accurate simulations of the evolution of elastic properties from initial directional stiffening to final isotropic degradation. Within the proposed constitutive framework, it is shown that predictions of shear band formation and evolution become closer to the existing experimental results, when compared to modelling in which elasticity does not evolve. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Anisotropic bounding-surface plasticity model for the cyclic shakedown and degradation of saturated clay

The cyclic behaviours of embedded offshore structures under different cyclic loading levels are related to the cyclic shakedown and degradation of the surrounding soils. In the present study, a damage-dependent bounding-surface model based on a newly proposed hardening rule was developed to predict the cyclic shakedown and degradation of saturated clay and the effect of the initial anisotropic stress state. By extending the Masing’s rule to the bounding-surface plasticity theory, the stress reversal point is taken as the generalised homological centre of the bounding surface. With movement of the generalised homological centre, at lower stress amplitudes, the cyclic process ends at a steady state, and cyclic shakedown is reached. At higher stress amplitudes, a damage parameter related to the accumulated deviatoric plastic strain is incorporated into the form of the bounding surface, which is hence able to contract to model degradations in stiffness and strength. To take into account the effects of initial anisotropic conditions on the cyclic behaviour of soils, an initial anisotropic tensor is introduced in the bounding surface. The developed model is validated through undrained isotropic and anisotropic cyclic triaxial tests in normally consolidated and overconsolidated saturated clay under both one-way and two-way loadings. Both cyclic shakedown and degradation are well reproduced by the model, as is the anisotropy effect induced by the initial anisotropic consolidation process.     

柱状节理坝基岩体三维各向异性数值分析

在分析柱状节理不连续性和各向异性的工程特性基础上,对某拱坝及坝基的柱状节理岩体进行三维数值模拟分析。考虑河谷初始地应力场和岩体各向异性力学性质,采用各向同性本构和各向异性弹塑性本构进行对比分析。计算表明,坝基柱状节理岩体各向异性特性对工程整体应力、变形的影响比较明显,采用各向异性弹塑性模型计算更能反映柱状节理的特殊性。其结果为该坝区岩体工程各向异性力学分析提供了示例。     

初始固结应力对平面应变黄土剪切破坏特性影响

针对黄土工程中大量存在的平面应变问题,在均压固结条件下研究的较多,但与土实际的应力状态不符,利用平面应变改造后的真三轴仪,模拟土体的实际应力状态,通过原状黄土在不同初始固结应力比、含水率和围压条件下的竖向加载平面应变试验,揭示不同初始固结应力比、含水率和围压对原状黄土强度特性影响及破坏时中主应力变化规律。研究结果表明:偏压固结原状黄土的强度随着初始固结应力比的增大而增大,且明显大于均压固结;抗剪强度及破坏时p、q随着初始固结应力比的减小或含水率的增大而减小;土体原生结构损伤程度随着初始固结应力比的增大而增大使得黏聚力减小;当次生结构形成土颗粒间挤密使得内摩擦角增大;破坏时刻的中主应力随初始固结应力比增大而增大;破坏时刻的中主应力系数范围在0.15~0.45之间;平面应变条件下原状黄土破坏时的固结围压及含水率对中主应力系数的影响较明显。研究结果对进一步完善原状黄土的平面应变试验研究,进而解决平面应变条件下的黄土工程建设问题,提供试验依据和理论基础。     

Lateral stress caused by horizontal and vertical surcharge strip loads on a cross‐anisotropic backfill

This study derives analytical solutions for estimating the lateral stress caused by horizontal and vertical surcharge strip loads resting on a cross‐anisotropic backfill. The following loading types are employed in this work: point load, line load, uniform strip load, upward linear‐varying strip load, upward nonlinear‐varying strip load, downward linear‐varying strip load and downward nonlinear‐varying strip load. The cross‐anisotropic planes are assumed to be parallel to the horizontal surface of the backfill. The solutions proposed herein have never been mentioned in previous literature, but can be derived by integrating the point load solution in a Cartesian co‐ordinate system for a cross‐anisotropic medium. The calculations by the presented solutions are quick and accurate since they are concise and systematized. Additionally, the proposed calculations demonstrate that the type and degree of material anisotropy and the horizontal/vertical loading types decisively influence the lateral stress. This investigation presents examples of the proposed horizontal and vertical strip loads acting on the surface of the isotropic and cross‐anisotropic backfills to elucidate their effects on the stress. The analytical results reveal that the stress distributions accounting for soil anisotropy and loading types are quite different from those computed from the available isotropic solutions. Restated, the derived solutions, as well as realistically simulating the actual surcharge loading circumstances, provide a good reference for the design of retaining structures for the backfill materials are cross‐anisotropic. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of particle friction and polydispersity on the macroscopic stress–strain relations of granular materials

