Transition from random packing to stable state in a continuously avalanching granular flow

We investigate the transition evolution from the initial state with the random packing of the particles to the stable state in which successive avalanches exhibit consistent characteristics under the slumping regime. It is found that there exist three distinct stages in the transition evolution, considering the change of the volume fraction. The coordination number is almost unchanged during the transition evolution, which indicates the particle contact form is consistent in the three stages. The pause phenomena are discovered in some avalanches, and the probability of pause occurrence increases continuously in the three consecutive stages. We also explore the distribution of particles in the passive layer at the stable state. The particles in the middle region of the passive layer have the closest packing status, and the deeper the region is located, the later it reaches the stable state.     

Strength and dilatancy behaviors of deep sands in Shanghai with a focus on grain size and shape effect

With rapid development of infrastructures like tunnels and open excavations in Shanghai, investigations on deeper soils have become critically important. Most of the existing laboratory works were focused on the clayey strata up to Layer 6 in Shanghai, i.e. at depth of up to 40 m. In this paper, Layers 7, 9, and 11, which were mostly formed of sandy soils at depth of up to 150 m, were experimentally investigated with respect to physico-mechanical behaviors. The stress–strain behaviors were analyzed by the consolidated drained/undrained (CD/CU) triaxial tests under monotonic loading. One-dimensional (1D) oedometer tests were performed to investigate the consolidation properties of the sandy soils. Specimens were prepared at three different relative densities for each layer. Also, the micro-images and particle size analyzers were used to analyze the shape and size of the sand grains. The influences of grain size, density, and angularity on the stress–strain behaviors and compressibility were also studied. Compared to the other layers, Layer 11 had the smallest mean grain size (D₅₀), highest compressibility, and lowest shear strength. In contrast, Layer 9 had the largest mean grain size, lowest compressibility, and highest shear strength. Layer 7 was of intermediate mean grain size, exhibiting more compressibility and less shear strength than that of Layer 9. Also, the critical state parameters and maximum dilatancy rate of different layers were discussed.     

异形坯连铸坯壳应力与鼓肚变形分析

坯壳应力引起的鼓肚变形是影响铸坯质量的重要因素,为防止过大的鼓肚变形,依据湍动能理论、热流传递理论和粘弹性理论,建立了异形坯三维热-力耦合模型,开发了鼓肚分析软件,从而避免了漏钢事故的发生.该模型将温度场和应力场的计算相互耦合,交替进行.结果表明:异形坯截面最危险点位于腹板中部,其次为翼板中点,在两者相结合的圆角部,由于凝固坯壳比较薄,其应力值也比较大;当坯壳厚度小于20 mm时,两点的鼓肚变形量将分别超过其极限变形量,铸坯出结晶器时必然发生漏钢事故.该模型通过预测坯壳应力和鼓肚变形量为现场安全生产提供了理论依据.     

Biot–Frenkel Poromechanics in Russia (Review)

The Biot–Frenkel model of fluid-infiltrated material dynamics in its original linear form is adequate to solve many problems for soils and rocks mechanics saturated with fluids. The main interest to it was connected with applications in oil/gas production and the exploration industry and also in civil engineering and ecology. The model was developed and generalized successfully for the first half century. The input of the Russian writers was essential. A corresponding review of their published results is given in this paper.     

Stress Dilatancy and Fabric Dependencies on Sand Behavior

A stress dilatancy model with embedded microstructural information, originally developed by the writers, is used to illustrate the pivotal importance of dilatancy and fabric on the behavior of sand. Fabric, as a second-order tensor, enters into the stress dilatancy equation obtained from a microscopic analysis of an ensemble of rigid particles. Model simulations of sand behavior are carried out in triaxial stress conditions along strain paths with varying degrees of controlled dilation (or compaction) including isochoric deformations as a particular case. Under particular strain paths and fabric conditions, it is shown that a relatively dense sand can succumb to instability or liquefaction under other than isochoric (undrained) conditions. This phenomenon is in accord with laboratory experiments in which dilation or compaction is controlled by modulating the amount of water flowing in or out of a sand specimen during shearing. Mixed drained–undrained loading paths are also simulated with particular reference to fabric dependence at a fixed void ratio. Model simulations capture most of the observed characteristics of sand response, such as instability and asymptotic behavior under various conditions.     

