Micromechanics model of ice fields—II: Monte Carlo simulation

The graph model presented in Part I of this series provides the basis for development of a computer simulation of tightly packed ice fields taken as ensembles of square-shaped ice floes with random physical properties. A program based on an alternating-direction scheme is developed to model the time evolution of a field of ice floes in a rectangular domain. The simulation of a field in an Arctic channel shows that there is a strong tendency for an earlier onset of microscale plastic flows and formation of irregular clusters of ice floes and openings in a field with spatially random properties versus a field with deterministic spatially homogeneous properties. A special study is conducted of an elastic-plastic transition in a field of 101×101 floes. The transition to macroscopically plastic flow is possible only with a percolation of inelastic regions through the entire domain of the ice field. The fact that this percolation is characterized by a noninteger fractal dimension uncovers a (possibly principal) generation mechanism of ice field morphologies, and points to scale dependence in mechanics of ice fields for certain ranges of loads.     

Coupled modelling of hydro‐mechanical behaviour of unsaturated compacted expansive soils

The Barcelona basic model cannot predict the mechanical behaviour of unsaturated expansive soils, whereas the Barcelona expansive model (BExM) can only predict the stress–strain behaviour of unsaturated expansive soils without the water‐retention behaviour being incorporated. Moreover, the micro‐parameters and the coupling function between micro‐structural and macro‐structural strains in the BExM are difficult to determine. Experimental data show that the compression curves for non‐expansive soils under constant suctions are shifted towards higher void ratios with increasing suction, whereas the opposite is true for expansive soils. According to the observed water‐retention behaviour of unsaturated expansive soils, the air‐entry value increases with density, and the relationship between the degree of saturation and void ratio is linear at constant suction. According to the above observation, an elastoplastic constitutive model is developed for predicting the hydraulic and mechanical behaviour of unsaturated expansive soils, based on the existing hydro‐mechanical model for non‐expansive unsaturated soil. The model takes into consideration the effect of degree of saturation on the mechanical behaviour and that of void ratio on the water‐retention behaviour. The concept of equivalent void ratio curve is introduced to distinguish the plastic potential curve from the yield curve. The model predictions are compared with the test results of an unsaturated expansive soil, including swelling tests under constant net stress, isotropic compression tests and triaxial shear tests under constant suction. The comparison indicates that the model offers great potential for quantitatively predicting the hydraulic and mechanical behaviour of unsaturated expansive soils. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Monotonic and cyclic modeling of interface between geotextile and gravelly soil

This paper describes a modified elasto‐plasticity damage model to capture monotonic and cyclic behavior of the interface between a geotextile and gravelly soil. New damage variable and shear strength criterion are introduced on the basis of test observations. The formulations of the modified model are obtained by extending those of the original interface model. The model parameters with physical meaning are easily determined from a group of cyclic shear tests and a confining compression test. The model predictions are compared with the results of a series of direct shear tests and large‐scale pullout tests. The comparison results demonstrate that the model accurately describes the monotonic and cyclic stress–strain relationship of the interface between a geotextile and gravelly soil while capturing new characteristics: (1) the strength that is nonlinearly dependent on the normal stress; (2) significant shear strain‐softening; (3) the comprehensive volumetric strain response with dependency on the shear direction; and (4) the evolution of behavior associated with the changes in the physical state that includes the geotextile damage. This model is used in a finite element analysis of pullout tests, indicating that the tensile modulus of a geotextile has a significant effect on the response of the geotextile–gravel system. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical modelling of dynamic consolidation on granular soils

The application of Pastor–Zienkiewicz constitutive model for sands to dynamic consolidation problems is presented in this paper. This model is implemented in a coupled code formulated in terms of displacements for both solid and fluid phases (u?w formulation), which is firstly compared with u?p_w formulation for some simple examples. Its range of validity, previously established for elastic problems and harmonic loading, is explored. Once the suitability of the u?w formulation has been ascertained for this kind of dynamic problems in soils, one‐ and two‐dimensional (plane strain) dynamic consolidation numerical examples are provided, aiming to give some light into the physics of this ground improvement technique. A ‘wave of dryness’, observed at the soil surface during the impact in field cases, is numerically reproduced and justified. Some hints on the influence of the loading zone size are also given. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Non‐isothermal plasticity model for cyclic behaviour of soils

