Abstract
Based on the 3D laser scanning technology, the surface morphologies of the rock blocks collected from the soil–rock mixture (S–RM) were scanned. The numerical model of the S–RM with different rock block proportions were established. To study the deformation and failure characteristics of the S–RM during the formation and evolution of the shear band, the numerical large-scale direct shear tests under different normal stresses were performed on these S–RM samples, the failure points were recorded by the detection of contact failure. Base on the step accumulation of particle’s spin, the rotation angles of rock blocks were monitored in the simulation. A parameter \({P}_{\theta }\) is introduced to describe the evolution characteristics of the shear band. Results show that the, \({P}_{\theta }\) of the S–RM with the rock block proportion of 60% is obviously greater than the others. The formation and evolution process of the shear band in the S–RM was consistent with the evolution process of the local particle’s rotation. The rotation of the soils always preceded the rotation of the rock blocks, which reflects the “bully” deformation characteristic of S–RM in the shear band formation process. In the form of the failure distribution, the interior failure of the S–RM with low rock block proportions was mainly the thin band-shaped destruction between the soils. However, higher rock block proportion caused more interactions between soils and rock blocks in the S–RM, and the destruction presented a thick cloud-like distribution. The shear fractures in the soils and tensile fractures along the contact planes between soils and rock blocks are the main failure pattern of S–RM under shear tests.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alizadeh M, Hassanpour A, Pasha M, Ghadiri M, Bayly A (2017) The effect of particle shape on predicted segregation in binary powder mixtures. Powder Technol 319:313–322
An-Quan XU, Shi C, De-Liang L (2012) Micromechanical properties and mechanical parameters of talus deposit based on digital image technology. Chin J Geotech Eng 34(1):58–64
Coetzee CJ, Els DNJ (2009) Calibration of granular material parameters for DEM modelling and numerical verification by blade–granular material interaction. J Terrramech 46(1):15–26
Ferellec J, McDowell G (2010) Modelling realistic shape and particle inertia in DEM. Géotechnique 60(3):227–232
Fonseca J, O’Sullivan C, Coop MR, Lee PD (2012) Non-invasive characterization of particle morphology of natural sands. Soils Found 52(4):712–722
Hasan A, Alshibli KA (2010) Experimental assessment of 3D particle-to-particle interaction within sheared sand using synchrotron microtomography. Géotechnique 60(5):369–379
Jin L, Zeng YW, Zhang S (2017) Large scale triaxial tests on effects of rock block proportion and shape on mechanical properties of cemented soil–rock mixture. Rock Soil Mech 38(1):141–149
Lei J, Zeng Y, Lei X, Yang Y (2016) Experimental and numerical investigation of mechanical behaviors of cemented soil–rock mixture. Geotech Geol Eng 35(1):1–18
Li C-Q, Xu W-J, Meng Q-S (2015) Multi-sphere approximation of real particles for DEM simulation based on a modified greedy heuristic algorithm. Powder Technol 286:478–487
Lindquist E, Goodman R (1994) Strength and deformation properties of a physical model melange; proceedings of the 1st North American Rock Mechanics Symposium. American Rock Mechanics Association
Bernhardt ML, Sullivan GB (2016) Experimental validation study of 3D direct simple shear DEM simulationss. Soils Found 56(3):336–347
Medley E (1994) The engineering characterization of melanges and similar rock-in-mixtrix rock (Bimrock). University of California, Berkeley
Minh NH, Cheng YP, Thornton C (2014) Strong force networks in granular mixtures. Granular Matter 16(1):69–78
Obermayr M, Vrettos C, Eberhard P, AL E, (2014) A discrete element model and its experimental validation for the prediction of draft forces in cohesive soil. J Terramech 53:93–104
Qiang Z, Xu WY, Liu QY, Liu QY, Meng QX (2017) A novel non-overlapping approach to accurately represent 2D arbitrary particles for DEM modelling. J Central South Univ 24(1):190–202
Vallejo LE, Mawby R (2000) Porosity influence on the shear strength of granular material–clay mixtures. Eng Geol 58(2):125–136
Vallejo LE (2001) Interpretation of the limits in shear strength in binary granular mixtures. Can Geotech J 38(5):1097–1104
Wang SN, Shi C, Xu WY, Wang HL, Zhu QZ (2014) Numerical direct shear tests for outwash deposits with random structure and composition. Granular Matter 16(5):771–783
Wang Y, Li X, Zheng B, Ma CF (2016) An experimental investigation of the flow-stress coupling characteristics of soil–rock mixture under compression. Transp Porous Media 112(2):1–22
Wang Y, Li CH, Hu YZ (2018) Use of X-ray computed tomography to investigate the effect of rock blocks on meso-structural changes in soil-rock mixture under triaxial deformation. Constr Build Mater 164:386–399
Wen-Jie X, Qiang X, Rui-Lin H (2011) Study on the shear strength of soil–rock mixture by large scale direct shear test. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 48(8):1235–1247
Xu WJ, Yue ZQ, Hu RL (2008) Study on the mesostructure and mesomechanical characteristics of the soil–rock mixture using digital image processing based finite element method. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 45(5):749–762
Xu WJ, Wang S, Zhang HY, Zhang ZL (2016) Discrete element modelling of a soil-rock mixture used in an embankment dam. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 86:141–156
Yang J, Sun H, Xing M, Wang X, Zheng J (2018) Numerical analysis of the failure process of soil–rock mixtures through computed tomography and PFC3D models. Int J Coal Sci Technol 5(2):1–16
Yoon J (2007) Application of experimental design and optimization to PFC model calibration in uniaxial compression simulation. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 44(6):871–889
Yoon J, Stephansson O, Dresen G (2006) Application of design of experiments to process improvement of pfc model calibration in unlaxial; proceedings of the rock mechanics in underground construction: ISRM International Symposium 2006: 4th Asian Rock Mechanics Symposium, 8–10 November 2006, Singapore. World Scientific
Zhang Q, Xu W-Y, Liu Q-Y, Shen J-L, Yan L (2017) Numerical investigations on mechanical characteristics and failure mechanism of outwash deposits based on random meso-structures using discrete element method. J Cent South Univ 24(12):2894–2905
Zhang HY, Xu WJ, Yu YZ (2016) Triaxial tests of soil–rock mixtures with different rock block distributions. Soils Found 56(1):44–56
Acknowledgement
This work is financially supported by the Natural Sciences Fund for Colleges and Universities in Jiangsu Province (20KJB560036), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2017YFC1501100), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 52008403) and The Jiangsu Natural Science Foundation of Youth (BK20180954).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yu, J., Jia, C., Xu, W. et al. Granular discrete element simulation of the evolution characteristics of the shear band in soil–rock mixture based on particle rotation analysis. Environ Earth Sci 80, 213 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-021-09484-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-021-09484-y