The macroscopic mechanical behavior of granular materials inherently depends on the properties of particles that compose them. Using the discrete element method, the effect of particle contact friction and polydispersity on the macroscopic stress response of 3D sphere packings is studied. The analytical expressions for the pressure, coordination number and fraction of rattlers proposed for isotropically deformed frictionless systems also hold when the interparticle coefficient of friction is finite; however, the numerical values of the parameters such as the jamming volume fraction change with varying microscopic contact and particle properties. The macroscopic response under deviatoric loading is studied with triaxial test simulations. Concerning the shear strength, our results agree with previous studies showing that the deviatoric stress ratio increases with particle coefficient of friction μ starting from a nonzero value for μ = 0 and saturating for large μ. On the other hand, the volumetric strain does not have a monotonic dependence on the particle contact friction. Most notably, maximum compaction is reached at an intermediate value of the coefficient of friction μ ≈ 0.3. The effect of polydispersity on the macroscopic stress–strain relationship cannot be studied independent of initial packing conditions. The shear strength increases with polydispersity when the initial volume fraction is fixed, but the effect of polydispersity is much less pronounced when the initial pressure of the packings is fixed. Finally, a simple hypoplastic constitutive model is calibrated with numerical test results following an established procedure to ascertain the relation between particle properties and material coefficients of the macroscopic model. The calibrated model is in good qualitative agreement with simulation results.     

Modelling the initial shear stiffness of unsaturated soils as a function of the coupled effects of the void ratio and the degree of saturation

Existing models for predicting the small strain behaviour of unsaturated soil are not capable of predicting the initial shear stiffness during suction reduction under normally consolidated conditions. This problem has been addressed in the present study by combining an existing elastoplastic model and recent experimental data to provide a new model for the initial shear stiffness. The model, which is similar to that typically adopted for saturated soils, uses the average skeleton stress and an additional function of the degree of saturation. This new model not only captures the behaviour of the new experimental results, but it also describes a unique relationship between saturated and unsaturated soils.     

Multi-laminate non-coaxial modelling of anisotropic sand behavior through damage formulation

A modified multi-laminate model, to predict non-coaxiality in anisotropic sand, is proposed in this paper. The model can easily be extended to other geo-materials only with implementing some minor provisions. To consider anisotropy of sand, two ellipsoids are utilized to summarize shear and compressive stiffness of material in different directions. Damage concept is used to take into account degradation of material through loading procedure. Ellipsoid of rigidity factors is being changed in both size and dimension, under applied strain path. Variation of ellipsoids results in change of stiffness distribution over different planes. In other words, fabric evolution in material is considered through variation of ellipsoids of rigidity factors. A simple rule is proposed for shear stress-strain relationship in loading-unloading and reloading, which captures most of the natural characteristics of sand behavior. In multi-laminate models, depending on stiffness distribution over sampling planes, stress and strain are not coaxial essentially. To achieve better results, non-coaxiality of shear stress and strain on sampling planes is considered by applying vector field concept. Shear stress in different directions of a sampling plane is considered as a vector field. This field is obtained from strain field, considering shear stiffness in various orientations. The model parameters are calibrated using uniaxial compressive test data in different directions, with respect to bedding plane on an anisotropic sand sample. To investigate capability of the model to predict non-coaxiality, results of the model are compared to experimental results obtained from pure principal stress rotation. Ultimately, good accuracy is observed in results.     

Generalized solution to the anisotropic Mandel's problem

Existing solutions to Mandel's problem focus on isotropic, transversely isotropic, and orthotropic materials, the last two of which have one of the material symmetry axes coincide with the vertical loading direction. The classical plane strain condition holds for all these cases. In this work, analytical solution to Mandel's problem with the most general matrix anisotropy is presented. This newly derived analytical solution for fully anisotropic materials has all the three nonzero shear strains. Warping occurs in the cross sections, and a generalized plane strain condition is fulfilled. This solution can be applied to transversely isotropic and orthotropic materials whose material symmetry axes are not aligned with the vertical loading direction. It is the first analytical poroelastic solution considering mechanical general anisotropy of elasticity. The solution captures the effects of material anisotropy and the deviation of the material symmetry axes from the vertical loading direction on the responses of pore pressure, stress, strain, and displacement. It can be used to match, calibrate, and simulate experimental results to estimate anisotropic poromechanical parameters. This generalized solution is capable of reproducing the existing solutions as special cases. As an application, the solution is used to study the responses of transversely isotropic and orthotropic materials whose symmetry axes are not aligned with the vertical loading direction. Examples on anisotropic shale rocks show that the effects of material anisotropy are significant. Mandel-Cryer's effects are highly impacted by the degree of material anisotropy and the deviation of the material symmetry axes from the vertical loading direction.     

