Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD American Geophysical Union
Résumé : International audience
We present a 2-D Contact Dynamics discrete element model for simulating initiation and motion of rock avalanches, integrating hillslope geometry, Mohr-Coulomb rock behavior, pore pressure before avalanche triggering, and avalanche trigger. Avalanche motion is modeled as a dense granular flow of dry frictional and cohesive particles. On the basis of granular physics and shear experiments, we review some of the theories for the unexpectedly long runout of rock avalanches. Different causes are evoked, according to the strength (strong or weak) of the slip surface relative to the bulk. "Mechanical fluidization'' and "acoustic fluidization'' theories state that agitation of rock particles reduces frictional strength, increasing runout. Conversely, granular mechanics suggests that, as "shear-strain'' rate increases, granular material becomes more agitated, more dissipative, and more resistant. Another theory states that dynamic fragmentation of clasts creates an isotropic pressure that drives longer runout. In contrast, granular mechanics suggests that fragmentation may induce fluidization and strengthening of the granular material, while particle size reduction (among others) induces weakening of the granular flow and enhances long runout. Runout is also enhanced for column-like rock masses collapsing from steep hillslopes. Long runout may also be linked to thermal weakening mechanisms at the slip surface (e.g., thermal pressurization, and shear melting), which may lower drastically the shear strength. The model is illustrated with a hypothetical example of a rain-triggered avalanche, mobilizing shallowly dipping layers. Several phases are identified, including slope failure, avalanche triggering resulting from slip weakening, and avalanche motion in which rocks are folded and sheared.
ISSN: 0148-0227

hal-00420883
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00420883
DOI : 10.1029/2008JF001072

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD
Résumé : The present PhD thesis is devoted to the numerical simulation and analysis of shear on cohesive granular materials. In the framework of the Contact Dynamics method, we developed a model of cohesive bonding, which mimics cohesion by cementation. This model involves three contact strength parameters (a tensile strength, a coefficient of sliding friction, and a coefficient of rolling friction) as well as a local criterion, which controls the creation and the breaking of cohesive bonds. All contacts are cohesive at the beginning of the numerical simulations, and contact rupture leads to an irreversible loss of tensile strength (debonding). We varied systematically the three contact strength parameters and studied their influence on the shear strength, the dilatancy, and the microstructure of the granular media. Our results show that internal friction and macroscopic tensile strength have different origins at the contact scale. We also find that the microstructure of the granular media, when sheared at the steady state (also known as the `critical state"), is strongly affected by the local coefficients of sliding and rolling friction. In particular, the mechanical role of the weak network changes with these two contact parameters, which results from the formation of a new structure of force transmission. On the other hand, we also applied the same numerical simulation method to the simulation of landslides. We developed a methodology, which takes into account the initial morphology of the hillslope, the strength of geomaterials, and a triggering factor, integrating in the same model the initiation and propagation phases of the landslide. To illustrate this methodology, we applied it to the simulation of a hypothetical example of avalanche triggered by the progressive rise of a water table.
Ce travail de thèse porte sur la modélisation numérique et l'analyse du cisaillement dans les milieux granulaires cohésifs. Dans le cadre de la méthode de la Dynamique des Contacts, nous avons développé un modèle de cohésion qui cherche à imiter la cohésion par cimentation. Ce modèle fait intervenir trois paramètres de résistance au niveau des contacts (une résistance à la traction, un coefficient de frottement de glissement, et un coefficient de frottement de roulement) ainsi qu'un critère de création et de rupture des liens cohésifs. Les contacts sont cohésifs au début des simulations et leur rupture entraîne la perte irréversible de la résistance à la traction. Nous avons fait varier les trois paramètres microscopiques et nous avons étudié leur influence dans la résistance au cisaillement, la dilatance, et la microstructure du milieu. Nos résultats montrent que le frottement interne et l'adhésion macroscopiques ont des origines microscopiques différentes. Nous observons aussi que la microstructure du milieu cisaillé à l'état stationnaire (aussi connu comme ``l'état critique") est fortement affectée par l'angle de frottement et la résistance au roulement au niveau des contacts. En particulier, le rôle mécanique du réseau faible change avec ces deux paramètres microscopiques, ce qui résulte de la formation d'une nouvelle structure de transmission de forces. D'autre part, nous avons appliqué cette méthode de simulation numérique à l'étude d'un processus naturel : les glissements de terrain. Nous avons développé une méthodologie qui tient compte de la morphologie initiale du système, de la résistance des géomatériaux, et d'un mécanisme de déclanchement, ce qui permet d'intégrer dans le même modèle les phases d'initiation et de propagation du glissement. Pour illustrer cette méthodologie, nous l'avons appliquée à la modélisation d'un exemple hypothétique d'avalanche déclenchée par la montée progressive du niveau d'une nappe d'eau.
https://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-00311303

tel-00311303
https://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-00311303
https://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-00311303/document
https://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-00311303/file/these_estrada.pdf

