L’hydrogène est une solution chimique de stockage d’énergie électrique intéressante. En effet, l’hydrogèneproduit devient un vecteur d’énergie utilisable de différentes façons. Pour développer l’industrie hydrogène,sa production, son stockage et sa consommation doivent être étudiés et optimisés.Cette thèse traite du stockage solide d’hydrogène dans des hydrures métalliques. Dans cette technologie,l’hydrogène est piégé à l’intérieur d’un matériau métallique selon une réaction chimique réversibleexothermique. L’hydrogène peut être libéré selon la réaction inverse, endothermique. Les performances dece stockage sont liées au choix du matériau, à la gestion des transferts thermiques et au système utilisé. Sesgrands avantages sont sa compacité énergétique et la sécurité d’un tel stockage. L’inconvénient majeur vientdu poids du système. Lors de l’absorption de l’hydrogène dans le matériau, ce dernier augmente de volume.Pour pouvoir dimensionner les réservoirs à hydrures métalliques, il est nécessaire de connaître les contraintesgénérées pas ce gonflement. Le confinement du matériau dans une enceinte étanche doit être garanti. Lecyclage entre les étapes de gonflement dégonflement dûs aux stockage/dé-stockage de l’hydrogène dans unhydrure métallique est appelé la respiration de l’hydrure.Ce travail de recherche commence par rappeler l’état de l’art sur l’hydrogène et les hydrures métalliques.Dans le second chapitre, le matériau sélectionné, LmNiCoMnAl , est caractérisé. Les deux chapitres suivantsprésentent l’étude expérimentale de la respiration en conditions oedométriques à contrainte imposée et dansun volume fixe. Le chapitre cinq présente les travaux de simulation numérique par éléments discrets. Lesgrains, modélisés sous forme de clusters, sont placés dans différentes conditions aux limites avec différentscoefficients de frottement.Les résultats des expériences complètent les travaux précédents sur d’autres matériaux. Contrairementau Ti-Cr-V, le LaNiCoMnAl voit sa densité diminuer au cours de la respiration pour les contraintes deconfinement utilisées. Le taux de décroissance de la densité diminue quand la contrainte de confinementaugmente. Quand l’échantillon est placé dans un volume fixe, les contraintes développées par le matériauaugmentent avec la quantité de matériau introduite dans le volume. La simulation numérique a permis demontrer qu’une dédensification est observée pour des niveaux de contrainte intermédiaires quand le coefficientde frottement augmente, confirmant l’hypothèse que les paramètres matériaux ont une importance dans lecomportement macroscopique des hydrures métalliques pendant la respiration. / Hydrogen can be used as a storage for electric energy. Hydrogen may become an energy vector, whichcould be used and transported easily. For the hydrogen sector to develop and mature, production, storageand consumption should be researched and optimized.This PhD is dedicated to hydrogen solid storage in metal hydride. This technology consists in usinga reversible and exothermic chemical reaction between an alloy and hydrogen. The hydrogen is capturedinside the metal lattice and can be released with the endothermic opposite reaction. The main factors whichimpact the performance of this technology are the choice of material, the heat flow management and thesystem used. Its main advantages lay on safety and energy compactness. Its main drawbacks come from theweight of the system. When the material absorb hydrogen, its volume increases. To contain this materialin an airtight environment, it is mandatory to know how stress develop on the container that contains thematerial. The cycles of dilatation and contraction of the material, when it is loading or unloading hydrogen,is called breathing.This research begins with a large spectrum presentation of hydrogen. Then comes a chemical and structuralcharacterization of the material : LaNiCoMnAl. Its Composition-Temperature-Pressure characteristicsare given. The material exhibits granular properties and is structurally characterize using laser grain sizing,shape measurement and X-Ray tomography. The typical length scale of LaNiCoMnAl particles is 20 micrometers.The third and fourth chapters are concerned with the experimental behavior. A sample is placed ina stress controlled environment where its density is measured during cycling. The other experiment places asample in a fixed volume. In that case, the stress exerted on the material is recorded and measured duringcycling. In the last chapter, numerical simulations using the Discrete Element Method are used. The materialis modeled by X shaped clusters and studied with different friction parameters and boundary conditions.Following other works done on other materials, these experiment showed a different behavior of LaNi-CoMnAl compared to Ti-Cr-V. During breathing, LaNiCoMnAl exhibits a decrease in density even whensubmitted to a relatively large stress. The rate at which the density decreases is lowered when the confinementpressure increases. When the material is placed in a fixed volume, the stress increases with increasingpoured mass. Numerical simulations show a decrease in density when the friction parameter is high enough.It validates the hypothesis that material parameters play a major role in the macroscopic behavior of metalhydride during breathing.

