Study of Strain Localization and Microstructural Changes in Partially Saturated Sand During Triaxial Tests Using Microfocus X-Ray CT

It is well known that strain localization and microstructural changes are important issues in the onset of failure problems. In particular, unsaturated soil exhibits more brittle failure due to the collapse of the water meniscus, caused by shearing or the infiltration of water, than saturated soil. The aim of this paper is to observe the strain localization behavior and the microstructural changes in partially saturated soil during the deformation process using microfocus X-ray CT. The microfocus X-ray CT system employed in this study has a very high spatial resolution of 5 μm, which is enough to visualize the sand particles and the other particles individually. In addition, X-ray CT scans can be performed under triaxial conditions. The strain localization of fully saturated, partially saturated, and air-dried sand specimens during triaxial compression tests is observed and discussed. The microstructure of unsaturated soil, consisting of soil particles, pore water, and pore air, is successfully observed in partial CT scans. Through a comparison of the microstructures in the shear bands and in the initial state, the microstructural changes are discussed.     

Development of a new loading test apparatus for microfocus X-ray CT and its application to the investigation of soil behavior surrounding driven open-section piles

In recent years, X-ray CT scanners with task-specific modifications, such as microfocus and/or a synchrotron, have been widely implemented in a variety of fields, including medical and industrial fields. Since microfocus X-ray CT systems enable the visualization of whole samples, and also yield a relatively high resolution of the region of interest in the sample, they are commonly utilized in the fields of soil mechanics and geotechnical engineering. This paper describes a novel loading test apparatus that is specifically designed for microfocus X-ray CT systems capable of performing loading tests to investigate soil behavior during the installation of driven open-section piles. The loading tests were designed to take the micro-level spatial resolution of microfocus X-ray CT systems into account. Digital image correlation (DIC) is subsequently implemented to analyze the obtained CT images, making it possible for measurements to be taken of the displacement fields in the ground following installation of the model pile. Finally, the versatility of this novel test apparatus is proof of its high potential for application in different types of loading tests.     

Displacement in sand under triaxial compression by tracking soil particles on X-ray CT data

The objective of this paper is to obtain displacements in sand in three dimensions under triaxial compression using the results of X-ray CT. A triaxial compression test was conducted on soil called “Yamazuna sand”, which has a wide grain size distribution, and the specimens were subject to CT scanning during the loading process. A large number of CT images, both 2D cross sectional images and also 3D reconstruction images, were obtained from CT scanning. The first objective in this study was to develop a method of tracking soil particles using CT images and then to calculate their movement using this proposed method. The total number of soil particles depended on the relationship between the size of the soil particles and the resolution of the CT apparatus. Finally, the displacement vectors from these movements were calculated in three dimensions under the loading process and the distribution of the localized displacement in the sand was measured. It was confirmed that the combination of the tracking technique with CT images is effective for quantitative discussion on the results of X-ray CT.     

基于数字图像技术的桩周土体位移场测量

以数字图像相关(DIC)技术为基础,开发出适合岩土实验模型变形量测分析的新技术,并将该技术应用于垂直荷载下桩周土体位移场及其破坏模式的研究。试验中,直接用数码相机在试验各阶段拍摄照片,对照片序列进行图像相关分析,即可得出桩基模型试验的变形场分布。试验结果表明:利用编制的DIC程序分析桩周土体位移场是可行的;垂直荷载下单桩桩周土体位移场可分为桩侧土体变形区及桩端土体竖向变形区两个部分。随着离开桩轴线距离的增大,桩侧土体位移急剧减少,其影响范围为(4～5)b(b为桩的边长);桩端土体受扩张压力的作用,沿径向向外扩张,呈孔穴扩张现象。从桩周土体的位移场的发展过程来看,单桩呈"梨形"破坏,与Meyerhof所提出的桩周土破坏模式相似。     

Multi-scale understanding of sand-geosynthetic interface shear response through Micro-CT and shear band analysis

To understand the process of mobilisation of shear strength in sand-geosynthetic interfaces at a fundamental level, it is essential to precisely characterize the size and shape of the grains and the shear-induced surface changes in geosynthetics. In the current study, shear behaviour of dilative and non-dilative geosynthetics interfacing with sands of different morphological characteristics was analysed through interface shear tests and a gamut of digital imaging techniques. 3D shape parameters of sands such as sphericity, convexity, roundness, aspect ratio, and roughness were quantified at different scales using X-ray micro computed tomography (μCT) and optical profilometry. Interface shear tests revealed higher peak and residual friction angles for particles with greater irregularity, angularity, and surface texture. The surface texture of geotextile surfaces resulted in higher interface friction and higher vertical displacement compared to geomembrane surfaces, which showed completely non-dilative behaviour. Surface changes in geomembranes were quantified using laser profilometry. High resolution images obtained at different stages of shearing were analysed for quantifying the shear zone thickness using digital image correlation (DIC). Thickness of the shear bands, microscopic shearing mechanisms and shear strength are correlated to the multi-scale shape parameters of sands and surface changes in geosynthetic surfaces.     

