Mechanical transitional behavior of binary mixtures via DEM: Effect of differences in contact-type friction coefficients

This report presents a numerical investigation of the shear behavior of binary mixtures via a two-dimensional discrete element method. The effect of the coarse particle content on the peak shear strength of mixtures is investigated for different contact-type friction coefficients. A detailed analysis on the anisotropies enables us to understand the microscopic mechanisms that result in the dependency of the peak shear strengths on the coarse particle content. The contributions of different contact types to the peak shear strength are quantified. Lastly, the inter-particles structures are examined when the binary mixtures become coarse-particle-supported structures.     

Non-equilibrium flocculation characteristics of fine-grained sediments in grid-generated turbulent flow

Results are presented from a series of settling column experiments investigating temporal variations in the flocculation characteristics of purely cohesive (kaolin clay) sediment suspensions and cohesive (kaolin) and non-cohesive (fine sand) sediment fraction mixtures. Experimental runs were conducted under controlled hydrodynamic conditions generated by a rigid array of in-phase oscillating grids. The results indicated that rapid initial floc aggregation occurred under low turbulent shear rates, with peak maximal and root-mean-square (r.m.s.) floc sizes (∼ 400 μm and ∼ 200 μm, respectively) attained after relatively short time periods, before reducing with time. By contrast, lower aggregation rates and smaller floc sizes were observed under higher shear conditions, with flocs retaining suspended in the settling column for longer time scales due to the increased turbulence. The mud input concentration displayed some correlation with maximal and r.m.s. floc sizes at higher shear rates but no correlation was apparent at low shear rates. This observed floc behaviour may be attributed to the differences in concentration gradients at high and low shear rates that affect both floc settling rate and time required for flocs to attain equilibrium size. The addition of the fine sand fraction to the kaolin clay suspension reduced both the initial floc formation (i.e. aggregation) rate and the maximal and r.m.s. floc sizes attained throughout the experiments. The reduction in maximal floc sizes appeared to be enhanced by an increase in the ratio of fine sand to kaolin clay content within the mixture.     

Micromechanical viscoelasto‐plastic models and finite element implementation for rate‐independent and rate‐dependent permanent deformation of stone‐based materials

This paper presents parallel and serial viscoelasto‐plastic models to simulate the rate‐independent and the rate‐dependent permanent deformation of stone‐based materials, respectively. The generalized Maxwell viscoelastic and Chaboche's plastic models were employed to formulate the proposed parallel and serial viscoelasto‐plastic constitutive laws. The finite element (FE) implementation of the parallel model used a displacement‐based incremental formulation for the viscoelastic part and an elastic predictor—plastic corrector scheme for the elastoplastic component. The FE framework of the serial viscoelasto‐plastic model employed a viscoelastic predictor—plastic corrector algorithm. The stone‐based materials are consisted of irregular aggregates, matrix and air voids. This study used asphalt mixtures as an example. A digital sample was generated with imaging analysis from an optically scanned surface image of an asphalt mixture specimen. The modeling scheme employed continuum elements to mesh the effective matrix, and rigid bodies for aggregates. The ABAQUS user material subroutines defined with the proposed viscoelasto‐plastic matrix models were employed. The micromechanical FE simulations were conducted on the digital mixture sample with the viscoelasto‐plastic matrix models. The simulation results showed that the serial viscoelasto‐plastic matrix model generated more permanent deformation than the parallel one by using the identical material parameters and displacement loadings. The effect of loading rates on the material viscoelastic and viscoelasto‐plastic mixture behaviors was investigated. Permanent deformations under cyclic loadings were determined with FE simulations. The comparison studies showed that the simulation results correctly predicted the rate‐independent and rate‐dependent viscoelasto‐plastic constitutive properties of the proposed matrix models. Overall, these studies indicated that the developed micromechanical FE models have the abilities to predict the global viscoelasto‐plastic behaviors of the stone‐based materials. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

ON THE NUMBER OF FRACTIONS TO COMPUTE TRANSPORT OF SEDIMENT MIXTURES

1 INTRODUCTIONMany hydro-momhological mathematical models neglect the innuence of river bed maerialheterogeneity and its time and space changes during transport and related erosion/dePosition processes. Inthese models a rePresentative diameter of the river bed grain-size distribution (for examPle d5o) isspecified as initial data in each comPutational point of the modeled domain. Different d5o can be assignedto each ghd point but temPoral changes in bed material gradation cannot be simula…     

Computational microstructure modeling to estimate progressive moisture damage behavior of asphaltic paving mixtures

