Microscopic re-examination of geomaterials consisting of aggregates can shed light on macroscopic behaviour, including compressibility, anisotropy, yielding, creep, cyclic liquefaction and shear rupture. As a result of this process of examination, new methods of material characterization emerge, leading to a greater degree of accuracy in the specification of new constitutive models with physically-meaningful parameters. The impetus behind this development is an increasing awareness on sustainability, leading to the more efficient use of recycled materials for geotechnical applications. The characteristics of recycled materials, such as compressibility and self-hardening, may differ significantly from those of natural materials, and it is crucial that evaluation is made from a specifically particulate perspective.

Microscopic re-examination of geomaterials consisting of aggregates can shed light on macroscopic behaviour, including compressibility, anisotropy, yielding, creep, cyclic liquefaction and shear rupture. As a result of this process of examination, new methods of material characterization emerge, leading to a greater degree of accuracy in the specification of new constitutive models with physically-meaningful parameters. The impetus behind this development is an increasing awareness on sustainability, leading to the more efficient use of recycled materials for geotechnical applications. The characteristics of recycled materials, such as compressibility and self-hardening, may differ significantly from those of natural materials, and it is crucial that evaluation is made from a specifically particulate perspective.

The first single work on DEM providing the information to get started with this powerful numerical modelling approach. Provides the basic details of the numerical method and the approaches used to interpret the results of DEM simulations. It will be of use to professionals, researchers and higher level students, with a theoretical overview of DEM as well as practical guidance.Selected Contents: 1.Introduction 2.Use of DEM in Geomechanics 3.Calculation of Contact Forces 4.Particle Motion 5.Particle Types 6.Boundary Conditions 7.Initial Geometry and Specimen Generation 8.Time Integration and Discrete Element Modelling 9.DEM Interpretation: A Continuum Perspective 10.Postprocessing: Graphical Interpretation of DEM Simulations 11.Basic Statisti

Soils are composed of grains but they are generally treated as continua in the classical framework of geomechanics. Their macroscopic response under loading, such as their non-linearity, yielding and anisotropy, is controlled by their micro-structure, the characteristics of the grains and the disposition of contacts between them. There have been rapid advances in technology both to investigate the microscopic properties of soils, and to simulate their granular behaviour explicitly through Discrete Element Method (DEM). DEM was originally used to ...

Microscopic re-examination of geomaterials consisting of aggregates can shed light on macroscopic behaviour, including compressibility, anisotropy, yielding, creep, cyclic liquefaction and shear rupture. As a result of this process of examination, new methods of material characterization emerge, leading to a greater degree of accuracy in the specification of new constitutive models with physically-meaningful parameters. The impetus behind this development is an increasing awareness on sustainability, leading to the more efficient use of recycled materials for geotechnical applications. The characteristics of recycled materials, such as compressibility and self-hardening, may differ significantly from those of natural materials, and it is crucial that evaluation is made from a specifically particulate perspective.

Modelling forms an implicit part of all engineering design but many engineers engage in modelling without consciously considering the nature, validity and consequences of the supporting assumptions. Derived from courses given to postgraduate and final year undergraduate MEng students, this book presents some of the models that form a part of the typical undergraduate geotechnical curriculum and describes some of the aspects of soil behaviour which contribute to the challenge of geotechnical modelling. Assuming a familiarity with basic soil mechanics and traditional methods of geotechnical design, this book is a valuable tool for students of geotechnical and structural and civil engineering as well as also being useful to practising engineers involved in the specification of numerical or physical geotechnical modelling.