Quantification and Simulation of Particle Kinematics and Local Strains in Granular Materials Using X-Ray Tomography Imaging and Discrete-Element Method |
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Authors: | Yanrong Fu Linbing Wang Mehmet T. Tumay Qingbin Li |
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Affiliation: | 1E.I., Ph.D., Engineer Specialist II, Manatee County Public Works Engineering Division, 1022 26th Avenue East, Bradenton, FL 34208. 2Associate Professor, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 301 N. Patton Hall, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ., Blacksburg, VA 24061. E-mail: wangl@vt.edu 3Georgia Gulf Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Louisiana State University, 3304 CEBA, Baton Rouge, LA 70803; and, Visiting Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Bogazici University, Bebek, Istanbul, Turkey. 4Professor, Dept. of Hydraulic Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, People's Republic of China.
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Abstract: | Microfeatures of granular materials have significant effects on their macrobehaviors. Unfortunately, three-dimensional (3D) quantitative measurements of microfeatures are rare in literature because of the limitations of conventional techniques in obtaining microquantities such as microdisplacements and local strains. This paper presents a new method for quantifying the particle kinematics and local strains for a soft confined compression test using X-ray computed tomography and compares the experimental measurements with the simulated results using the discrete-element method (DEM). The experimental method can identify and recognize 3D individual particles automatically, which is essential for quantifying particle kinematics and local strains. 3D DEM simulations of the soft confined compression test were performed by using spherical particles and irregular particles. The simulated global deformations and particle translations that were based on irregular particles showed better agreement with the experimental measurements than those that were based on spherical particles. The simulated movements of spherical particles were more erratic, and the material composed of spherical particles showed larger vertical contraction and radial dilation. |
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Keywords: | Granular materials Three-dimensional analysis Deformation Simulation Radiography Strain Compression |
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