Modeling the 2D behavior of dry‐stone retaining walls by a fully discrete element method. (9th December 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Oetomo, James J.; Vincens, Eric; Dedecker, Fabian; Morel, Jean‐Claude
• Is Part Of: International journal for numerical and analytical methods in geomechanics. Volume 40:Number 7(2016)
• Page Start: 1099
• Page End: 1120
• Publication Date: 2015-12-09
• Subjects: dry‐stone -- retaining wall -- discrete element method -- plane strain failure; Soil mechanics -- Mathematics -- Periodicals; Rock mechanics -- Mathematics -- Periodicals; 624.1510151
• DOI: 10.1002/nag.2480
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0363-9061

Abstract

Summary: The dry‐stone retaining walls (DSRW) have been tipped as a promising solution for sustainable development. However, before recently, their behavior is relatively obscure. In this study, discrete element method (DEM) approach was applied to simulate the plane strain failure of these walls. A commercial DEM package (PFC2D™) was used throughout this study. The authors used a fully discrete approach; thus, both the wall and the backfill were modeled as discrete elements. The methodology for obtaining the micromechanical parameters was discussed in detail; this includes the three mechanical sub‐systems of DSRWs: wall, backfill and interface. The models were loaded progressively until failure, and then the results were compared with the full‐scale experimental results where the walls were loaded, respectively, with hydrostatic load and backfill. Despite its complexity and its intensive calculation time, DEM model can then be used to validate a more simplified approach. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.