New insights into the effect of interparticle friction on the critical state friction angle of granular materials. (September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gong, Jian; Zou, Jinfeng; Zhao, Lianheng; Li, Liang; Nie, Zhihong
• Is Part Of: Computers and geotechnics. Volume 113(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-09
• Subjects: Interparticle friction -- Critical state friction angle -- Anisotropy -- Microscopic mechanisms -- DEM -- Drained triaxial test; Engineering geology -- Data processing -- Periodicals; Soil mechanics -- Data processing -- Periodicals; Rock mechanics -- Data processing -- Periodicals; 624.1510285
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compgeo.2019.103105
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0266-352X

Abstract

Abstract: This letter examines the effect of interparticle friction ( μ ) on the critical state friction angle ( φ cs ) of granular materials via the discrete element method. A series of drained triaxial tests are conducted on multisphere ellipsoids. The results indicate that φ cs first increases with μ and then reaches a plateau when μ ≥ 0.3. Anisotropic analysis provides new insights into the underlying mechanisms of the φ cs evolution from two perspectives. First, the initial increase of φ cs results from the increases of contact normal anisotropy a c, normal contact force anisotropy a n and tangential contact force anisotropy a t ; subsequently, the saturation of φ cs is a consequence of the decrease of a n being compensated by the increase of a t . Second, the relationship between the stress ratio q / p and the contact normal anisotropy within the strong and nonsliding contacts a c s n is nearly linear for ellipsoids (i.e., q / p = k a c s n ). Accordingly, the initial increase of φ cs is related to the increase of k and a c s n at low μ . The plateau of φ cs at high μ can be attributed to the decrease of a c s n being compensated by the increase of k .