Les matériaux à particules hautement déformables sont des formes complexes de matière avec de nombreuses applications en chimie, pharmacie, cosmétique et agro-alimentaire. L’effet conjugué du désordre et des grandes déformations des particules conduit à des propriétés mécaniques nouvelles par rapport aux matériaux à particules indéformables. En particulier, la compressibilité et la résistance au cisaillement sont contrôlées par une combinaison de réarrangements et de changement de forme des particules. Dans ce travail de thèse, nous avons développé une approche numérique originale pour la simulation de ces systèmes. Pour permettre aux particules de se déformer indéfiniment, nous avons modélisé chaque particule par un agrégat de particules primaires sans frottement qui interagissent par une force d’attraction de type Lennard-Jones et une contrainte de non-interpénétration. La dissipation d’énergie par collisions inélastiques entre les particules primaires confère un caractère plastique aux déformations des particules. Nous avons utilisé ce modèle pour étudier les propriétés de compaction et de cisaillement de ces systèmes. Nos résultats ont permis de mettre en évidence le caractère non-linéaire de la compressibilité lorsque la compacité progressivement augmente au-delà de celles des assemblages de particules indéformables. Sous cisaillement, un état critique est atteint avec une dilatance contrôlée par la pression de confinement. Dans cet état, nous avons exploré les distributions des formes des particules, les textures et les distributions des forces pour différentes valeurs de la pression. Nous avons également comparé la compressibilité simulée par l’approche développée avec celle obtenue par la Méthode de Points Matériels (MPM) en utilisant des particules élastiques. / Soft-particle materials are complex forms of matter that occur in numerous applications in chemical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food products. Joint effects of disorder and large particle deformations lead to novel mechanical properties that differ from those of rigid-particle materials. In particular, the compressibility and shear resistance depend on both particle rearrangements and their shape change. In this doctoral work, we developed an original approach for numerical simulation of these systems. To allow the particles to deform without breakage, each particle is modeled as an aggregate of frictionless primary particles interacting via a Lennard-Jones attraction force and impenetrability constraints. Energy dissipation by inelastic collisions between primary particles leads to the plastic nature of particle deformations. This model was used to investigate the compaction and shear behavior of soft-particle systems. We find that the compressibility is strongly nonlinear as the packing fraction increases beyond that of a random close packing of rigid particles. In continuous shearing, a critical state is reached with a dilatancy that depends on the confining pressure. In this state, we investigate the shear resistance, distributions of particle shapes, fabric properties and inter-particle forces as a function of the confining pressure. We also compare our results with those obtained by using the Material Point Method (MPM) with elastic particles.

Ce mémoire présente des travaux de thèse consacrés à la caractérisation et la modélisation des hétérogénéités spatio-temporelles dans les écoulements granulaires cisaillés entre deux parois rigides. De nombreuses simulations ont permis de révéler le rôle crucial des dimensions de l’écoulement et l’influence des interactions des grains avec les parois (avec leur rugosité) sur le comportement global. Pour des systèmes allant jusqu'à une épaisseur de cent diamètres, des profils de vitesse non homogènes ont été mis en évidence, alors que la contrainte cisaillante est constante dans le volume, mettant en défaut le modèle viscoplastique au sein de l’écoulement. Pour réconcilier ces deux observations, nous avons enrichi le modèle viscoplastique en reliant la viscosité à une variable interne qui porte la perturbation due à la présence des parois. Cette nouvelle formulation de la viscosité permet de rétablir la validité d'une loi de comportement locale prenant en compte simultanément l’épaisseur de l’écoulement, la rugosité des parois et le nombre inertiel.Cette dépendance de la viscosité à une variable interne liée à la connectivité des grains ou à leur agitation à compacité fixée, suggère que, d’une manière générale,les écoulements granulaires doivent être décrits en termes d’au moins trois paramètres en fonction du nombre inertiel : le coefficient de frottement, la compacité et la connectivité. / This PhD work is devoted to the description and modeling of spatiotemporal inhomogeneities in granular flows sheared between two rigid walls. Our extensive simulations reveal the crucial role played by flow dimensions and the interactions of the grains with the walls and their roughness. For granular systems with increasingly larger thickness, non uniform strain profiles are evidenced while the shear stress remains uniform. This observation contradicts the common viscoelastic approach based on inertial number in the bulk of the flow. In order to reconcile these observations, we propose a viscoplastic model by a introducing an internal variable carrying the wall-induced perturbations of the flow. This re-formulation of granular viscosity reaffirms the local rheology by accounting for flow thickness, wall routines and inertialeffects. The well-defined dependence of the viscosity on an internal variable pertaining to grain connectivity or kinematic randomness at constant packing fraction, suggests that granular flows should be described by at least three parameters as a function of the inertial number:friction coefficient, packing fraction and connectivity.