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : This paper presents a numerical investigation on the mechanical behavior of cemented granular materials by means of discrete element simulations. In particular, two conceptual elements of this behavior were explored: the yield surfaces and the plastic potentials, as defined in the framework of elastoplastic constitutive models. For this purpose, we implemented a contact model that mimics the mechanical behavior of cemented bonds, we constructed a set of polydisperse samples with different solid fractions, and we tested these samples by means of a biaxial device with four rigid walls. The yield surfaces and plastic potentials were thus obtained and analyzed as functions of the solid fraction of the material, drawing interesting conclusions, confirming previous experimental findings, and, consequently, evidencing the great potential of discrete element simulations in exploring the behavior of real cemented geomaterials.
ISSN: 0266-352X

hal-00853748
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00853748
DOI : 10.1016/j.compgeo.2012.11.001

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD
Résumé : International audience
In this paper, we compare the effect of rolling resistance at the contacts in granular systems composed of disks with the effect of angularity in granular systems composed of regular polygonal particles. For this purpose, we use contact dynamics simulations. By means of a simple shear numerical device, we investigate the mechanical behavior of these materials in the steady state in terms of shear strength, solid fraction, force and fabric anisotropies, and probability distribution of contact forces. We find that, based on the energy dissipation associated with relative rotation between two particles in contact, the effect of rolling resistance can explicitly be identified with that of the number of sides in a regular polygonal particle. This finding supports the use of rolling resistance as a shape parameter accounting for particle angularity and shows unambiguously that one of the main influencing factors behind the mechanical behavior of granular systems composed of noncircular particles is the partial hindrance of rotations as a result of angular particle shape.
AIP Conference Proceedings
Sydney, Australia

hal-00842799
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00842799
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00842799/document
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00842799/file/Comparison_effects_rolling_Estrada_al.pdf

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD
Résumé : National audience
Colloque annuel du GdR MeGe
La Rochelle, France

hal-00844261
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00844261

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD American Physical Society
Résumé : International audience
This is the first of two papers investigating the mechanical response of cemented granular materials by means of contact dynamics simulations. In this paper, a two-dimensional polydisperse sample with high-void ratio is constructed and then sheared in a simple shear numerical device at different confinement levels. We study the macroscopic response of the material in terms of mean and deviatoric stresses and strains. We show that the introduction of a local force scale, i.e., the tensile strength of the cemented bonds, causes the material to behave in a rigid-plastic fashion, so that a yield surface can be easily determined. This yield surface has a concave-down shape in the mean: deviatoric stress plane and it approaches a straight line, i.e., a Coulomb strength envelope, in the limit of a very dense granular material. Beyond yielding, the cemented structure gradually degrades until the material eventually behaves as a cohesionless granular material. Strain localization is also investigated, showing that the strains concentrate in a shear band whose thickness increases with the confining stress. The void ratio inside the shear band at the steady state is shown to be a material property that depends only on contact parameters.
ISSN: 1539-3755

hal-00523453
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00523453
DOI : 10.1103/PhysRevE.82.011303

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD American Physical Society
Résumé : International audience
This is the second of two papers investigating the mechanical response of cemented granular materials by means of contact dynamics simulations. In this paper, a two-dimensional polydisperse sample with high void ratio is sheared in a load-controlled simple shear numerical device until the stress state of the sample reaches the yield stress. We first study the stress transmission properties of the granular material in terms of the fabric of different subsets of contacts characterized by the magnitude of their normal forces. This analysis highlights the existence of a peculiar force carrying structure in the cemented material, which is reminiscent of the bimodal stress transmission reported for cohesionless granular media. Then, the evolution of contact forces and torques is investigated trying to identify the micromechanical conditions that trigger macroscopic yielding. It is shown that global failure can be associated to the apparition of a group of particles whose contacts fulfill at least one of the local rupture conditions. In particular, these particles form a large region that percolates through the sample at the moment of failure, evidencing the relationship between macroscopic yielding and the emergence of large-scale correlations in the system.
ISSN: 1539-3755

hal-00523451
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00523451
DOI : 10.1103/PhysRevE.82.011304

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD
Résumé : International audience
Powders and Grains 2009
Golden, United States

hal-00760571
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00760571

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD American Physical Society
Résumé : International audience
Using contact dynamics simulations, we compare the effect of rolling resistance at the contacts in granular systems composed of disks with the effect of angularity in granular systems composed of regular polygonal particles. In simple shear conditions, we consider four aspects of the mechanical behavior of these systems in the steady state: shear strength, solid fraction, force and fabric anisotropies, and probability distribution of contact forces. Our main finding is that, based on the energy dissipation associated with relative rotation between two particles in contact, the effect of rolling resistance can explicitly be identified with that of the number of sides in a regular polygonal particle. This finding supports the use of rolling resistance as a shape parameter accounting for particle angularity and shows unambiguously that one of the main influencing factors behind the mechanical behavior of granular systems composed of noncircular particles is the partial hindrance of rotations as a result of angular particle shape.
ISSN: 1539-3755

hal-00594891
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00594891
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00594891/document
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00594891/file/Estrada2010ReSubmitV2.pdf
ARXIV : 1105.4418