Quando o concreto é submetido a ações especiais, como cargas cíclicas ou ação de cargas de impacto, modificações em sua composição são necessárias, já que o concreto não apresenta desempenho satisfatório à tração, o que compromete o seu comportamento frente à ação de cargas dinâmicas. Uma alternativa para amenizar esta deficiência consiste em adicionar fibras ao concreto. Estas atuam como reforços à tração, transformando a matriz cimentícia, tipicamente frágil, em um material que apresenta boa resistência residual após a fissuração. Buscando colaborar na avaliação da eficiência de diferentes tipos de fibras, o presente trabalho analisa o comportamento de concretos com fibras de aço, submetidos ao impacto, avaliando a influência do fator de forma, do comprimento e do teor de fibras, assim como do tamanho do agregado. São ainda analisados os efeitos da incorporação de fibras na resistência à compressão, na resistência à tração por compressão diametral, no módulo de elasticidade e na tenacidade dos compósitos. Adicionalmente, é executada uma comparação entre os resultados experimentais e os derivados de um esquema de modelagem da situação de impacto através do uso do método de elementos discretos. Buscou-se, através da modelagem teórica, executar um mapeamento dos danos, provocados por cargas de impacto incrementais, ao longo do tempo, bem como determinar as energias necessárias para levar as placas até a ruptura. Os resultados indicam que a incorporação de fibras de aço não consegue retardar o aparecimento da primeira fissura, mas aumenta significativamente a tenacidade dos compósitos. Fibras mais longas e com maior fator de forma tendem a ser mais eficientes, desde que se supere um teor de fibras mínimo, que neste trabalho ficou em torno de 100.000 fibras/m3, para fibras longas (50-60 mm) e de 400.000 fibras/m3, para fibras curtas, cuja ancoragem é menos eficiente. O método de teste de impacto por queda de esfera se mostrou adequado e sensível, porém o esquema de modelagem numérica testado necessita ser refinado para permitir uma adequada simulação do comportamento de concretos com fibras. / When submitted to special loading patterns, derived from dynamical actions such as cyclic or impact loads, concrete elements need to be reinforced, in order to resist the tensile stresses. A feasible alternative, in such cases, is to incorporate fibers in the concrete matrix. The fibers act as a tensile reinforcement, transforming the fragile cement matrix into a composite with significant post-cracking residual strength. In order to contribute with the data collection about the efficiency of different fiber types, the present research work presents an analysis of the behavior of steel fiber reinforced concretes subjected to impact loads. The work investigates the influences of changes in the shape factor, length and amount of fibers. The effects of these combinations on other basic properties of the composites, such as compression strength, split cylinder tensile strength, Young’s modulus and tenacity is also measured. Additionally, a comparison is made between the experimental results from the impact tests and the estimates obtained from a theoretical model that uses the discrete element method (DEM). This theoretical approach aimed to determine if the model was able to simulate the damage evolution over time generated by the increasing impacts loads, as well as to determine the total energy necessary to crack and break the specimens. The results obtained pointed out that the introduction of steel fibers does not affect the energy for the first crack but increases significantly the tenacity of the composite. Longer fibers, with greater shape factors, tend to be more efficient, provided that the fiber content is sufficiently high. The minimum recommended fiber content, according to the data from this research, may be around 100.000 fibers/m3, for longer fibers (50-60 mm). Or around 400.000 fibers/m3, for shorter fibers, which are not so efficient in terms of anchorage. The impact test method developed was considered adequate, being sensitive to the phenomenon and providing reliable data. The DEM model, however, needs to be refined to be able to deal with fiber concrete composites.

