Understanding Hydro-mechanical Coupling Mechanism of Wetted Granular Matters Beyond the Pendular Regime
Abstract
The scientific objective of this YIP proposal is to provide an unprecedented micro-structured based approach to model microscopic fluid-solid interaction mechanism of each particle contact, liquid bridge, cluster and air and upscale these micromechanical mechanisms for specimen and field scale physical model where discrete element method cannot be directly applied. The proposed research will combine (1) computational multiscale models that capture the particle-fluid interactions, (2) laboratory suction-controlled experiments that provide both macroscopic and grain-scale data through X-ray CT imaging technique, and (3) mathematical tools such as graph theory to analyze the simulated and experimentally captured liquid and solid force chain networks. One unique aspect of the proposed research will explicitly model the pore-scale particle-fluid interaction via a two-phase lattice Boltzmann-discrete element coupling scheme and faithfully capture the fluid-solid interactions among liquid and particles of varying shapes and sizes. By introducing modification to handle the density difference of air and water, the new unified model will be able to seamlessly replicate the capillary effect of granular assemblies with different amounts of water. To speed up simulation and establish linkages between microscopic observations and field-scale surface responses, a large strain macroscopic finite element model will be coupled.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Sep 11, 2018
- Source ID
- W911NF1510581
Entities
People
- WaiChing Sun
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- Columbia University
- United States Army