Discrete element modelling of drying shrinkage and cracking of soils

Peron, Hervé; Delenne, Jean‐Yves; Laloui, Lyesse; Youssoufi, Moulay Saı̈d El

doi:10.1016/j.compgeo.2008.04.002

Cited by 131 publications

(72 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…From a numerical point of view, they use a technique based on initial joints between element faces, that is, a sort of Voronoi-based discretization technique, capable of representing discrete fracture networks ( [15], [16]). Discrete element method is particularly appropriate for this type of problems [14]. Adapting the hydraulic problem (unsaturated flow) to the new cracked geometry constitutes a challenge in this case.…”

Section: Crack Propagationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Defects are random and difficult to predict in practice. Because of that, when attempting to simulate this process numerically, some researchers have assigned random material properties to each soil element [22]. In this manner, cracks developed first in those elements where tensile strength was lower.…”

Section: Crack Initiationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most recent works dealing with cracking in drying soils consider the tensile strength as failure criterion to define whether a crack initiates or not in a particular point of the soil mass ( [10], [15], [16], [22]). This failure criterion, however, has been criticised as too simplistic ( [21]).…”

Section: Crack Initiationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Laboratory experiments included not only the observation of drying samples, but also the development of environmental controlled chambers to observe the pattern of cracking ([10]- [13]). In recent years, numerical simulations of soil cracking have been presented using different strategies involving finite elements with interfaces or discrete elements ( [14]- [16]). The topic, initially covered by soil scientists, is becoming more popular among geotechnical experts and was included in the list of themes in the 2013 Geo-Congress organized by ASCE in San Diego [17].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cracking in desiccating soils

Ledesma

2016

E3S Web Conf.

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Abstract. Soil shrinkage is produced typically under desiccating conditions. Eventually shrinkage may generate cracks in the soil mass, a phenomenon that is being studied by several researchers, because its prediction is far from being a routine in Soil Mechanics. Within this context, Unsaturated Soil Mechanics provides a promising framework to understand the mechanisms involved. In addition to that, physical modelling of desiccating soils constitutes a good tool to explore the nature of this problem. In this paper, a description of the processes involved in desiccating soils is presented first. There is a debate in the Soil Mechanics community about the conditions leading to the initiation of a crack and some of those issues are addressed in the paper. Then, two physical modelling strategies to study desiccating soils are briefly described: a laboratory environmental chamber and a field controlled test. The chamber was able to reproduce drying and wetting cycles by controlling the relative humidity of the environment that affected the moisture conditions of a soil tray. Temperature was a controlled variable as well. The second experiment refers to a field test, exposing a large soil tray to standard environmental actions in the field, that is, cycles of temperature, solar radiation, relative humidity, rain, wind, etc. In this case, actions cannot be controlled, but they can be measured. An effort was devoted to measure internal variables in the soil mass, mainly temperature, suction and water content. Additionally changes of weight were recorded as well. In essence the paper gives a general overview of the mechanisms involved in soil cracking and the physical modelling procedures employed to analyse this phenomenon in practice.

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Section: Crack Propagationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Crack Initiationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Crack Initiationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cracking in desiccating soils

Ledesma

2016

E3S Web Conf.

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“…[21,24] Moreover, DEM is becoming widely accepted as an effective method for explaining experimentally observed facts in multiphase media. [25][26][27][28][29][30] At present, DEM has evolved from various disciplines including geomechanics, particle physics, and structural engineering.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Simulation of Semi-Solid Material Mechanical Behavior Using a Combined Discrete/Finite Element Method

Sistaninia

Phillion

Drezet

et al. 2010

Metall Mater Trans A

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As a necessary step toward the quantitative prediction of hot tearing defects, a three-dimensional stress-strain simulation based on a combined finite element (FE)/discrete element method (DEM) has been developed that is capable of predicting the mechanical behavior of semisolid metallic alloys during solidification. The solidification model used for generating the initial solid-liquid structure is based on a Voronoi tessellation of randomly distributed nucleation centers and a solute diffusion model for each element of this tessellation. At a given fraction of solid, the deformation is then simulated with the solid grains being modeled using an elastoviscoplastic constitutive law, whereas the remaining liquid layers at grain boundaries are approximated by flexible connectors, each consisting of a spring element and a damper element acting in parallel. The model predictions have been validated against Al-Cu alloy experimental data from the literature. The results show that a combined FE/DEM approach is able to express the overall mechanical behavior of semisolid alloys at the macroscale based on the morphology of the grain structure. For the first time, the localization of strain in the intergranular regions is taken into account. Thus, this approach constitutes an indispensible step towards the development of a comprehensive model of hot tearing.

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