Volume 102
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Zhong, J., Gao, L., Zheng, J., Wang, D., Xi, J., Cao, P., . . . Li, Z. (2025). Structural stability of granular materials analyzed using image processing and redundancy function. Particuology, 102, 152-164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.partic.2025.03.007
Structural stability of granular materials analyzed using image processing and redundancy function
Jichen Zhong a, Lin Gao a *, Junxing Zheng a *, Dong Wang a, Junbo Xi a, Peng Cao b, Jinsong Song c, Zhaochao Li d e
a School of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China
b Faculty of Architecture, Civil and Transportation Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100084, China
c School of Transportation and Logistics, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
d School of Civil Engineering, Hunan University of Technology, Zhuzhou, 412007, China
e Key Laboratory of Safety Control of Bridge Engineering, Ministry of Education (Changsha University of Science and Technology), Changsha, 410114, China
10.1016/j.partic.2025.03.007
Volume 102, July 2025, Pages 152-164
Received 13 November 2024, Revised 20 February 2025, Accepted 6 March 2025, Available online 20 March 2025, Version of Record 12 May 2025.
E-mail: lingao@hust.edu.cn; junxing@hust.edu.cn

Highlights

• Digital image processing technology can quickly extract the microstructure information.

• Redundancy is defined to evaluate microstructure stability.

• Effects of confining pressure and bedding angle on microstructure evolution of shale are studied.


Abstract

The study of macroscopic discrete granular materials holds significance in hydraulic engineering, geotechnical engineering, as well as road and bridge engineering. Its foundational scientific exploration bears profound theoretical implications and is of pivotal practical value to engineering endeavors. Within the realm of engineering construction, issues such as dam breakages, earth-rock dam damage, and geological disasters involving loose particles pose substantial threats to the safety of both national livelihoods and property. Thus,delving into the examination of the structural stability of granular materials at the mesoscopic scale becomes an imperative pursuit. In this study,the topological structure of granular materials is identified and segmented based on image processing techniques,and the relationship between the compressive capacity of polygonal structures and the number of polygonal sides is studied. The redundancy function is defined to evaluate the structural stability of granular materials. In addition,the definition of structure tensor is introduced,and redundancy and structure tensor are applied to the study of biaxial compression of shale materials. The research results contribute to improving engineering safety and have guiding merits for the research and application of granular materials. Future work could focus on extending these methods to other types of granular materials and exploring their behavior under different loading conditions.

Graphical abstract
Keywords
Image processing techniques; Granular materials; Redundancy function; DEM; Fabric tensor