Cette étude porte sur l'influence de la forme des particules sur le comportementmécanique des matériaux granulaires, et les mécanismes de transfert de charge quis'y développent, notamment dans les cas des conduits enterrés. La géométrie desparticules (polygones de forme convexe ou assemblage de particules de forme concaveconstitués de plusieurs disques superposés et indissociables) a été caractérisée par uncoefficient de forme α. Cette étude est basée sur une approche numérique par élémentsdiscrets. Des simulations numériques de l'essai de compression biaxiale montrent queles caractéristiques macroscopiques ou géométriques de l'échantillon granulaire, telque l'angle de frottement macroscopique, la compacité, ou la nature des bandes decisaillement, dépendent fortement du coefficient de forme α et de la convexité ou nonconvexité des grains.Les mécanismes de transfert de charge au dessus d'un conduit souple ont été étudiésexpérimentalement (rouleaux bidimensionnels en condition de déformation plane) etnumériquement (MED). Les expérimentations réalisées montrent que la présence duconduit à peu d'in_uence sur le comportement macroscopique de l'assemblée granulairelors d'une sollicitation biaxiale. Les résultats du modèle numèrique convergentavec les rèsultats expérimentaux et mettent en évidence la présence des mécanismes detransfert de charge au dessus du conduit dont les intensités dépendent du coefficientde forme α. / This study was devoted to the in_uence of grain shape on the mechanical behaviourof granular materials and its e_ect on load transfer over underground pipes. Shapeof convex polygons and concave clumps of discs was generalised with a geometricalparameter α. In the study a Discrete Element Modeling (DEM) approach was used.Biaxial compression of granular assemblies revealed that mechanical and geometricalproperties like porosity, macroscopic friction or shear localisation depends both on αand on grain (non-)convexity.The intergranular load transfer over a _exible pipe was studied both experimentally(2D rods in a plain strain apparatus) and numerically (DEM). The experimentsshowed that the pipe has no signi_cant impact on the macroscopic behaviour of theassembly. The numerical model complied with the experiments and revealed that thearching e_ect in a sheared granular medium exists above the pipe and is magni_edwith the increase of α of the grains.