Induced anisotropy in cohesionless soil: Experiments and modelling

Induced anisotropy in cohesionless material is an up to date topic: since 1980, some papers present experimental results which clearly demonstrate that the effects of induced anisotropy are quite pronounced, but, at this time few authors have checked the predictions of their constitutive relations in such experiments.

First, this paper describes experimental results performed on a true triaxial apparatus which allows 90°-rotations of principal stress directions. Therefore induced anisotropy created by an initial loading may be studied. Then, an elastoplastic model with isotropic and kimematic hardening is developed. Its predictions for anisotropic effects are in good agreement with experiments.     

Modelling of structural and elastic changes of forsterite (Mg2SiO4) under stress

The method of crystal static deformation, including inner strain effects, was applied to calculate the structure configuration and the elastic constants of forsterite under anisotropic and isotropic pressure. A Born type interatomic potential is used, with optimized atomic charges and repulsive radii; SiO₄ tetrahedra are approximated as rigid units. Computations were carried out in the range 1–8 GPa, with steps of 1 GPa, for the three uniaxial stresses τ₁, τ₂, τ₃ and for pressure p. By interpolation of results, interatomic distances and elastic tensor components are shown to depend quadratically on stress. A non-linear behaviour generally appears above 4 GPa; the importance of inner strain and non-linear effects is analyzed. Mg-O bond lengths and O-O edges of coordination polyhedra respond differently to anisotropic and to isotropic stresses, according to the topological features of the structure. Elastic and structural results for hydrostatic pressure are compared to experimental literature data, discussing the range of validity of the rigid body approximation for SiO₄ groups.     

湛江强结构性黏土强度特性的应力路径效应

为探讨湛江强结构性原状土与相应重塑土在不同应力路径下的强度特性及其与结构性的关联性,开展了在不同固结条件下的主动压缩、被动压缩、主动伸长3种应力路径试验,分析了该强结构性黏土在不同应力条件下的力学性状与强度特性。结果表明,湛江黏土的剪切破坏形态主要是单一型、双交叉剪切带与“腰鼓”型3类,应力-应变特性主要为轻度应变软化、强烈应变软化、轻度应变硬化、强烈应变硬化4类;偏压固结下试样破坏应变小于等压固结相应值,破坏强度及初始弹性模量比后者大;不同应力路径下土的强度差异主要反映在结构屈服前有效黏聚力的不同,结构屈服前,原状土的黏聚力高于重塑土的黏聚力,内摩擦角小于后者;结构屈服后,黏聚力逐渐减小,内摩擦角略有增大。原状土到重塑土的转变过程是黏聚力与内摩擦力在土体内部相互消长的过程,强结构性黏土在结构屈服前的强度指标具有较强应力路径依赖性。     

Analytical solution of undrained cylindrical cavity expansion in saturated soil under anisotropic initial stress

This paper presents an analytical solution for undrained elasto-plastic cylindrical cavity expansion in saturated soil under anisotropic initial stress. The problem is formulated by assuming small-strain deformation in the elastic zone and large-strain deformation in the plastic zone. Plastic yielding is determined by the Tresca failure criterion and an associated flow rule. Two stress functions are used to describe the stress state in the two zones around the cavity. The elasto-plastic boundary can subsequently be determined by solving the two stress functions under the stress boundary conditions. Additionally, the cavity pressure-expansion relationship, the total stress and the excess pore pressure around the cavity wall under anisotropic initial stress can be easily obtained by application of a numerical integration. The results show that the cavity pressure and excess pore pressure under the isotropic initial total stress (K = 1) are larger than those under the anisotropic initial stress (K > 1 and K < 1), which is true at all states of the expansion. The higher value of K develops lower stress and pore pressure around the cavity wall at the ultimate states. However, the stress and excess pore pressure are not sensitive to the value of K. The present solution may be used for analyzing the uplift capacity of plate anchors in soils and Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) problems such as the tunneling, and pipeline installation.