Abstract
This paper describes an innovative method to characterise conduction parameters in geomaterials at the particle-scale. The technique is exemplified using 3D synthetic grain packing generated with discrete element approaches. This creates a geo-mechanically viable user-defined 3D granular image through which the particle skeleton and the corresponding pore network are constructed. Images are then imported into the finite element analyses to solve the governing equations of hydraulic and thermal conduction. Navier-Stokes equation is uniquely upscaled to Darcy's law to assess hydraulic conductivity in soils, while a similar approach implements the Fourier equation to evaluate thermal conduction through grain chains and pore network. High performance computing is used to meet demanding numerical calculations of 3D meshed geometries. Packing density (i.e., porosity) and inter-particle contact areas are explored as variables to highlight the effects of pore volume and inter-particle contact condition in hydraulic and thermal conduction. This emerging technique allows not only characterising the macro-scale behaviour of conduction phenomena in soils but also quantifying and visualising the preferential and local conduction behaviour at the particle-scale. Laboratory measurements of hydraulic and thermal conductivities support numerically obtained results and validate the viability of the new methods used herein. This study introduces an alternative way to determine physical parameters of soils using emerging technology of rigorous numerical simulations in conjunction with 3D images, and to enable fundamental observation of particle-scale mechanisms of macro-scale manifestation.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 828-836 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Computers and Geotechnics |
| Volume | 37 |
| Issue number | 7-8 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2010 Nov 1 |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology
- Computer Science Applications
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Characterisation of conduction phenomena in soils at the particle-scale : Finite element analyses in conjunction with synthetic 3D imaging. / Narsilio, Guillermo A.; Kress, Jeremy; Yun, Tae Sup.
In: Computers and Geotechnics, Vol. 37, No. 7-8, 01.11.2010, p. 828-836.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Characterisation of conduction phenomena in soils at the particle-scale
T2 - Finite element analyses in conjunction with synthetic 3D imaging
AU - Narsilio, Guillermo A.
AU - Kress, Jeremy
AU - Yun, Tae Sup
PY - 2010/11/1
Y1 - 2010/11/1
N2 - This paper describes an innovative method to characterise conduction parameters in geomaterials at the particle-scale. The technique is exemplified using 3D synthetic grain packing generated with discrete element approaches. This creates a geo-mechanically viable user-defined 3D granular image through which the particle skeleton and the corresponding pore network are constructed. Images are then imported into the finite element analyses to solve the governing equations of hydraulic and thermal conduction. Navier-Stokes equation is uniquely upscaled to Darcy's law to assess hydraulic conductivity in soils, while a similar approach implements the Fourier equation to evaluate thermal conduction through grain chains and pore network. High performance computing is used to meet demanding numerical calculations of 3D meshed geometries. Packing density (i.e., porosity) and inter-particle contact areas are explored as variables to highlight the effects of pore volume and inter-particle contact condition in hydraulic and thermal conduction. This emerging technique allows not only characterising the macro-scale behaviour of conduction phenomena in soils but also quantifying and visualising the preferential and local conduction behaviour at the particle-scale. Laboratory measurements of hydraulic and thermal conductivities support numerically obtained results and validate the viability of the new methods used herein. This study introduces an alternative way to determine physical parameters of soils using emerging technology of rigorous numerical simulations in conjunction with 3D images, and to enable fundamental observation of particle-scale mechanisms of macro-scale manifestation.
AB - This paper describes an innovative method to characterise conduction parameters in geomaterials at the particle-scale. The technique is exemplified using 3D synthetic grain packing generated with discrete element approaches. This creates a geo-mechanically viable user-defined 3D granular image through which the particle skeleton and the corresponding pore network are constructed. Images are then imported into the finite element analyses to solve the governing equations of hydraulic and thermal conduction. Navier-Stokes equation is uniquely upscaled to Darcy's law to assess hydraulic conductivity in soils, while a similar approach implements the Fourier equation to evaluate thermal conduction through grain chains and pore network. High performance computing is used to meet demanding numerical calculations of 3D meshed geometries. Packing density (i.e., porosity) and inter-particle contact areas are explored as variables to highlight the effects of pore volume and inter-particle contact condition in hydraulic and thermal conduction. This emerging technique allows not only characterising the macro-scale behaviour of conduction phenomena in soils but also quantifying and visualising the preferential and local conduction behaviour at the particle-scale. Laboratory measurements of hydraulic and thermal conductivities support numerically obtained results and validate the viability of the new methods used herein. This study introduces an alternative way to determine physical parameters of soils using emerging technology of rigorous numerical simulations in conjunction with 3D images, and to enable fundamental observation of particle-scale mechanisms of macro-scale manifestation.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=78349309347&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=78349309347&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.compgeo.2010.07.002
DO - 10.1016/j.compgeo.2010.07.002
M3 - Article
VL - 37
SP - 828
EP - 836
JO - Computers and Geotechnics
JF - Computers and Geotechnics
SN - 0266-352X
IS - 7-8
ER -