Orientadores: Wanilson Luiz Silva / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Geociências / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-17T18:33:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Berno_Ludimila_M.pdf: 1326386 bytes, checksum: bdc4fd9ab44fe6c8795d63ccb8fb7e12 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / Resumo: O sistema estuarino de Santos-Cubatão (SP) está localizado em uma das áreas mais industrializadas da América Latina. Os estuários são ambientes de grande complexidade, onde ocorrem interrelações entre componentes geológicos, físicos, biológicos e químicos. O histórico de contaminação desse ambiente estuarino, decorrente de diferentes atividades antrópicas, pode resultar em altos níveis de contaminação, e os sedimentos podem representar uma fonte latente de elementos-traço para o ambiente aquático. Com o objetivo de investigar a variabilidade geoquímica sazonal de elementos-traço, os sedimentos de superfície dos principais rios deste sistema estuarino (Casqueiro, Cubatão, Cascalho, Morrão e Capivari) foram amostrados no inverno e no verão. Concentrações químicas multi-elementares em diferentes granulometrias (<63 mm, <177 mm e total), obtidas por ICP-MS, e os níveis de matéria orgânica foram relacionados. As texturas dos sedimentos estudados apresentaram característica silto-argilosa (64 a 87%). Os maiores níveis de matéria orgânica foram encontrados nos sedimentos do rio Morrão (10,92 a 12,05%), porém não foi observada relação com a granulometria. Em geral, os metais e metalóides foram mais concentrados na textura silto-argilosa, mas isso não foi sistemático para todo o ambiente. Considerando fatores de enriquecimento, anomalias geoquímicas foram encontradas para os elementos Be, Bi, Ca, Co, Cu, Cd, Cr, Fe, Hf, Hg, Mn, Ni, Nb, P, Pb, Sb, Sr, Ta, Th, U, Y, Zn e Zr especialmente no rio Morrão. Com exceção do rio Capivari, o Hg e o P foram os únicos elementos que se apresentaram anômalos nos demais rios investigados. Elementos como Al, As, Cs, K, Li, Mg, Na, Rb, S, Ti e V apresentaram comportamento geogênico ao longo de todo o ambiente deste estudo. A sazonalidade geoquímica foi notificada claramente nos sedimentos do rio Morrão e parece não ocorrer para a maioria dos elementos tratados nos demais rios investigados. Em geral, foi observado um maior enriquecimento dos elementos contaminantes durante o verão, provocando uma diminuição relativa dos elementos geogênicos nesta estação. O contrário ocorreu durante o inverno. Este trabalho mostrou que o incremento nos níveis de contaminação favorece a flutuação sazonal das concentrações de elementos nos sedimentos. Possivelmente, a sazonalidade associada aos elementos contaminantes pode estar ligada ao fato de estes elementos ocuparem posições mais instáveis em fases minerais e não-minerais do ambiente sedimentar. Isso possibilita uma maior mobilização da carga de elementos contaminantes em função das variações das condições físicas e/ou químicas do meio (pH, Eh, salinidade), se comparada aos elementos geogênicos mais estáveis no ambiente. / Abstract: The Santos-Cubatão estuarine system (SP) is located in one of the most industrial areas in Latin America. Estuaries are environments of great complexity where there is an interrelation among geological, physical, biological, and chemical compounds. The contamination history at this environment is a result of different anthropic activities which can be high, and the sediments can represent a significant source of trace elements to aquatic environment. By investigating the seasonal geochemical range of trace elements, the surface sediments of the main rivers from this estuarine system (Casqueiro, Cubatão, Cascalho, Morrão, and Capivari) were sampled in the winter and summer. Multi-elemental chemical concentrations in different grain-size (<63 mm, <177 mm and total), gotten by ICP-MS, and the organic matter level were related. The texture of the studied sediments presented silt-clay characteristics (64 to 87%). The highest levels of organic matter were found in the sediments of Morrão River (10.92 to 12.05%), however, no direct relation with the grain-size. In general, the metals and metalloids were more concentrated in the siltclay texture, but it was not systematic to the entire estuary. Regarding enrichment factors, geochemical anomalies were found to the following elements Be, Bi, Ca, Co, Cu, Cd, Cr, Fe, Hf, Hg, Mn, Ni, Nb, P, Pb, Sb, Sr, Ta, Th, U, Y, Zn, and Zr, mainly in Morrão River. The only elements that were presented anomalous in every river studied, except in Capivari River, were Hg and P. Elements as Al, As, Cs, K, Li, Mg, Na, Rb, S, Ti, and V presented geogenic behavior all along the environment of this study. The geochemical seasonality was clearly seen in the sediments of Morrão River, but not conclusive to most elements in the other rivers. In general, it was observed a higher enrichment of contaminant elements during the summer, causing a relatively decrease of geogenic elements in that season. However, the opposite happened during the winter. This work shows that the increment in the contamination level contributes to the seasonal fluctuation of the element concentrations in the sediments (e.g. Morrão River). The seasonality associated to the contaminant elements can be regarded to the fact that these elements occupy more unstable positions in mineral and non-mineral phases of the sedimentary environment, leading to a great mobilization of contaminant elements load caused by the physical and/or chemical range of conditions of the environment (mainly, pH, Eh and salinity), when compared to the more stable geogenic elements in the environment. / Mestrado / Geologia e Recursos Naturais / Mestre em Geociências

