Contact stiffness affecting discrete element modelling of unbound aggregate granular assemblies

H. Huang, E. Tutumluer, Y. M.A. Hashash, J. Ghaboussi

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

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper describes a preliminary study undertaken at the University of Illinois to investigate the impact of contact stiffness properties on aggregate assembly strength. An aggregate particle imaging based Discrete Element Modeling (DEM) methodology was employed to study the effects of normal and shear contact stiffnesses. Using the results of laboratory direct shear box tests on actual aggregate samples, direct shear box DEM simulations were calibrated to identify the effects of different contact stiffness combinations. It was found that as the normal to shear contact stiffness ratio increased, the shear strength of the aggregate assembly also increased. Further, the same stiffness ratio captured the shear behaviour at three different normal stress levels thus validating the DEM simulation results.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationAdvances in Transportation Geotechnics - Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Transportation Geotechnics
PublisherCRC Press
Pages167-172
Number of pages6
ISBN (Print)9780415475907
DOIs
StatePublished - 2008

Publication series

NameAdvances in Transportation Geotechnics - Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Transportation Geotechnics

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology
  • Transportation

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