基于DIC技术的桩–土–承台共同作用性状的 模型试验研究

 利用数字图像相关技术,编制适合岩土试验模型变形量测分析的位移场分析程序(DIC)。结合室内模型试验,利用DIC程序对试验中获得的系列图像进行分析,得到群桩基础的承载变形特性、桩周土体的位移场,并对其破坏模式进行推断。研究结果表明：利用自行编制的DIC程序分析桩周土体位移场是可行的,并可以得到全场位移;随着桩距增大,群桩基础荷载沉降特性有更多的天然地基承载表现;3b(b为方桩边长)桩距群桩由于桩对桩间土体的遮拦作用明显,其侧向位移数值较6b桩距的要小;对于3b桩距群桩,土体的压缩主要集中在桩端以下土层,整个群桩基础呈实体深基础破坏模式,而对于6b桩距群桩,桩间土体的压缩量占主导地位,整个基础因桩间土体侧向挤出而破坏。分析结果验证复合桩基理论,6b桩距可视为常规桩基与复合桩基的桩距分界点。     

单轴压缩湿砂样局部及整体体积应变的数字图像相关方法观测

确定体积应变局部化区域对于涉及孔隙流体的地质灾害研究具有重要意义。体积应变局部化区域可能比最大剪切应变局部化区域更接近于孕灾地点。在单轴压缩位移控制加载条件下,测试了3个湿砂样（含水率为12.7%~17.1%）的应力-纵向应变曲线,在微裂纹出现之前及稍后,利用自主开发的基于粒子群优化的数字图像相关（DIC）方法计算了砂样的局部体积应变的变化规律。研究发现,在加载过程中,局部体积应变由均匀分布（近似线性阶段）向不均匀分布（硬化阶段）转变,直至出现局部体积应变局部化现象。在剪切带切向上,和最大剪切应变的相对均匀分布相比,局部体积应变的分布具有多峰性,这应与周期性的微裂纹出现有关。在微裂纹出现稍前,剪切带的变形是以膨胀为主,剪切带已较为显著,带内的最大剪切应变和局部体积应变分别比带外多2倍和4倍,但在此前,剪切带的膨胀和收缩现象共存。计算了所有测点所围区域的整体体积应变随纵向应变的演变规律。基于DIC方法的整体体积应变计算方法的优越性在于：具有亚像素精度,考虑了应变二阶量的影响。     

基于图像技术的桩周土位移场测量初步研究

基于数字图像技术对沉桩过程桩周土体位移场进行了测量。在模型桩贯入过程中,采用高像素的数字相机连续摄取桩及桩周土体变形的灰度图像,并实时地存储在计算机中进行相关运算,求出全场土体位移矢量。试验结果表明,本文所提出的全场位移方法所测量位移的精度要高于其它测量方法,测量结果与弹性理论解也十分接近。本法操作简便,对环境要求不高,可以实施全场测量,可以应用于研究土体变形机理的试验研究。     

饱和南京细砂初始液化后特大流动变形特性试验研究

针对地震中倾斜场地砂土液化流动大变形特征与机理,以具有明显片状颗粒结构特征的南京细砂为研究对象,采用了英国GDS公司的动态空心圆柱扭剪仪,开展了饱和南京细砂液化后特大流动变形特性的循环扭剪试验研究,主要分析了橡皮膜效应、有效围压、循环加载幅值和初始静剪应力等因素对南京细砂液化流动大变形特性的影响规律及其机理。试验结果表明:在其它条件不变时,随着有效围压增加,饱和南京细砂抗液化强度和抗单向液化流动累积变形强度都有所增加。当保持围压不变时,饱和南京细砂抗单向液化流动累积变形的强度有增加的趋势。随着初始静剪应力比的变大,南京细砂的抗液化和抗单向累积变形强度特征可以分为三个不同阶段。在无初始静剪应力条件下饱和南京细砂液化后仍以循环液化流动变形为主和单向流动累积变形为辅。但是,随着初始静剪应力比的增大,饱和南京细砂抗液化强度和抗单向液化流动累积变形强度明显降低,即主要发生单向液化流动累积变形破坏。当初始静剪应力比接近或超过循环动剪应力比时,饱和南京细砂的抗液化和抗单向流动累积变形的强度又明显增大,但仍以液化单向流动累积破坏为主。当初始静剪应力比继续增大到一定程度时,饱和南京细砂已经很难液化,其抵抗单向累积变形的强度也明显降低,主要原因应为此时试样发生的是塑性累积大变形破坏。同时,试验结果表明饱和南京细砂的液化后流动大变形特性也明显区别于含圆形颗粒为主的日本丰浦砂。     