Granular soils with different sizes and shapes are often used in many civil engineering structures. In different contexts, several researchers have emphasized that shape of particles play a pivotal role in influencing several engineering properties such as maximum and minimum packing densities, shear strength, permeability and compressibility. However, the complexities involved in obtaining the geometrical parameters necessary to adequately compute particle shape have hampered the clear understanding of the contribution of particle shape to such properties. Researchers have attempted to characterize the shape of the particles by many conventional and advanced image based methods in the past. However, these methods suffer from many criticisms; conventional methods of shape characterization include ocular inspection of particles based on visual reference charts, which are more prone to user dependent interpretations. The recently developed image based methods deviate from the conventional and most well accepted definitions formulated by researchers in the past due to the difficulties involved in automating them. The aim of this thesis is to address this shortcoming by developing a robust methodology for accurate and precise determination of particle shape in accordance with the most widely accepted formulae in literature, which can replace the existing methods based on manual measurements, approximate visual charts and non-robust imaging techniques. For this purpose, several computational algorithms are written and implemented in MATLAB and operations are performed on particle images. These methods are developed to precisely characterize the particles shape parameters observed at three levels of scales, which are adequate for complete shape characterization. According to Barrett (1980) the particle shape features can be observed independently at three different scales, viz. macro-scale, meso-scale and micro-scale, the shape parameters such as form, roundness and surface texture falls into these three scales respectively. The macro-scale component of form (sphericity) is quantified as per the formula used in the visual chart proposed by Krumbein & Sloss (1951). In light of its continuing popularity and wide usage, the roundness concept proposed by Wadell (1932) is chosen to be the appropriate parameter for meso-scale shape representation. The micro-scale component of surface texture or roughness is measured by the conventional and widely used root mean square definition, by incorporating the use of digital filtering techniques. The distinct concept of angularity as proposed by Lees (1964) is used for effective shape representation of crushed particles. Kinematic behaviour of particles such as sliding, rolling and interlocking are dependent on the geometrical features observed at meso-scale present along their boundaries, which consequently govern the material strength and deformation characteristics. Based on precise identification of such features (concavo-convex regions along particle boundary), a new classification chart is proposed in this thesis to comprehend the kinematics of particles. The effects of critical parameters such as scale, resolution and user defined cutoff values on the quantification of shape parameters are analyzed and eliminated. The proposed methodology is compared with standard visual charts provided by earlier researchers and is demonstrated on real soil particles falling across a wide range of sizes and shapes. Finally, the role of particle shape in governing packing behaviour of aggregates is quantified based on the precise particle shape characterization.

L'objectif de la thèse est d'analyser le comportement mécanique de matériaux granulaires composites bidimensionels en terme de textures granulaires en utilisant deux approches : étude expérimentale par "thermoelastic stress analysis" et étude numérique par dynamique moléculaire. Les systèmes granulaires composites sont préparés à l'aide de cylindres en polyoxyméthylène (POM) et polyéthylène haute densité (PEHD), présentant un rapport de rigidité de 4 entre eux. Différents rapports de diamètres et de nombres de particules sont considérés. Les résultats expérimentaux et numériques sont en bon accord à l'échelle macroscopique. En particulier, le réseau fort (qui est ici caractérisé par des contraintes hydrostatiques supérieures à la valeur moyenne) contient moins de 50% des particules, et présente une distribution décroissance exponentielle quel que soit le type de particules considéré pour l'analyse (particules souples, particules rigides, toutes les particules). De plus, la distribution des contacts entre particules rigides (contacts POM-POM) est anisotrope et tend à s'organiser dans le sens de la direction du chargement extérieur appliqué, tandis que les autres types de contact agissent principalement pour maintenir le système en équilibre. / The main objective of our dissertation is to analyze the mechanical behavior of two-dimensional composite granular materials through the granular textures. Thermoelatic stress analysis experiments and molecular dynamics simulations are used for this purpose. The composite granular systems are prepared from polyoxymethylene (POM) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) cylinders with a stiffness ratio of about 4 between them. Different configurations in terms of ratios of diameter size and ratio of particle numbers are systematically investigated. Experimental and numerical results are good correlated at the macroscopic scale. In particular the strong network, which is here characterized by hydrostatic stresses higher than the mean value, consists of less than 50% of all particles, and exhibits an exponential decay whatever the type of particles considered for the analysis (soft, stiff, or both types). In addition, the contact distributions between stiff particles (POM-POM contacts) is anisotropic with an effort to arrange parallel to the direction of the external applied load, whereas the other types of contacts just act to sustain the granular system in equilibrium.

