Impact of particle attributes on granular material

ABSTRACT: The characteristics of its particles have an important effect on the mechanical behavior of granular materials. Granular materials are treated as a continuum and its particulate nature is not explicitly considered. This paper establishes a new approach to determine index parameters which link the particle characteristics to the macro-scale response. The objective of research is to relate the micromechanical properties of the particles with the overall mechanical response of the material. We consider both of them. A new approach for the shape analysis of granular materials is proposed, and comparisons with classical methods are given. Modern techniques such as microscopy and interferometry are used. In a series of triaxial tests, shape and roughness have been found to affect the mechanical response of specimens of glass beads in terms of compressibility, stiffness and strength. There is more stick and slip for smooth particle specimens. In the last part of the paper a general discussion is reported and the main findings of the project are highlighted. Finally, some recommendations for further developments are given.