• Interaction and multiscale mechanics
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.157-168
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• 2012

The dilatancy of granular materials has significant influence on its mechanical behaviors. The dilation angle is taken as a constant in conventional associated or non-associated flow rules based on Drucker-Prager yields theory. However, various experimental results show the dilatancy changes during progressive failure of granular materials. A non-associated flow rule with evolution of dilation angle is adopted in this study, and Cosserat continuum theory is used to describe the behaviors of granular materials for considering to some extent the its internal structure. Numerical examples focus on the bearing capacity and localization of granular materials, and results illustrate the capability and performance of the presented model in modeling the effect on failure behavior of granular materials.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.315-329
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• 2003

As shear occurs along a soil-structure interface, a localized zone with a thickness of several grain diameters will develop in soil along the interface, forming an interfacial layer. In this paper, the behaviour of a soil-structure interface is studied numerically by modelling the plane shear of a granular layer bounded by rigid plates. The mechanical behaviour of the granular material is described with a micro-polar hypoplastic continuum model. Numerical results are presented to show the development of shear localization along the interface for shearing under conditions of constant normal pressure and constant volume, respectively. Evolution of the resistance on the surface of the bounding plate is considered with respect to the influences of grain rotation.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.315-334
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• 2015

This study's primary aim is to check the existence of a representative volume element for granular materials and determine the link between the properties (responses) of macro structures and the size of the discrete particle assembly used to represent a constitutive relation in a two-scale model. In our two-scale method the boundary value problem on the macro level was solved using finite element method, based on the Cosserat continuum; the macro stresses and modulus were obtained using a solution of discrete particle assemblies at certain element integration points. Meanwhile, discrete particle assemblies were solved using discrete element method under boundary conditions provided by the macro deformation. Our investigations focused largely on the size effects of the discrete particle assembly and the radius of the particle on macro properties, such as deformation stiffness, bearing capacity and the residual strength of the granular structure. According to the numerical results, we suggest fitting formulas linking the values of different macro properties (responses) and size of discrete particle assemblies. In addition, this study also concerns the configuration and displacement fluctuation of discrete particle assemblies on the micro level, accompanied with the evolution of bearing capacity and deformation on the macro level.