Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Impermeable and mechanical stability of filter cake under different infiltration conditions via CFD-DEM

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Acta Geotechnica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The slurry infiltration process contributes significantly to the stability of tunnelling face during the application of slurry pressure balanced tunnel boring machine (SPB TBM) in construction. A coupled computational fluid dynamics and discrete element method (CFD-DEM) model is developed to simulate the formation and long-term impermeable stability of filter cake considering different infiltration conditions, e.g., the cohesiveness of bentonite slurry and the permeability of sandy ground. The morphology of formed filter cakes and the pressure drops are analysed macroscopically. Then, the long-term impermeable stability of filter cakes under increasing slurry pressure is evaluated based on the evolution of the pressure gradient magnitude along the infiltration direction; additionally, the contact and force fabrics of filter cakes are examined to investigate their failure process from the micro-mechanical aspect. The numerical results indicate that the increase of size ratio of sand to slurry particle and the slurry cohesion restrain and enhance, respectively, the formation of filter cakes and their long-term permeable and mechanical stability subjected to dynamic hydraulic loads. This work contributes to the further development of the phenomenological model and the micromechanical constitutive model of slurry infiltration involving multifield and multiphase media.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.

References

  1. Anagnostou G, Kovári K (1994) The face stability of slurry-shield-driven tunnels. Tunn Undergr Space Technol 9(2):165–174

    Google Scholar 

  2. Bezuijen A (2008) Processes around a TBM. pp 3–13

  3. Bezuijen A (2021) Pore pressures in front of a slurry TBM, the influence of plastering mechanisms, 1st edn. CRC Press, Boca Raton

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bezuijen A, Sanders MPM, Den Hamer D (2009) Parameters that influence the pressure filtration characteristics of bentonite grouts. Geotechnique 59(8):717–721

    Google Scholar 

  5. Bezuijen A, Steeneken S, Ruigrok J (2016) Monitoring and analysing pressures around a TBM. In: Proceeding 13th international conference underground construction 1, pp 1–9

  6. Broere W (2016) Urban underground space: solving the problems of today’s cities. Tunn Undergr Space Technol 55:245–248

    Google Scholar 

  7. Hong C, Luo G, Chen W (2022a) Safety analysis of a deep foundation ditch using deep learning methods. Gondwana Res

  8. Hong C, Yang Q, Sun X, Chen W, Han K (2021) A theoretical strain transfer model between optical fiber sensors and monitored substrates. Geotext Geomembr 49:1539–1549

    Google Scholar 

  9. Hong C, Wang X, Han K, Su D, Chen Z (2022) Performance investigation of 3d printed clay soil using fiber bragg grating technology. Acta Geotechnica 17:453–462

    Google Scholar 

  10. Chen F, Xiong H, Wang X, Yin Z-Y (2023) Transmission effect of eroded particles in suffusion using the CFD-DEM coupling method. Acta Geotech 18:335–354

    Google Scholar 

  11. Cui W, Liu D, Song H-F, Pu G-J (2019) Development and experimental study on environmental slurry for slurry shield tunneling. Constr Build Mater 216:416–423

    Google Scholar 

  12. Ergun S (1952) Fluid flow through packed columns. J Mater Sci Chem Eng 48(2):89–94

    Google Scholar 

  13. Feng X, Liu T, Wang L, Yu Y, Zhang S, Song L (2021) Investigation on JKR surface energy of high-humidity maize grains. Powder Technol 382:406–419

    Google Scholar 

  14. Fritz P (2007) Additives for slurry shields in highly permeable ground. Rock Mech Rock Eng 40(1):81–95

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  15. Gera D, Gautam M, Tsuji Y, Kawaguchi T, Tanaka T (1998) Computer simulation of bubbles in large-particle fluidized beds. Powder Technol 98(1):38–47

    Google Scholar 

  16. Guo Y, Yang Y, Yu X (2018) Influence of particle shape on the erodibility of non-cohesive soil: insights from coupled CFD-DEM simulations. Particuology 39:12–24

    Google Scholar 

  17. Han Y (2012) Construction of a IBM-DEM coupling system and its applications in modeling fluid particle interaction in porous media flow. Ph.D. thesis, University of Minnesota

  18. Helland E, Bournot H, Occelli R, Tadrist L (2007) Drag reduction and cluster formation in a circulating fluidised bed. Chem Eng Sci 62(1):148–158

    Google Scholar 

  19. Hu Z, Zhang Y, Yang Z (2019) Suffusion-induced deformation and microstructural change of granular soils: a coupled CFD-DEM study. Acta Geotech 14(3):795–814

    Google Scholar 

  20. Huilin L, Gidaspow D (2003) Hydrodynamics of binary fluidization in a riser: CFD simulation using two granular temperatures. Chem Eng Sci 58(16):3777–3792

