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Ratcheting of granular materials
F Alonso-Marroquín1, H J Herrmann
1ICA1, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 27, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.
Physical Review Letters
|March 6, 2004
Summary
This study reveals that soils under cyclic loading show plastic deformation, not an elastic regime. Friction plays a key role in the permanent deformation of granular materials during repeated stress.
Area of Science:
- Geotechnical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Physics
Background:
- Understanding soil behavior under cyclic loading is crucial for infrastructure design.
- Existing models often simplify the complex mechanical response of granular materials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the quasistatic mechanical response of soils under cyclic loading.
- To explore the role of friction in permanent deformation of unbound granular materials.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a discrete model with randomly generated convex polygons to simulate soil behavior.
- Analyzed the mechanical response and grain-level contact behavior.
Main Results:
- Observed a mechanical response with distinct regimes, each showing linear plastic deformation accumulation.
- Identified quasiperiodic ratchetlike behavior at grain contacts, indicating no elastic regime.
- Demonstrated the influence of friction on permanent deformation.
Conclusions:
- Soil response to cyclic loading is characterized by progressive plastic deformation.
- Friction is a critical factor governing permanent deformation in granular materials under cyclic stress.