Coupled analysis of bifurcation and shear band in saturated soils

The focus of this study is the analysis of the onset of a shear band in saturated soils under biaxial stress conditions taking into account bifurcation in both pore pressure and soil skeleton. By considering the saturated soil as a two-phase medium, the inhomogeneous displacement and pore pressure fields are assumed to be nonlinear and satisfy the continuity conditions of displacements, displacement gradients and excess pore pressure on the boundaries of the band. It is shown that bifurcation may take place in loose, contractive soils in the form of two-phase diffuse mode or localized mode of soil skeleton deformation. For low permeability saturated soils, the onset of a shear band occurs at peak friction, with the shear band parallel to Coulomb's failure plane. Numerical examples using a simple stress–strain model are given to demonstrate the occurrence of the onset of a shear band and its inclination, as a function of the void ratio and the initial consolidation pressure.     

Development of high-pressure low-temperature plane strain testing apparatus for methane hydrate-bearing sand

A high-pressure low-temperature plane strain testing apparatus was developed for visualizing the deformation of methane hydrate-bearing sand due to methane hydrate production. Using this testing apparatus, plane strain compression tests were performed on pure Toyoura sand and methane hydrate-bearing sand with localized deformation measurements. From the results, it was observed that the methane hydrate-free specimens, despite their relatively high density, showed changes in compressive volume. Marked increases in the initial stiffness and strength of the methane hydrate-bearing sand were observed (methane hydrate saturation of S_MH=60%). Moreover, the volumetric strain changed from compressive to dilative. For the specimens with methane hydrate, a dilative behavior above S_MH=0% was observed. An image analysis showed that the shear bands of the methane hydrate-bearing sand were thinner and steeper than those of the host sand. In addition, the dilative volumetric strain in the shear band increased markedly when methane hydrate existed in the pore spaces.     

基于两种DIC方法的含孔洞土样变形破坏观测

正确认识不同数字图像相关(DIC)方法的应变计算结果的差异有助于该方法的正确使用。岩土材料变形破坏过程中应变场的准确测量对于正确认识岩土材料的变形破坏机理具有重要的意义。利用自主研制的平面应变模型加载及观测系统,在垂直方向位移控制加载条件下开展了平面应变含孔洞土样(受内压和侧压作用)变形破坏过程实验研究。利用两种DIC方法(即中心差分方法和局部位移场最小二乘拟合方法)计算了应变场。与此同时,还根据清晰剪切带所处位置布置了曲折测线,并在其两侧布置了平直测线,详细地比较了两种DIC方法的应变计算结果的差异。发现了下列结果:随着纵向应变的增加,含孔洞土样最大剪切应变的分布由均匀分布向不均匀分布转化,并最终导致含孔洞土样发生贯穿土样的剪切破坏;2条平直测线上最大剪切应变不相等,剪切带内变形程度大于带外。利用局部位移场最小二乘拟合方法能较好地获得含孔洞土样孔洞表面附近的应变,当计算窗口=5×5个点时,应变更准确、平滑性更好,而利用中心差分方法获得的应变误差较大,且无法获得土样孔洞表面附近的应变。     

砂土应力路径试验的数值模拟

在一组应力路径试验的基础上,利用砂土的状态相关本构模型,对不同应力路径下饱和砂土在三轴固结排水剪切过程中的变形特性进行模拟。将模拟结果与试验结果进行比较,发现这种状态相关本构模型不仅能够较好地模拟出不同应力路径下砂土固结排水试验的应力–应变关系和紧砂的应变软化现象,而且能够反映出砂土的剪缩和剪胀等变形特性,但是在模拟拉伸应力路径下砂土的体积应变变化趋势方面有待于进一步的研究和改进。     

干燥及饱和橡胶砂压缩和剪切特性

将废弃轮胎作为建筑材料应用在土木工程领域是对其回收处理最有前景的方法之一。为了研究轮胎橡胶颗粒改良砂土的效果,选取橡胶颗粒与福建砂的混合土为研究对象,研究了橡胶砂的压缩和抗剪特性,分析了橡胶含量与干湿状态对橡胶砂力学特性的影响,并建立了双曲线模型预测橡胶砂受剪过程的剪应力与剪切位移关系。结果表明：橡胶砂的压缩变形随橡胶含量增大而增大,饱和橡胶砂的压缩变形明显大于干燥橡胶砂;橡胶砂的剪应力剪切位移曲线表现出应变硬化特征;橡胶砂的抗剪强度与橡胶含量的关系不大;干燥试样内摩擦角随着橡胶含量的增大而降低,饱和试样的内摩擦角随着橡胶含量的增大而轻微升高;通过双曲线模型预测的剪应力剪切位移关系曲线与试验结果吻合。     