    Google Scholar 

  21. Huilin L, Guodong L, Shuai W, Wenhao Y (2015) Structure-dependent drag model for simulation of gas-solids fluidized beds, vol 7

  22. Johnson KL (1985) Contact mechanics, 1st edn. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  23. Kloss C, Goniva C, Hager A, Amberger S, Pirker S (2012) Models, algorithms and validation for opensource dem and CFD-DEM. Prog Computc Fluid Dyn 12(2–3):140–152

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  24. Li WC, Deng G, Liang XQ, Sun XX, Wang SW, Lee ML (2020) Effects of stress state and fine fraction on stress transmission in internally unstable granular mixtures investigated via discrete element method. Powder Technol 367:659–670

    Google Scholar 

  25. Lu H, Gidaspow D, Bouillard J, Liu W (2003) Hydrodynamic simulation of gas-solid flow in a riser using kinetic theory of granular flow. Chem Eng J 95(1):1–13

    Google Scholar 

  26. Lu Z, Zhou W-H, Yin Z-Y, Yang J (2022) Numerical modeling of viscous slurry infiltration in sand. Comput Geotech 146:104745

    Google Scholar 

  27. Ma Q, Wautier A, Zhou W (2021) Microscopic mechanism of particle detachment in granular materials subjected to suffusion in anisotropic stress states. Acta Geotech 16(8):2575–2591

    Google Scholar 

  28. Min F, Du J, Zhang N, Chen X, Lv H, Liu L, Yu C (2019) Experimental study on property change of slurry and filter cake of slurry shield under seawater intrusion. Tunn Undergr Space Technol 88:290–299

    Google Scholar 

  29. Min F, Zhu W, Han X (2013) Filter cake formation for slurry shield tunneling in highly permeable sand. Tunn Undergr Space Technol 38:423–430

    Google Scholar 

  30. Nicot F, Hadda N, Guessasma M, Fortin J, Millet O (2013) On the definition of the stress tensor in granular media. Int J Solids Struct 50(14–15):2508–2517

    Google Scholar 

  31. O’Rorke RD, Steele TWJ, Taylor HK (2016) Bioinspired fibrillar adhesives: a review of analytical models and experimental evidence for adhesion enhancement by surface patterns. J Adhes Sci Technol 30(4):362–391

    Google Scholar 

  32. Peng Z, Doroodchi E, Luo C, Moghtaderi B (2014) Influence of void fraction calculation on fidelity of CFD-DEM simulation of gas-solid bubbling fluidized beds. AIChE J 60(6):2000–2018

    Google Scholar 

  33. Sato M, Kuwano R (2015) Suffusion and clogging by one-dimensional seepage tests on cohesive soil. Soils Found 55(6):1427–1440

    Google Scholar 

  34. Shire T, O’Sullivan C, Hanley KJ (2016) The influence of fines content and size-ratio on the micro-scale properties of dense bimodal materials. Granular Matter 18(3):1–10

    Google Scholar 

  35. Shire T, O’Sullivan C, Hanley KJ, Fannin RJ (2014) Fabric and effective stress distribution in internally unstable soils. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 140(12):04014072

    Google Scholar 

  36. Talmon AM, Mastbergen DR, Huisman M (2013) Invasion of pressurized clay suspensions into granular soil. J Porous Media 16(4):351–365

    Google Scholar 

  37. Tran D, Prime N, Froiio F, Callari C, Vincens E (2017) Numerical modelling of backward front propagation in piping erosion by DEM-IBM coupling. Eur J Environ Civ Eng 21(7–8):960–987

    Google Scholar 

  38. Upadhyay M, Kim A, Kim H, Lim D, Lim H (2020) An assessment of drag models in eulerian-eulerian CFD simulation of gas-solid flow hydrodynamics in circulating fluidized bed riser. ChemEngineering 4(2):37

    Google Scholar 

  39. Valdes JR, Santamarina JC (2008) Clogging: bridge formation and vibration-based destabilization. Can Geotech J 45(2):177–184

    Google Scholar 

  40. Wang D, Wang B, Jiang Q, Guo N, Zhang W, He K (2022) Large deformation slope failure - a perspective from multiscale modelling. Comput Geotech 150:104886

    Google Scholar 

  41. Wang X, Tang Y, Huang B, Hu T, Ling D (2021) Review on numerical simulation of the internal soil erosion mechanisms using the discrete element method. Water 13(2):169

    Google Scholar 

  42. Wautier A, Bonelli S, Nicot F (2018) Flow impact on granular force chains and induced instability. Phys Rev E 98(4):042909

