Experimental study of inelastic deformation at the micro scale in cemented granular materials: some recent results

A novel thermomechanical constitutive model for cemented granular materials has been recently introduced. An essential ingredient of the model is the use of measurable and micro-mechanics based internal variables describing the evolution of dominant inelastic processes. In this paper, discuss about the model ability to reproduce material behaviour at specimens scale starting from a few physically meaningful parameters. These parameters link the macroscopic mechanical behaviour to the statistically averaged evolution of the micro structure. However, to fully justify this statement and given the bottom-up hierarchy in the model development, it is also important to check the model’s capability to capture the statistically averaged evolution of the micro structure embedded at its base. For that purpose we have used high resolution x-ray tomography to scan artificially cemented granular materials under a variety of loading conditions. X-Ray Tomography has been chosen for its capability to track inelastic processes in granular materials non destructively with a high spatial resolution (a few microns, in this study). The main objective of this work is to introduce the key features of the constitutive model and to report some recent results on the experimental quantification of the evolution of the microscopic internal variables in cemented granular materials

Timelapse ultrasonic tomography for measuring damage localization in geomechanics laboratory tests.

Variation of mechanical properties in materials can be detected non-destructively using ultrasonic measurements. In particular, changes in elastic wave velocity can occur due to damage, i.e., micro-cracking and particles debonding. Here the challenge of characterizing damage in geomaterials, i.e., rocks and soils, is addressed. Geomaterials are naturally heterogeneous media in which the deformation can localize, so that few measurements of acoustic velocity across the sample are not sufficient to capture the heterogeneities. Therefore, an ultrasonic tomography procedure has been implemented to map the spatial and temporal variations in propagation velocity, which provides information on the damage process. Moreover, double beamforming has been successfully applied to identify and isolate multiple arrivals that are caused by strong heterogeneities (natural or induced by the deformation process). The applicability of the developed experimental technique to laboratory geomechanics testing is illustrated using data acquired on a sample of natural rock before and after being deformed under triaxial compression. The approach is then validated and extended to time-lapse monitoring using data acquired during plane strain compression of a sample including a well defined layer with different mechanical properties than the matrix

Timelapse ultrasonic tomography for measuring damage localization in geomechanics laboratory tests.

Variation of mechanical properties in materials can be detected non-destructively using ultrasonic measurements. In particular, changes in elastic wave velocity can occur due to damage, i.e., micro-cracking and particles debonding. Here the challenge of characterizing damage in geomaterials, i.e., rocks and soils, is addressed. Geomaterials are naturally heterogeneous media in which the deformation can localize, so that few measurements of acoustic velocity across the sample are not sufficient to capture the heterogeneities. Therefore, an ultrasonic tomography procedure has been implemented to map the spatial and temporal variations in propagation velocity, which provides information on the damage process. Moreover, double beamforming has been successfully applied to identify and isolate multiple arrivals that are caused by strong heterogeneities (natural or induced by the deformation process). The applicability of the developed experimental technique to laboratory geomechanics testing is illustrated using data acquired on a sample of natural rock before and after being deformed under triaxial compression. The approach is then validated and extended to time-lapse monitoring using data acquired during plane strain compression of a sample including a well defined layer with different mechanical properties than the matrix

MECHANICAL BEHAVIOUR AND RUPTURE IN CLAYEY ROCKS STUDIED BY X-RAY MICRO-TOMOGRAPHY AND 3D-DIGITAL IMAGE CORRELATION

International audienceThe mechanical behaviour and the rupture of clayey rocks have been experimentally studied by performing in situ triaxial tests on a synchrotron beamline i.e. performing X-ray micro tomography scans under mechanical loading. The 3D images obtained at different steps of the test were then analysed by 3D-Digital Image Correlation method in order to measure incremental strain fields. The results allow to clearly detect the onset of shear strain localization and to characterize its development in a 3D complex pattern

Breakage mechanisms of highly porous particles in 1D compression revealed with x-ray tomography

Grain breakage affects a number of geotechnical engineering problems. In this work, breakage of an artificial, porous granular material (Lightweight expanded clay aggregate) has been studied in 1D compression with both standard laboratory techniques and in situ x-ray tomography during loading. X-ray tomography has revealed that there is a wide distribution of internal porosity among LECA particles, and particle tracking has been used, for the first time, to give an objective measurement of each particle’s life expectancy. Links between micro and macro-scale quantities are discussed

Editorial: Hydromechanical Instabilities in Geomaterials: Advances in Numerical Modeling and Experimental Techniques

peer reviewe

A biaxial apparatus for the study of heterogeneous and intermittent strains in granular materials

We present an experimental apparatus specifically designed to investigate the precursors of failure in granular materials. A sample of granular material is placed between a latex membrane and a glass plate. A confining effective pressure is applied by applying vacuum to the sample. Displacement-controlled compression is applied in the vertical direction, while the specimen deforms in plane strain. A Diffusing Wave Spectroscopy visualization setup gives access to the measurement of deformations near the glass plate. After describing the different parts of this experimental setup, we present a demonstration experiment where extremely small (of order $10^{-5}$) heterogeneous strains are measured during the loading process