节理岩体的有限元分析

本文由节理和岩块体变形迭加的方法推导出节理岩体的应力—应变关系式,并分析了各种节理和岩块体破坏的组合形式及其变形状态,因而能较准确地反映节理岩体的破坏机理。     

Field and Laboratory Testing of St. Peter Sandstone

The purpose of this project was to evaluate mechanical properties of St. Peter sandstone by in situ testing, and to compare the field data with laboratory results. Direct shear tests were conducted to evaluate the strength-dilatancy behavior, and thin-section microscopy was used to help explain the significant friction angles associated with the material. St. Peter sandstone is nearly cohesionless, but it possesses a friction angle of 57–63° at low confinement. The large angle of internal friction at failure may be due to locking of sand particles or to postdepositional quartz overgrowths. Tests on pulverized densely packed sand and loosely packed sand were conducted in the same manner as the intact specimens and yielded friction angles of about 42 and 34°. Pressuremeter tests were performed in situ and the results were interpreted using an elasto-plastic analysis in terms of total stresses. By appropriate consideration of system stiffness, Young’s modulus was found to be about 0.5 GPa, slightly lower than the laboratory value, although unload-reload cycles were not attempted. Assuming associative behavior, the friction angle was estimated to be at least 56°.     

Earthquake Safety Evaluation of Gravity Dams Considering Aftershocks and Reduced Drainage Efficiency

This paper develops a methodology to perform seismic response analyses of concrete gravity dams considering aftershocks, and reduced drainage efficiency due to disruption of the drainage system. A database of earthquake records has been assembled to characterize main shocks and aftershocks. A drain finite difference hydraulic model considering laminar or turbulent two-dimensional flow in connecting cracks, geometrical distortions due to joint dilatancy while sliding, and misaligned drain segments is developed and validated. Coupled-hydromechanical analyses on the seismic response of a drained 90?m gravity dam are used to show the importance of cumulative displacements on the increase in uplift pressures, drain flow, and reduced sliding safety factors. Aftershock response is especially sensitive to the drainage system dimensions and model parameters, such as the foundation stiffness, and the number of potentially sliding joints. The proposed methodology forms the basis to develop displacement based performance criteria in stability evaluation of existing dams reevaluated for much higher ground motions intensities that they have been designed for many years ago.     

Rock salt dilatancy boundary from combined acoustic emission and triaxial compression tests

This paper presents an experimental investigation of rock salt dilatancy boundary based on combined acoustic emission and triaxial compression tests carried out on the rock salt samples from the Asse Salt Mine, Germany. The experimental results were evaluated to determine the dilatancy boundary under specified stress, stress loading rate and pore pressure. Pore volume changes caused by deviatoric stresses were measured during triaxial compression tests. The dilatancy boundary was then determined from the maximum compression on a stress–strain curve which separates the compression and dilatancy regions. Variations in acoustic emissions that occur during microcrack development under triaxial compression were recorded with ten sensors mounted on the outer surface of the cylindrical samples. A spontaneous increase observed in the cumulative number of acoustic events is consistent with the dilatancy boundary determined from the minimum pore volume. It is confirmed that the dilatancy boundary depends on both stress loading rate and pore pressure. The dilatancy boundary slightly decreases with increasing the loading rate, but increases with increasing the minor normal stress. High pore pressures accelerate the dilatancy. A Biot coefficient of 0.25 for Asse rock salt was determined from the dilatancy boundary. An analysis of two-dimensional (2D) fractal dimensions determined for several samples shows that the samples with smaller dimensions have slightly higher dilatancy boundaries. The dilatancy boundary values of Asse rock salt are lower than those reported for crystalline rocks, although both rock types show similar dilatancy behaviour.     

A simple procedure for ground response curve of circular tunnel in elastic-strain softening rock masses

This paper presents a simple procedure for the ground response curve of a circular tunnel excavated in elastic-strain softening rock mass compatible with a linear Mohr–Coulomb or a nonlinear Hoek–Brown yield criterion. The numerical stepwise procedure proposed by Brown et al. [Brown, E.T., Bray, J.W., Ladanyi, B., Hoek, E., (1983). Ground response curves for rock tunnels. J. Geotech. Eng. ASCE 109, 15–39] is modified by including the effects of elastic strain increments and variable dilatancy within the plastic region. The accuracy and practical application of the proposed procedure are shown through some examples. Four different combinations of dilatancy angle and softening parameter are considered to investigate the effects of elastic strain increments and variable dilatancy within the plastic region. The effects of variable dilatancy and peak dilatancy angle on the ground response curve are investigated for tunnels in poor-to-good-quality rock masses. The results show the importance of correctly estimating peak dilatancy angle in elastic-perfectly plastic and elastic-strain softening Hoek–Brown media.