Capillary suction predictions in granular materials subjected to 1D compression and triaxial loading with emphasis on projectile penetration

Abstract

The role of partial saturation in penetration resistance of projectiles in granular materials is not clear due to experimental constraints imposed by high cost and special considerations in equipment design. In this work, granular material near the tip and far-field of the projectile is numerically simulated based on 1D compression and triaxial stress paths, respectively, using the finite discrete element method. The crushing of grains in 1D compression simulations is implemented by pre-inserting cohesive interface elements in regular finite element mesh. The capillary suction is numerically predicted by extracting the deformed granular assembly microstructure at different loading steps as an input to the pore morphology method. The results demonstrate the development of high capillary suction in 1D compression loading due to the significant crushing of grains. The evolution of capillary suction is negligible during triaxial loading compared to the 1D compression loading. This suggests that future simulations related to projectile penetration in partially saturated granular materials should account for coupled hydromechanical effects near the tip whereas the far-field can be approximated as a dry material. Finally, the capillary suction corresponding to extreme comminution near the projectile tip is estimated from a 3D assembly of spherical grains with a mean grain size of 1 µm.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Feb 01, 2022
Source ID
10.1063/5.0072195

Entities

People

  • Dayakar Penumadu
  • Mohmad Mohsin Thakur

Organizations

  • Defense Threat Reduction Agency
  • University of Tennessee

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Dynamics.
  • Geotechnical Engineering.
  • Mechanical Engineering/Mechanics of Materials.