Quando o concreto é submetido a carregamentos especiais, como cargas cíclicas ou ação de cargas de impacto, modificações em sua composição são necessárias. Uma vez que o material não apresenta desempenho satisfatório à tração, seu comportamento frente a este tipo de carregamento acaba seriamente comprometido. Uma alternativa para amenizar esta deficiência consiste em adicionar fibras de aço ao concreto. Ao adicionar estes elementos à matriz cimentícia, promove-se meios de transferência de tensões através das fissuras, aumentando a tenacidade do material, proporcionando mecanismos de absorção, relacionados com o desligamento e o arrancamento de fibras. Um número significativo de trabalhos experimentais envolvendo os mais diversos tipos de elementos estruturais reforçados com fibras de aço está disponível, havendo, no entanto, uma forte carência sob o ponto de vista de simulações numéricas. Buscando colaborar no desenvolvimento do material, o presente trabalho propõe a aplicação do Método dos Elementos Discretos para simulação do compósito submetido a carregamentos estáticos e dinâmicos. São realizadas alterações no algoritmo do método a fim de realizar a dispersão de fibras de aço na matriz de concreto. A análise das condições de contorno utilizadas em trabalho anterior revela a necessidade de aplicação de apoios elásticos sob pena de superestimar a rigidez do modelo. Os diagramas carga versus deslocamento que resultaram dos ensaios estáticos demonstram que o modelo criado é sensível à adição de fibras: maiores teores conduzem a modelos com maior tenacidade. O ensaio de impacto também se mostrou sensível e o padrão de fissuração encontrado nas simulações revelou uma boa aproximação com ensaios experimentais anteriores. / When submitted to special loading patterns, derived from dynamical actions such as cyclic or impact loads, some alterations in the concrete constitution need to be done, since the material don’t have an adequate behavior under tensile stress. A feasible alternative, in such cases, is to incorporate steel fibers in the concrete matrix. Adding these elements, stress transference mechanisms along the cracks are promoted, increasing the material tenacity. An expressive number of experimental works involving all the kinds of steel fiber reinforced concrete structural elements are available. However, few researches based on numerical methods are found in the literature. In order to contribute with the data collection and the development of the material, the present research work proposes the application of the Discrete Element Method to simulate the composite subjected to static and dynamic loads. Some modifications are made on the method algorithm trying to create the dispersion of fibers in the concrete matrix. The analysis of the boundary conditions used on previous work reveal the importance of using elastic support to don’t overestimate the stiffness of the model. The diagram load versus displacement that came from the static simulations shows that the model is sensible to the addition of fibers: higher proportions of fiber leads to models with higher tenacity. The impact tests also demonstrate sensibility and the crack pattern found on the simulations presented a very good approximation to previous experimental work.

Diversos materiais de interesse tecnológico podem ser considerados como materiais heterogêneos, onde sua natureza aleatória deve ser considerada para representar corretamente o comportamento não-linear. A avaliação quantitativa do dano em materiais sujeitos a estados de tensão ou deformação tem grande importância devido ao caráter crítico desse fenômeno, que pode crescer de forma abrupta e resultar em uma falha catastrófica da estrutura. Em estudos anteriores, Carpinteri e seus colaboradores apresentaram diferentes aspectos relacionados à caracterização do dano em materiais heterogêneos. Três desses aspectos são discutidos neste trabalho: (i) a proposta do número de fragilidade como medida da fragilidade da estrutura em análise; (ii) a evolução da dimensão fractal em que o processo de dano é desenvolvido; (iii) e os índices globais obtidos pela análise de Emissão Acústica (EA). Neste trabalho, uma versão do método dos elementos discretos formado por barras é utilizada para explorar esses aspectos. Espécimes de material quase-frágil são simulados e, quando possível, os resultados numéricos são comparados com resultados experimentais. Além disso, a discussão dos resultados obtidos é realizada visando compreender o comportamento desse tipo de material, como por exemplo, o fato de que estruturas com diferentes dimensões, porém com o mesmo número de fragilidade, têm comportamentos similares. Ademais, o método numérico empregado é apresentado como uma ferramenta viável para complementar a informação obtida em ensaios experimentais na avaliação do processo de dano. Pelo sinal de EA obtido através do método numérico empregado, obtiveram-se parâmetros para a classificação do tipo de falha e para o cálculo do tensor momento, onde comparando os resultados obtidos pelo modelo numérico e pela EA se observam comportamentos coerentes. / Several materials with technological interest can be considered as heterogeneous materials, where their random nature must be accounted to correctly represent the nonlinear behavior. The quantitative evaluation of damage in materials subjected to stress or strain states have great importance due to the critical nature of this phenomenon, which abruptly can rise to catastrophic failure. In previous studies, Carpinteri and his coworkers have presented different aspects of the damage process characterization in heterogeneous materials. Three of these aspects are discussed in this work: (i) the brittleness number proposal to measure the brittleness level of the analyzed structure, (ii) the relationship of the fractal dimension in which the damage process is developed, (iii) and the global indexes obtained by the Acoustic Emission (AE) analysis. In the present work, a version of discrete element method formed by bars is used to explore these concepts. A set of quasi-brittle material specimen is simulated and, when possible, the numerical results are compared with experimental ones. Moreover, a discussion of the obtained results is carried out aiming to understand the behavior of this kind of material, for instance, the fact that structures with different dimensions, but with the same brittleness number, have similar behavior. In addition, the numerical method is presented as a viable tool to complement information from experimental test on the damage process. From the AE signal obtained by the numerical method, parameters to classify the type of crack and for calculating the moment tensor were obtained, where consistent behaviors are observed by comparing the results of the numerical model and the AE.