This paper presents a computational microstructure model to estimate the progressive moisture damage of multiphase asphaltic paving mixtures. Moisture damage because of water transport is incorporated with mechanical loading through a finite element method. To simulate nonlinear damage evolution in the mixtures, the model includes Fickian moisture diffusion, a cohesive zone model to simulate the gradual fracture process, and a degradation characteristic function to represent the reduction of material properties because of moisture infiltration. With the model developed, various parametric analyses are conducted to investigate how each model parameter affects the material‐specific moisture damage mechanism and damage resistance potential of the mixtures. Analysis results clearly demonstrate the significance of physical and mechanical properties of mixture components and geometric characteristics of microstructure for the better design of asphaltic paving mixtures and roadway structures. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

土石混合体-基岩界面剪切力学特性块石尺寸效应

土石混合体-基岩界面的抗剪强度是控制坡体稳定性的重要参数之一,是工程设计的重要参数。为探究块石尺寸对土石混合体-基岩界面剪切力学特性的影响,开展了含不同块石尺寸的土石混合体-基岩界面室内大型剪切试验。结果表明：接触界面的破坏模式受块石尺寸和法向压力的影响不显著,均表现为应变硬化特征;法向压力会削弱块石尺寸效应的影响;随块石尺寸增加,抗剪强度和抗剪强度指标（φ、c）先增加后减少,既存在着正尺寸效应,又存在着负尺寸效应,尺寸效应对内摩擦角φ的影响有限,整体在29°波动,而对表观黏聚力c影响较大;不同块石尺寸试样在不同法向压力作用下均表现出了明显的剪缩行为,法向压力能够增强土石混合体的剪缩特性;土石混合体-基岩界面为薄弱的潜在滑移面,随着块石尺寸系数的增加,薄弱破坏面有向土石混合体内部转化的趋势。     

Spatial pattern recognition by decomposition

The decomposition problem—the assignment of sample observations to component populations—is studied in a spatial context. The observations are spatially located and the assignment to component populations takes into account the value of each observation as well as the values of neighboring observations. Both parameter estimation and assignment rules use a new method that integrates a standard multivariate decomposition algorithm with nonlinear regression. The method is illustrated and tested with artificial data. The distribution of the trace component Cr₂O₃ in recent Lake Michigan sediments is, then, analyzed by the method. It yields a pattern of component populations that is correlated with the Lake's bottom structure and depositional environments. Study carried out as visiting scholar at the Department of Geological Sciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois U.S.A.     

THE WAVELENGTH COMPONENT VECTORGRAM: A TOOL FOR RESOLVING TWO-COMPONENT FLUORESCENT MIXTURES

We consider the problem of resolving the total luminescence spectra of two-component mixtures.Non-negativity of the constituent spectra is commonly used as a criterion to accomplish this resolution,but its application seldom leads to unique answers. Sometimes, the condition must be relaxed because nosolution satisfying non-negativity exists. In these cases judgments must be made concerning which partsof the spectra will be allowed to go negative and by how much. The wavelength component vectorgramn (WCV) is presented here as a tool for assisting theexperimenter in making these judgments. Even when non-negative resolutions exist, it may happen thatresolutions with slight negative elements will more closely match the spectra of the pure constituents.The WCV can also be used as a tool for detecting these cases. The methodology is illustrated with realdata from a two-component mixture.     

Grinding of mineral mixtures in high-pressure grinding rolls

Attempts at improving comminution machines generally have been directed towards increasing the performance efficiency, particularly increasing throughput rate and decreasing energy consumption. The latest and most successful new comminution technology has been the high-pressure grinding rolls (HPGR), which have proved to be highly efficient in energy consumption and to have a relatively high throughput rate at low steel consumption. Already used extensively in cement plants worldwide, the first HPGRs in the mineral industry were installed in plants processing diamond ores. They are now finding their way into the large-scale base-metal mining industry. Since feed constituents in natural ores vary in their physical properties such as hardness, plasticity and brittleness, the present paper is concerned with an investigation of the behavior of a heterogeneous feed as it passes through the HPGR. The effect of feed composition on operational parameters, the energy efficiency of comminution, and energy distribution among the feed components is addressed. Mineral particles with high hardness act as energy transfer agents in the roll gap and enhance the grinding of softer mineral particles in a mixed feed.     

“二元”基坑中内支撑支护结构的三维数值分析与监测

排桩与内支撑相结合的基坑支护结构是近几年兴起并迅速发展的1种支护方式。如何通过有效控制其变形使基坑工程安全又经济,是人们不断探索的课题。本文以青岛地区某实际深基坑为研究对象,运用理正深基坑三维协同计算对基坑开挖、支护进行了整体计算。对内支撑的平面布置进行分析,提出了水平桁架式、大直径环撑辐射式、多跨压杆式不同的支撑样式对基坑的整体受力及变形的影响参考值。对本工程内支撑的支撑间距进行分析,提出了合理的支撑间距值。另外,依据有关规定制定了监测方案,对监测结果进行了整理,并与理论计算值进行比对分析,得出一些有价值的结论,可以为类似工程的设计、施工和监测提供一些借鉴。