No description available.

Le travail présenté dans cette thèse vise à apporter une compréhension fine des couplages hydromécaniques et plus particulièrement du phénomène d'effondrement capillaire. L'utilisation de matériaux granulaires modèles observés à petites échelles grâce au microtomographe à rayons X constitue le point de départ de cette étude. Les résultats portent dans un premier temps sur la capacité à reproduire et observer le phénomène d'effondrement capillaire à l'échelle de l'éprouvette, appelée aussi échelle macroscopique. Une des premières problématiques importantes de ce projet a donc porté sur la reconstitution d'éprouvettes suffisamment lâches permettant d'observer le phénomène effondrement. Le potentiel d'effondrement, alors mesuré au simple œdomètre sur ces éprouvettes reconstituées, décroit avec la charge mécanique appliquée. En contrôlant le volume d'eau au cours de l'imbibition, les éprouvettes sont sujettes à une succession d'incréments de déformation rapides et ceci quelle que soit la dynamique de mouillage. En parallèle, l'utilisation de la technique d'analyse non destructive par microtomographie aux rayons X nous a permis de quantifier à une échelle mésoscopique (échelle de quelques grains), l'évolution de matériaux granulaires sous chargement hydrique et mécanique. Cela a été possible par l'utilisation de la technique de corrélation d'images numériques (DIC) associée à des outils d'analyse adaptés aux matériaux non saturés. Ces outils révèlent que l'hétérogénéité locale des déformations et des teneurs en eau augmente au cours de l'imbibition principalement à cause de l'effet de la gravité sur la répartition de l'eau dans l'éprouvette. L'hétérogénéité initiale des éprouvettes induite par la méthode de préparation est aussi identifiée. Cependant, malgré la présence de ces hétérogénéités, nous montrons que les mesures réalisées à l'échelle de l'éprouvette restent représentatives du comportement mésoscopique du matériau au cours de l'effondrement / This thesis deals with hydromechanical couplings in soils and more particularly focusing on the capillary collapse phenomenon. Although thoroughly studied at macroscopic scale in fine soils, the mechanisms governing capillary collapse in granular soils have been less observed.At first, the results concern the capacity to reproduce and to observe the phenomenon of capillary collapse at the scale of the specimen, called also the macroscopic scale.Thus, one of the first important objectives of this project concerned the preparation method of the specimens, which have to be loose enough to observe this phenomenon. The collapse potential, determined here by the one-dimensional collapse test, decreases with the mechanical stress. Moreover, when the quantity of water is controlled, incremental strains of specimens arise whatever the imbibition dynamic.To complement existing data, an experimental program was carried out using X-ray computed tomography (X-ray CT), a relevant tool to obtain 3D informations at grain scale. In combination with Volumetric Digital Image Correlation (V-DIC), X-ray CT also makes it possible to get information at a mesoscopic scale, at which the use of continuum mechanics still remains relevant. In this work, both microscopic and mesoscopic analyses have been carried out on a partially saturated sand subjected to gradual controlled imbibition in an oedometric cell.Local heterogeneities of strains and water contents appear during the imbibition, which are principally explained by the effect of gravity and by an inhomogeneity of the initial density.However, in spite of the existence of those localisations, by comparing the analyses at the mesoscopic and at the macroscopic scale, we show that measurements performed at the scale of the specimen are representative of the local behaviour of the material