Ce travail de thèse est consacré à l'étude des écoulements biphasiques grains-gaz dans un régime de blocage (jamming). Ce régime caractérisé par un écoulement interrompu en temps fini et fréquemment rencontré dans la nature ou les applications industrielles présente un caractère stochastique. Sa compréhension nécessite la mesure de son débit, de ses fluctuations et de la probabilité d'arrêt liée à la géométrie de confinement, à la microstructure granulaire et au gaz interstitiel. Une approche numérique discrète couplant la méthode de la dynamique des contacts non-régulière (Non Smooth Contact Dynamics) pour la dynamique des particules et une méthode mésoscopique de type homogène équivalente pour le gaz est développée. La statistique d'écoulement obtenue est en bon accord avec des résultats expérimentaux de la littérature : le débit vérifie une loi de puissance croissante en fonction de l'ouverture avec un débit moyen affecté par la présence du gaz. Ces résultats statistiques quantitatifs sont appliqués à l'estimation du taux de relocalisation du combustible nucléaire fragmenté et confiné dans son tube-gaine présentant un ballonnement local suite à une situation accidentelle de type Perte de Réfrigérant Primaire. / In this work, we investigate particle-gas two-phase flows in the jamming regime where the flow stops in finite time. In this regime, which occurs quite often in nature and industrial applications, the flow is stochastic and needs therefore to be characterized by the jamming probability as well as the flow rate and its fluctuations that depend on the confining geometry, granular microstructure and gas properties. We developped a numerical approach based on the coupling of the Non Smooth Contact Dynamics for the solid phase and a mesoscopic method for the gas phase. We find that the flow rate as a function of the opening is well fit by a power law in agreement with reported experimental data. The presence of a gas affects only the mean flow rate, the flow statistics being sensibly the same as in the absence of the gas. We apply our quantitative statistical results in order to estimate the relocation rate of fragmented nuclear fuel inside its cladding tube as a result of a local balloon caused by an accident (loss-of-refrigerent accident).

L'évaluation des risques naturels et du risque sismique en particulier a pris une importance croissante pour les autorités publiques ces dernières années, entraînant une adaptation importante des outils utilisés jusqu'à présent dans l'étude de la vulnérabilité du bâti. Il est nécessaire de mieux évaluer ces risques afin de mieux y faire face. De nouvelles approches doivent être proposées pour répondre à ces objectifs dont les approches numériques font partie. Parmi les méthodes numériques développées pour tenir compte de la spécificité du bâti maçonné figurent les approches par éléments discrets comme la méthode NSCD (« Non Smooth Contact Dynamics »). Les travaux présentés dans cette thèse visent à mieux appréhender le comportement mécanique et dynamique des ouvrages maçonnés en utilisant ce type de méthode implémenté dans le code calcul LMGC90, afin d'affiner la compréhension et la caractérisation de la vulnérabilité sismique des édifices en maçonnerie. La méthodologie que nous cherchons à mettre en place vise à traiter la vulnérabilité sismique de bâtiments spécifiques ou au contraire d'ensembles de bâtiments de même typologie. / The perception and the evaluation of natural risks and more particularly of the seismic hazard have never been so important and highlighted by the authorities. This phenomenon leads to a deep adjustment of tools used up to now in the assessment of the vulnerability of buildings. New approaches as numerical approaches have to be proposed so as to best estimate the risk. Among all the numeriacl methods developed to take into account specificities of masonry buildings, approaches by discrete elements methods as the NSCD method (“Non Smooth Contact Dynamics”) seem to be particularly well adapted. This PhD thesis aims to best understand the mechanical behaviour of masonry structures by using this discrete method implemented in the software LMGC90 so as to give an accurate estmation of the seismic vulnerability of buildings. The very purpose of this work is to develop a calculation tool able to deal with the vulnerabilityof both specific and common masonry buildings.