On the one hand, it has been observed that liquefaction‐induced shear deformation of soils accumulates in a cycle‐by‐cycle pattern. On the other hand, it is known that heating could induce plastic hardening. This study deals with the constitutive modelling of the effect that heat may have on the cyclic mechanical properties of cohesive soils, a relatively new area of interest in soil mechanics. In this paper, after a presentation of the thermo‐mechanical framework, a non‐isothermal plasticity cyclic model formulation is presented and discussed. The model calibration is described based on data from laboratory sample tests. It includes numerical simulations of triaxial shear tests at various constant temperatures. Then, the model predictions are compared with experimental results and discussed in the final section. Both drained and undrained loading conditions are considered. The proposed constitutive model shows good ability to capture the characteristic features of behaviour. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analysis of liquefaction susceptibility of nearly saturated sands

A new constitutive formulation for simulating the behaviour of nearly saturated sands under seismic loads is presented. The formulation is based on combining the Henry's law for dissolution of gas in water, the ideal or perfect gas law and the law of conservation of mass. The effects of transient air dissolution in water on the compressibility of partially saturated soils are also taken into account. The model was calibrated based on numerical simulations of isotropically consolidated cyclic triaxial tests conducted on partially saturated samples of Toyoura sand. A multi‐yield plasticity soil constitutive model implemented in the finite element code DYNAFLOW was used for these numerical simulations. It is shown that the formulation proposed here is able to reasonably predict the soil cyclic undrained behaviour at various degrees of saturation (95% and higher). Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

土的量化记忆模型及其参数确定

土的真非线性分析要求追踪应力-应变历史,寻求滞回圈上应力-应变的瞬时切线模量。由于地震荷载的随机性,实际土体的应力-应变历史轨迹非常复杂。基于传统模型的骨架曲线和滞回圈表达式进行这类分析的难度很大。作者介绍的量化记忆模型是为土的动力真非线性分析提出的,它是将单调加载情况下呈非线性变化的切线模量量化,记忆为一种分段线性分布的几何结构,并通过对这种结构加以变换,以描述循环加载情况下具有滞回特性土料的动应力-应变关系。在试验的基础上,运用非线性最小二乘法,确定了量化记忆模型中的 , , , , , 6个参数,并将量化记忆模型生成的应力-应变关系曲线与试验曲线进行了比较。结果表明,量化记忆模型是有效可行的。     

粗颗粒土的应力应变特性及其数学描述研究

大型三轴试验研究了粗颗粒土的应力应变特性及邓肯-张模型的适用性。试验结果表明粗颗粒土表现出明显的低围压下体胀高围压下体缩的体变性质,邓肯-张模型在描述粗颗粒土的体变特性方面存在不足。基于试验结果提出了新的体变描述公式,在未增加模型参数的条件下提出了邓肯-张模型的改进模型。采用改进模型对多种粗颗粒土三轴试验结果进行了预测,结果初步表明改进模型能够更好地模拟粗粒土的体变特性。     

离散介质中地震波传播的本构问题

实际地球介质是相当复杂的.基于均匀的、连续介质模型建立的弹性波动理论可能导致对地球结构地震响应的不当解释, 有时可能是错误解释.由于没有更接近实际地球介质模型的波动理论, 许多有用的地震信息因得不到合理解释, 被作为噪音处理了.从等效介质角度来看, 储层介质可以划分为弹性区、粘性区、空白区(空白区是由孔隙、裂隙、结构面产生的介质性质弱化区) 组成的离散介质.在局部平均思想的指导下, 利用区间内聚定理建立起离散(储层) 介质的本构关系, 为建立更接近实际地球介质模型的波动理论提供了力学基础.