DEM Simulation of Shearing Rockfills along Different Stress Paths: Fid-Bau Portal

DEM Simulation of Shearing Rockfills along Different Stress Paths

Jiang, Hao / Xu, Ming

Many high-fill projects are constructed of rockfills. However, the particle sizes of rockfills are relatively large and could easily break when shearing under high pressure. The laboratory testing of rockfills requires large equipment, e.g. large triaxial apparatus, which is not commonly available. This paper discusses the possibility of using discrete element method (DEM) to investigate the shearing behavior of rockfills along different stress paths. Using discrete element method (DEM), a number of spherical units could be bonded together to form one non-spherical particle to simulate crushable rockfills particles. This paper briefly introduces the principle of simulating particle breakage, as well as simulation process and parameters. A discrete element model is then built and calibrated against a set of large-scale triaxial tests of rockfills subjected to different confining pressures. Model parameters are determined through comparing simulation results with the test results. The stress-strain behavior of rockfills loaded along different stress paths are then predicted using the model with the same parameters. By comparing the simulation results with the large-scale stress path triaxial testing data, it is verified that the DEM model can reasonably simulate the mechanical properties of crushable rockfills.