Quando o concreto é submetido a ações especiais, como cargas cíclicas ou ação de cargas de impacto, modificações em sua composição são necessárias, já que o concreto não apresenta desempenho satisfatório à tração, o que compromete o seu comportamento frente à ação de cargas dinâmicas. Uma alternativa para amenizar esta deficiência consiste em adicionar fibras ao concreto. Estas atuam como reforços à tração, transformando a matriz cimentícia, tipicamente frágil, em um material que apresenta boa resistência residual após a fissuração. Buscando colaborar na avaliação da eficiência de diferentes tipos de fibras, o presente trabalho analisa o comportamento de concretos com fibras de aço, submetidos ao impacto, avaliando a influência do fator de forma, do comprimento e do teor de fibras, assim como do tamanho do agregado. São ainda analisados os efeitos da incorporação de fibras na resistência à compressão, na resistência à tração por compressão diametral, no módulo de elasticidade e na tenacidade dos compósitos. Adicionalmente, é executada uma comparação entre os resultados experimentais e os derivados de um esquema de modelagem da situação de impacto através do uso do método de elementos discretos. Buscou-se, através da modelagem teórica, executar um mapeamento dos danos, provocados por cargas de impacto incrementais, ao longo do tempo, bem como determinar as energias necessárias para levar as placas até a ruptura. Os resultados indicam que a incorporação de fibras de aço não consegue retardar o aparecimento da primeira fissura, mas aumenta significativamente a tenacidade dos compósitos. Fibras mais longas e com maior fator de forma tendem a ser mais eficientes, desde que se supere um teor de fibras mínimo, que neste trabalho ficou em torno de 100.000 fibras/m3, para fibras longas (50-60 mm) e de 400.000 fibras/m3, para fibras curtas, cuja ancoragem é menos eficiente. O método de teste de impacto por queda de esfera se mostrou adequado e sensível, porém o esquema de modelagem numérica testado necessita ser refinado para permitir uma adequada simulação do comportamento de concretos com fibras. / When submitted to special loading patterns, derived from dynamical actions such as cyclic or impact loads, concrete elements need to be reinforced, in order to resist the tensile stresses. A feasible alternative, in such cases, is to incorporate fibers in the concrete matrix. The fibers act as a tensile reinforcement, transforming the fragile cement matrix into a composite with significant post-cracking residual strength. In order to contribute with the data collection about the efficiency of different fiber types, the present research work presents an analysis of the behavior of steel fiber reinforced concretes subjected to impact loads. The work investigates the influences of changes in the shape factor, length and amount of fibers. The effects of these combinations on other basic properties of the composites, such as compression strength, split cylinder tensile strength, Young’s modulus and tenacity is also measured. Additionally, a comparison is made between the experimental results from the impact tests and the estimates obtained from a theoretical model that uses the discrete element method (DEM). This theoretical approach aimed to determine if the model was able to simulate the damage evolution over time generated by the increasing impacts loads, as well as to determine the total energy necessary to crack and break the specimens. The results obtained pointed out that the introduction of steel fibers does not affect the energy for the first crack but increases significantly the tenacity of the composite. Longer fibers, with greater shape factors, tend to be more efficient, provided that the fiber content is sufficiently high. The minimum recommended fiber content, according to the data from this research, may be around 100.000 fibers/m3, for longer fibers (50-60 mm). Or around 400.000 fibers/m3, for shorter fibers, which are not so efficient in terms of anchorage. The impact test method developed was considered adequate, being sensitive to the phenomenon and providing reliable data. The DEM model, however, needs to be refined to be able to deal with fiber concrete composites.

