Effect of water on granular matter mechanics, local scale: evaporation, extension and rupture of liquid bridges

Abstract

International audienceThe mechanical strength and cohesion of granular matter depend strongly on water content (i.e. in soil). Water exists in different forms between the solid particles, due to surface tension generates internal stresses in granular material and develops mass exchange with the environment during the evaporation process. During evaporation the internal stress evolves, which may lead to the medium shrinkage, air entry and damage. The most sensitive is the final stage of evaporation, which corresponds to the rupture of capillary bridges (Péron et al., 2010). In this study, the phenomenon of air entry, evolution of intergranular forces and behavior and rupture of capillary bridges are analyzed experimentally at the local scale, on the example of capillary bridges between two and three spherical grains