A new simple design approach will be described that utilizes test results from the Repeated Load Triaxial Apparatus to establish the risk level of permanent deformations in the unbound granular layers (UGL) in pavement constructions under consideration of the seasonal effects. From this data a serviceability limit line (plastic shakedown limit) stress boundary for the unbound granular materials (UGM) was defined for different moisture contents. Below this line the material will have stable behavior. The serviceability limit line was applied in a finite-element (FE)-program FENLAP to predict whether or not stable behavior occurs in the UGM. To calculate the stress in the UGL, a nonlinear elastic model (Dresden Model), which is described in the paper, was implemented into the FE-program. The effects of changing moisture content during Spring-thaw period and asphalt temperature on pavement structural response were investigated. Additionally, permanent deformation calculations for the UGL were performed taking the stress history into consideration. The results clearly demonstrate that, for pavement constructions with thick asphalt layers, there is no risk of rutting in the granular base, even at high number of load repetitions. The study showed that the proposed design approach is a very satisfactory simple method to assess the risk against rutting in the UGL, even without the calculation of the exact permanent deformation of the pavement construction.

<p>Controllable continuous feeding of biomass feedstock in a biorefinery is critical to upscaling current ethanol conversion techniques to a commercial scale. Mechanical pretreatment of biomass feedstock performed using a compression feed screw (CFS) improves the ethanol yield but is subject to flowability issues, especially the plugging of biomass. The mechanical behavior, and hence, the flowability of biomass feedstock, is strongly affected by several factors, including preparation method, moisture content, physical composition, and particle size distribution. In addition, the current design of CFS is guided by limited experimentation and even fewer theoretical correlations. This thesis aims at developing computational methods to model the flow of densified feedstock in a CFS and experimental techniques to characterize the mechanical properties required for the model. We adopted a modified Drucker-Prager Cap constitutive (mDPC) law for milled corn stover (a widely used feedstock for bioethanol production) to model the material’s rate-independent bulk behavior in a CFS. The mDPC elastoplastic law captures the frictional shear and permanent volumetric changes in corn stover using a continuous porosity-dependent yield surface. The parameters of the mDPC model are calibrated using a unified set of single-ended die compaction and multiple shear failure tests. In addition, we quantified the changes in the mDPC parameters with moisture content up to the water-holding capacity of corn stover particles. A Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian Finite Element Method model developed for the CFS geometry predicts the deformation of the material using the calibrated mDPC parameters. We model the interaction between the material and the CFS surface using a Coulomb wall friction coefficient calibrated using the Janssen-Walker method for a punch and die system. A laboratory-scale compression feed screw is designed and fabricated to characterize the flow of dense granular materials in collaboration with undergraduate students in the School of Mechanical Engineering. FEM model predictions of feeding torque and mass flow rate are validated against the laboratory-scale feeder for microcrystalline cellulose Avicel PH-200 and milled corn stover. The model predictions agree with the experiments for Avicel PH-200 but have a higher error in the case of corn stover. Some physical effects, such as shear hardening and particle erosion observed in milled corn stover, are not captured using the current implementation of the mDPC model, which explains the different model accuracies for both materials. The continuum model is used to uncover material density distribution, torque, and pressure inside the CFS, otherwise challenging through experiments. The FEM model showed a significantly higher sensitivity of the feeder performance to two material properties, namely the hydrostatic yield stress and the wall friction coefficient. The characterized variation of material properties with moisture content and the effect of each material property on the feeder performance provide strategies to engineer the feedstock for better flowability. Further, the continuum model offers a method to study design changes before manufacturing the equipment. Finally, we propose the possibility of a reduced-order analytical model based on the critical material properties and the material deformation mechanism demonstrated by the FEM model.</p>