Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Elastic energy and relaxation in triaxial compressions

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Granular Matter Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

For a quasi-statically sheared granular system, the deformation of individual particles leads to reversible energy storage that sustains elastic stress. But, the system would subsequently relax because particles jiggle and slide. By employing the complete continuum mechanical theory, also known as Granular Solid Hydrodynamics (GSH), the elastic energy and its relaxation (denoted by granular temperature) are both calculated and explained. For a dense assembly, it is found that the elastic energy and energy dissipation rate reach peak values simultaneously, as it reaches peak strength. To observe the mesoscale characteristics, a two-dimension biaxial test is simulated with a discrete element method. The motion of particles and the evolution of force networks are exhibited at different strain values. The discrete element simulations results are helpful to understand GSH results.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Gudehus, G., Jiang, Y.M., Liu, M.: Seismo- and thermodynamics of granular solids. Granul. Matter doi:10.1007/s10035-010-0229-0 (2010)

  2. Kuhn M.R.: Structured deformation in granular materials. Mech. Mater. 31, 407–429 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Oda M., Kazama H.: Micro-structure of shear band and its relation to the mechanism of dilatancy and failure of dense granular soils. Géotechnique 48(4), 465–481 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Luding S.: Shear flow modeling of cohesive and frictional fine powder. Powder Technol. 158, 45–50 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Ord A., Hobbs B., Regenauer-lieb K.: Shear band emergence in granular materials: a numerical study. Int. J. Numer. Anal. Methods Geomech. 31, 373–393 (2007)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  6. Houlsby G.T.: The work input to an unsaturated granular material. Géotechnique 47(1), 193–196 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Sheng D., Sloan S.W., Gens A.: A constitutive model for unsaturated soils: thermodynamical and computational aspects. Comput. Mech. 33(6), 453–465 (2004)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  8. Li X.S.: Thermodynamics-based constitutive framework for unsaturated soils. 1: theory. Géotechnique 57(5), 411–422 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Welker, P.R., McNamara, S.C.: What triggers failure in frictional granular assemblies? Phys. Rev. E 79, 061305

  10. Jiang Y., Liu M.: Granular solid hydrodynamics. Granul. Matter 11(3), 139–156 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Mahle, S., Jiang, Y., Liu, M.: The critical state as a steady-state solution of granular solid hydrodynamics. arXiv:1006.5131v3 [physics.geo-ph]

  12. Bi, Z., Sun, Q., Jin, F. et al.: Numerical study on energy transformation in granular matter under biaxial compression. Granul. Matter. doi:10.1007/s10035-011-0262-7 (2011)

  13. Sitharam T.G., Vinod J.S.: Critical state behaviour of granular materials from isotropic and rebounded paths: DEM simulations. Granul. Matter 11, 33–42 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Chapman S., Cowling T.G.: The Mathematical Theory of Non-uniform Gases. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1953)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Tillemans H., Herrmann H.J.: Simulating deformations of granular solids under shear. Phys. A 217, 261–288 (1995)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Bretz M., Zaretzki R., Field S.B. et al.: Broad distribution of stick-slip events in slowly sheared granular media: table-top production of a Gutenberg-Richter-like distribution. Europhys. Lett. 74, 1116–1122 (2006)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. Bak P., Christensen K., Danon L. et al.: Unified scaling law for earthquakes. Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 178501 (2002)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Qicheng Sun.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sun, Q., Song, S., Jin, F. et al. Elastic energy and relaxation in triaxial compressions. Granular Matter 13, 743–750 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10035-011-0288-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10035-011-0288-x

Keywords

Navigation