Quando o concreto é submetido a carregamentos especiais, como cargas cíclicas ou ação de cargas de impacto, modificações em sua composição são necessárias. Uma vez que o material não apresenta desempenho satisfatório à tração, seu comportamento frente a este tipo de carregamento acaba seriamente comprometido. Uma alternativa para amenizar esta deficiência consiste em adicionar fibras de aço ao concreto. Ao adicionar estes elementos à matriz cimentícia, promove-se meios de transferência de tensões através das fissuras, aumentando a tenacidade do material, proporcionando mecanismos de absorção, relacionados com o desligamento e o arrancamento de fibras. Um número significativo de trabalhos experimentais envolvendo os mais diversos tipos de elementos estruturais reforçados com fibras de aço está disponível, havendo, no entanto, uma forte carência sob o ponto de vista de simulações numéricas. Buscando colaborar no desenvolvimento do material, o presente trabalho propõe a aplicação do Método dos Elementos Discretos para simulação do compósito submetido a carregamentos estáticos e dinâmicos. São realizadas alterações no algoritmo do método a fim de realizar a dispersão de fibras de aço na matriz de concreto. A análise das condições de contorno utilizadas em trabalho anterior revela a necessidade de aplicação de apoios elásticos sob pena de superestimar a rigidez do modelo. Os diagramas carga versus deslocamento que resultaram dos ensaios estáticos demonstram que o modelo criado é sensível à adição de fibras: maiores teores conduzem a modelos com maior tenacidade. O ensaio de impacto também se mostrou sensível e o padrão de fissuração encontrado nas simulações revelou uma boa aproximação com ensaios experimentais anteriores. / When submitted to special loading patterns, derived from dynamical actions such as cyclic or impact loads, some alterations in the concrete constitution need to be done, since the material don’t have an adequate behavior under tensile stress. A feasible alternative, in such cases, is to incorporate steel fibers in the concrete matrix. Adding these elements, stress transference mechanisms along the cracks are promoted, increasing the material tenacity. An expressive number of experimental works involving all the kinds of steel fiber reinforced concrete structural elements are available. However, few researches based on numerical methods are found in the literature. In order to contribute with the data collection and the development of the material, the present research work proposes the application of the Discrete Element Method to simulate the composite subjected to static and dynamic loads. Some modifications are made on the method algorithm trying to create the dispersion of fibers in the concrete matrix. The analysis of the boundary conditions used on previous work reveal the importance of using elastic support to don’t overestimate the stiffness of the model. The diagram load versus displacement that came from the static simulations shows that the model is sensible to the addition of fibers: higher proportions of fiber leads to models with higher tenacity. The impact tests also demonstrate sensibility and the crack pattern found on the simulations presented a very good approximation to previous experimental work.

Ce travail de thèse concerne la prédiction des structures en béton soumises à des chargements extrêmes. Il s'intéresse plus particulièrement au comportement du béton sous fort confinement où la contrainte peut atteindre des niveaux de l'ordre du giga Pascal. La modélisation de ce comportement doit être capable de reproduire la compaction irréversible. Pour ce faire, deux lois de comportement élasto-plastique - endommageable ont été développées et implantées dans un code aux éléments discrets. Les paramètres utilisés dans ces lois sont calibrés par les simulations des essais de traction/compression uniaxial, des essais hydrostatiques et triaxiaux. Une fois les paramètres calibrés, la loi montrant le meilleur agrément avec l'expérience a été choisie pour la prédiction de la réponse du béton sous différents niveaux de confinement. Les résultats du modèle sont analysés non seulement à l'échelle macroscopique mais également à l'échelle de l'élément discret. La nécessité de prendre en compte une loi d'interaction de type élasto-plastique-endommageable est aussi montrée. La deuxième partie du travail de thèse développe une méthode de couplage entre le modèle éléments discrets et un modèle d'écoulement compressible en tenant compte des mécanismes physiques fondamentaux d'interaction entre l'écoulement interne et les particules solides d'un matériau poreux. Le problème d'écoulement est résolu par une méthode en volumes finis, où le volume est discrétisé en tétraèdres issus d'une triangulation régulière de Delaunay. Notre modèle est une adaptation aux fluides compressibles d'un modèle développé initialement pour les écoulements incompressibles. Ce couplage a été utilisé pour simuler le comportement triaxial des bétons humides et saturés sous différents niveaux de confinement. Les résultats nous montrent une bonne reproduction du comportement non-drainé du béton saturé sous faible confinement. Pour fort confinement, les simulations ne se rapprochent des résultats expérimentaux qu'au prix