Investigation of Failure Patterns in Sand Due to Laterally Loaded Pile Using X-Ray CT

The objective of this paper is to investigate three dimensional (3-D) failure patterns in sand due to a laterally loaded pile using X-ray CT. Here, a new apparatus of model loading test in which X-ray CT is employed for monitoring failure pattern of the ground around a pile was developed and a series of model loading tests were conducted using this apparatus. CT scanning was done for the model ground at several levels of loadings which were applied at the pile head. Not only cross sectional images for the ground but also those in 3-D were reconstructed. A proper image processing analysis was conducted in order to obtain effective CT images. And, the failure patterns of the ground under laterally loaded piles were visualized. It is emphasized that three dimensional failure patterns of the ground due to laterally loaded pile were visualized for the first time using X-ray CT.     

基坑设计考虑粘性土变形局部化的探讨

根据上海软土在固结不排水平面应变压缩试验条件下应变局部化和剪切带形成的实测研究结果,发现粘性土剪切带开始形成的偏应力为其屈服点。过此点后粘性土局部化变形加剧。这将有助于土体在强度理论、变形和稳定分析等方面的深入研究。为此,在深入研究变形局部化的同时,着重研究考虑粘性土变形局部化的深基坑计算参数问题。     

平面应变岩样局部化变形场数值模拟研究

在FLAC^3D的基础上开发了后处理程序，对应变软化岩样的剪切局部化变形场（包括：速度场、应变率场、体积应变率场及位移场）进行了数值模拟研究。考虑扩容效应后，剪切带的倾角和宽度均增加，剪应变率的局部化程度降低。剪切带倾角和宽度的增加对岩样的塑性性质影响正相反。两条共轭剪切带奖岩样分割成具有整体平移特性的4个小块体，每个小块体内部的位移场是比较均匀的，而剪切带附近的位移具有较大的位移梯度。剪切应变率（或应变）局部化区域与体积应变率（或应变）的位置重合，局部化区域就是岩样最终的破坏位置。     

基于图像相关分析的砂土模型试验变形场量测

高分辨率数码相机的出现为砂土模型试验变形场非接触量测法的研究开发提供了一条简便经济而且实用的途径,在模型试验观测面上,不再需要布置嵌入式量测标志点或描画网格,直接用数码相机在试验各阶段拍摄照片,然后对照片序列进行图像相关分析,即可得出模型试验的变形场分布。利用图像匹配技术追踪模型上点的位移,借用FEM常用的等参单元的概念进行图像校准和应变计算,采用双线性插值技术可以实现微小变形量测,并提出同时用平移和旋转搜索方法,以适应砂土模型的变形特点。精度检验试验结果表明,一个像素以下的平移量测标准方差达到0.19个像素,数值试验表明,15°旋转刚体变形量测,非旋转搜索和旋转搜索的标准方差分别为0.49和0.08个像素。最后给出一个在砂土地基承载力离心机模型试验中的应用实例,分析结果包含砂土模型位移场、最大剪应变场和体积应变场的分布图。结果表明这一方法使得砂土模型局部化变形、剪切带和渐进破坏过程的量化分析成为可能。     

颗粒流模拟土的工程特性(英文)

本文基于颗粒流理论,引入不同的颗粒接触连接本构模型,分别建立了砂土和粘性土的颗粒流模型。通过颗粒流数值模型试验,从细观力学角度对土的工程力学特性作了初步的研究。对砂土和粘性土的室内平面应变试验及其剪切带形成和发展进行了数值模拟,分别对比了不同围压下颗粒流试样与室内试验的应力应变关系曲线,基本再现了砂土和粘性土试样应力-应变关系。通过分析围压-时步曲线、体变曲线和不同阶段的颗粒位移场的变化规律,研究了剪切带的形成与发展规律。     

高应力下砂土与结构界面单剪试验研究

利用改装自RMT-150B试验系统的单剪试验仪进行饱和砂土与结构界面单剪试验,研究高应力条件下界面本构模型及界面剪切刚度变化趋势,为高应力状态下涉及到界面力学问题的工程设计、计算提供理论依据.试验中,首先对剪切盒中的砂土进行固结,然后法向应力恒定在高应力水平上开始界面剪切,并记录试验数据,剪切时保证砂土能相对自由的变形...