Mesoscale analysis of the suction stress characteristic curve for unsaturated granular materials--颗粒学报PARTICUOLOGY

Wang, X., Zhang, Z., Li, J., & Liu, Q. (2021). Mesoscale analysis of the suction stress characteristic curve for unsaturated granular materials. Particuology, 56, 183-192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.partic.2020.09.008

Mesoscale analysis of the suction stress characteristic curve for unsaturated granular materials

Xiaoliang Wang ^a *, Zhen Zhang ^b, Jiachun Li ^{b c *}, Qingquan Liu ^a

a Department of Mechanics, School of Aerospace Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
b Key Laboratory for Mechanics in Fluid Solid Coupling Systems, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
c School of Engineering Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

10.1016/j.partic.2020.09.008

Volume 56, June 2021, Pages 183-192

Received 15 November 2019, Revised 8 September 2020, Accepted 25 September 2020, Available online 2 November 2020, Version of Record 8 March 2021.

E-mail: wangxiaoliang36@bit.edu.cn; jcli05@imech.ac.cn

Highlights

• A suction stress characteristic curve is derived for the first time by a new method.

• A two-parameter model is proposed for the suction stress characteristic curve.

• This is a potential fundamental bridge for coupling deformation and hydraulics.

Abstract

There is still no theoretical framework accounting for linkage between seepage and deformation of unsaturated granular materials. Using a mesoscale liquid bridge model, we propose the first approach for deriving the suction stress characteristic curve (SSCC). Then, we verify the method by obtaining both the soil–water characteristic curve and SSCC for cubic and tetrahedral granular packing. The approach is further validated by generating the SSCCs of granular packings with different particle size distributions. On this basis, a new two-parameter model is suggested that satisfactorily predicts the SSCCs of various real granular materials. The nonlinear variation of strength versus suction is also properly described by a new formula for three kinds of soil. We believe that this SSCC model can help resolve solid–fluid coupling in seepage and deformation problems in unsaturated granular engineering.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Suction stress; Liquid bridge; Unsaturated granular material; Discrete element method

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