d'une compressibilité du fluide plus faible que celle de l'eau. Par ailleurs, la contrainte effective était une variable pertinente pour décrire le comportement du béton humide par un état limite intrinsèque indépendant du degré de saturation. / This thesis work deals with the predicting of concrete structures submitted to some extreme loadings, and, more particularly, focuses on behavior of concrete under a high-confining pressure. At this range of pressures, irreversible compaction of the material occurs and needs to be considered. Doing so, two elasto-plastic-damaged constitutive laws have been developed and implanted into a discrete element numerical code. Local parameters to be used in these constitutive laws are identified by simulating reference uniaxial traction/compression tests and triaxial compression tests. Once these parameters have been obtained, the law showing the best agreement with the experimental data has been chosen to predict the reponse of concrete sample for triaxial compressive tests at different levels of confinement. The numerical results have been analyzed not only at macroscopic scale but also at discrete element scale. The need of a constitutive law taking into account the elasto-plastic-damaged behavior has been also proved. The second objective of the thesis work was to develop a fluid flow – coupled discrete element model by considering fundamental physical mechanisms of the interaction between the internal fluide flow and the solid particles of a porous material. The flow problem is solved by the finite volume method, where the volume is discretized into tetrahedra issue of a regular Delaunay triangulation. Our model is an adaptation for elastic fluids of a model originally developed for incompressible flows. The developed fluid-flow coupled discrete element has been used to simulate the undrained triaxial behavior of concrete under different levels of confinement. The results show a good reproduction of undrained behavior of saturated concrete under low confinement. For high confinement, the simulations only resemble the experimental results when the fluid compressibility is lower than that of water. Moreover, the effective stress was a relevant variable to describe the behavior of the wet concrete by an intrinsic limit state independent of the degree of saturation.

Le comportement des matériaux multiphasiques couvre une multitude de phénomènes qui suscitent un grand intérêt dans le domaine scientifique et professionnel. Les propriétés mécaniques de ces types de matériau trouvent leur origine dans les phases dont ils sont composés, leur distribution et interaction. Un nouveau modèle hydrodynamique couplé est présenté dans ce travail de thèse, à appliquer à l'analyse de l'hydrodynamique des milieux granulaires saturés. Le modèle associe la méthode des éléments discrets (DEM) pour la modélisation de la phase solide, avec une formulation en volumes finis, à l'échelle des pores (PFV), du problème de l'écoulement. Une importance particulière est donné à la description de l'interaction entre les phases, avec la détermination des forces fluides à appliquer sur chacune des particule, tout en assurant un coût de calcul abordable, qui permet la modélisation de plusieurs milliers des particules en trois dimensions. Le milieux est considéré saturé par un fluide incompressible. Les pores et leur connectivité est basée sur une triangulation régulière des assemblages. L'analogie de cette formulation avec la théorie classique de Biot est présenté. Le modèle est validé par la comparaison des résultats numériques obtenus pour un problème de consolidation d'un sol granulaire avec la solution analytique de Terzaghi. Une approche pour analyser l'hydrodynamique d'un sédiment granulaire est finalement présenté. La reproduction du phénomène de liquéfaction d'un sol est également présentée. / The behaviour of multiphase materials covers a wide range of phenomena of interest to both scientists and engineers. The mechanical properties of these materials originate from all component phases, their distribution and interaction. A new coupled hydromechanical model is presented in this work, to be applied to the analysis of the hydrodynamics of saturated granular media. The model associates the discrete element method (DEM) for the solid phase, and a pore-scale finite volume (PFV) formulation of the flow problem. The emphasis of this model is, on one hand, the microscopic description of the interaction between phases, with the determination of the forces applied on solid particles by the fluid; on the other hand, the model involve affordable computational costs, that allow the simulation of thousands of particles in three dimensional models. The medium is assumed to be saturated of an incompressible fluid. Pore bodies and their connections are defined locally through a regular triangulation of the packings. The analogy of the DEM-PFV model and the classic Biot's theory of poroelasticity is discussed. The model is validated through comparison of the numerical result of a soil consolidation problem with the Terzaghi's analytical solution. An approach to analyze the hydrodynamic of a granular sediment is finally presented. The reproduction of the phenomenon of soil liquefaction is analysed and discussed.