Multi-Scale Approach for Modeling Desiccation Shrinkage in Granular Soils

Liang Bo Hu (1) , H Bista (1) , Boleslaw Mielniczuk (2, 3) , Lyesse Laloui (4) , Tomasz Hueckel (5) , Moulay Saïd El Youssoufi (6, 2, 7)

1 University of Toledo
2 MIST - Laboratoire de micromécanique et intégrité des structures
3 IRSN - Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire
4 EPFL - Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
5 Duke University [Durham]
6 SIGECO - Structures Innovantes, Géomatériaux, ECOconstruction
7 LMGC - Laboratoire de Mécanique et Génie Civil

This paper aims to identify and quantitatively evaluate various critical mechanisms associated with the processes of desiccation shrinkage and cracking in drying silty soils. A previously developed 1D bundle-of-tubes model is refined to simulate the various stages of drying shrinkage in 2D, using the actual pore size distribution based on Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry (MIP) data. Experimental evidence at a meso-scale has shown that the air entry phenomenon may occur in two possible scenarios: air incursion at the external surface and formation of vapor nucleus in the interior. Further transition of solid-water structural configuration into funicular and pendular states from initially capillary state is simulated.

Domaines: Génie civil

Liang Bo Hu, H Bista, Boleslaw Mielniczuk, Lyesse Laloui, Tomasz Hueckel, et al.. Multi-Scale Approach for Modeling Desiccation Shrinkage in Granular Soils. Geo-Shanghai 2014, May 2014, Shanghai, China. pp.512 - 521, ⟨10.1061/9780784413388.053⟩. ⟨hal-01103279⟩