    Google Scholar 

  43. Wen CY, Yu YH (1966) Mechanics of fluidization. Chem Eng Prog Symp Series 62:100–111

    Google Scholar 

  44. Xiong H, Wu H, Bao X, Fei J (2021) Investigating effect of particle shape on suffusion by CFD-DEM modeling. Constr Build Mater 289:123043

    Google Scholar 

  45. Xiong H, Yin Z-Y, Nicot F (2020) Programming a micro-mechanical model of granular materials in Julia. Adv Eng Softw 145:102816

    Google Scholar 

  46. Xiong H, Yin Z-Y, Nicot F, Wautier A, Marie M, Darve F, Veylon G, Philippe P (2021) A novel multi-scale large deformation approach for modelling of granular collapse. Acta Geotech 16:2371–2388

    Google Scholar 

  47. Xiong H, Yin Z-Y, Zhao J, Yang Y (2021) Investigating the effect of flow direction on suffusion and its impacts on gap-graded granular soils. Acta Geotech 16(2):399–419

    Google Scholar 

  48. Xiong H, Zhang Z, Sun X, Yu Yin Z, Chen X (2022) Clogging effect of fines in seepage erosion by using CFD-DEM. Comput Geotech 152:105013

    Google Scholar 

  49. Xu T, Bezuijen A (2018) Analytical methods in predicting excess pore water pressure in front of slurry shield in saturated sandy ground. Tunn Undergr Space Technol 73:203–211

    Google Scholar 

  50. Xu T, Bezuijen A (2019) Bentonite slurry infiltration into sand: filter cake formation under various conditions. Geotechnique 69:1095–1106

    Google Scholar 

  51. Xu T, Bezuijen A (2019) Experimental study on the mechanisms of bentonite slurry penetration in front of a slurry TBM. Tunn Undergr Space Technol 93:103052

    Google Scholar 

  52. Xu T, Bezuijen A (2019) Pressure infiltration characteristics of bentonite slurry. Geotechnique 69(4):364–368

    Google Scholar 

  53. Yin T, Zhang Z, Huang X, Shire T, Hanley KJ (2021) On the morphology and pressure-filtration characteristics of filter cake formation: insight from coupled CFD–DEM simulations. Tunn Undergr Space Technol 111:103856

    Google Scholar 

  54. Yin X-S, Chen R-P, Li Y-C, Qi S (2016) A column system for modeling bentonite slurry infiltration in sands. J Zhejiang Univ Sci A 17(10):818–827

    Google Scholar 

  55. Yoon J, El Mohtar C (2013) Groutability of granular soils using sodium pyrophosphate modified bentonite suspensions. Tunn Undergr Space Technol 37:135–145

    Google Scholar 

  56. Yoon J, El Mohtar CS (2015) A filtration model for evaluating maximum penetration distance of bentonite grout through granular soils. Comput Geotech 65:291–301

    Google Scholar 

  57. Zhang F, Wang T, Liu F, Peng M, Furtney J, Zhang L (2020) Modeling of fluid-particle interaction by coupling the discrete element method with a dynamic fluid mesh: implications to suffusion in gap-graded soils. Comput Geotech 124:103617

    Google Scholar 

  58. Zhang Z, Yin T, Huang X, Dias D (2019) Slurry filtration process and filter cake formation during shield tunnelling: Insight from coupled CFD-DEM simulations of slurry filtration column test. Tunn Undergr Space Technol 87:64–77

    Google Scholar 

  59. Zhou W, Wu W, Ma G, Ng T-T, Chang X (2018) Undrained behavior of binary granular mixtures with different fines contents. Powder Technol 340:139–153

    Google Scholar 

  60. Zhuang XY, Zhang ZX, Huang X, Yin T (2020) Slurry infiltration column tests on saturated sand. IOP Conf Series: Earth Environ Sci 570(3):032061

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Project No. 52090084, No. 52208354, and No. 51938008).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Green, Efficient and Intelligent Construction of Underground Metro Station, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China

    Fan Chen, Hao Xiong & Xiangsheng Chen

  2. Key Laboratory of Coastal Urban Resilient Infrastructures (MOE), Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China

    Fan Chen, Hao Xiong & Xiangsheng Chen

  3. College of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China

    Fan Chen, Hao Xiong & Xiangsheng Chen

  4. INRAE, RECOVER, Aix Marseille University, Route Cézanne, 13182, Aix-en-Provence, France

    Fan Chen

  5. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China

    Zhen-Yu Yin

Authors
  1. Fan Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hao Xiong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Zhen-Yu Yin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Xiangsheng Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hao Xiong.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

None.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chen, F., Xiong, H., Yin, ZY. et al. Impermeable and mechanical stability of filter cake under different infiltration conditions via CFD-DEM. Acta Geotech. 18, 4115–4140 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-023-01805-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-023-01805-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation