Modelling particle breakage in unsaturated granular assemblies

G. Buscarnera, I. Einav

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

In this paper we use a thermomechanical approach to study inelastic processes in unsaturated granular matter. The paper extends the breakage mechanics theory to unsaturated conditions, investigates the physical roots of hydro-mechanical coupling and elucidates the interplay between yielding locus and degree of saturation. For this purpose, energy storage mechanisms are hypothesized to consist of the sum of an elastic energy potential and a hydraulic contribution inspired by the capillary theory. Microscopic arguments are then used to define suitable grainsize scaling laws. These assumptions are finally combined with a statistical homogenization procedure, thus deriving a macroscopic Helmholtz free energy. The paper shows that such procedure, together with the breakage dissipation, is able to capture salient couplings between mechanics and hydraulics. The results provide a novel theoretical explanation for the approaches commonly used in plasticity models for unsaturated porous media.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationPoromechanics V - Proceedings of the 5th Biot Conference on Poromechanics
Pages1400-1409
Number of pages10
DOIs
StatePublished - 2013
Event5th Biot Conference on Poromechanics, BIOT 2013 - Vienna, Austria
Duration: Jul 10 2013Jul 12 2013

Publication series

NamePoromechanics V - Proceedings of the 5th Biot Conference on Poromechanics

Other

Other5th Biot Conference on Poromechanics, BIOT 2013
Country/TerritoryAustria
CityVienna
Period7/10/137/12/13

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Mechanics of Materials

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