Influence of Micromaterial Heterogeneity on Strain Localization in Granular Materials

Lade's constitutive model was modified to incorporate the couple stress and the particle's rotation within the framework of the Cosserat continuum. The finite element equations were implemented in the finite-element program (ABAQUS) to predict the strain localization (shear bands) in granular materials. Material spatial heterogeneity such as local void ratio, particle size, surface roughness and shape indices was mapped into the finite element mesh to account for the local heterogeneity of the material properties. The model was found to respond well to such spatial heterogeneities and the results compare well with experiments. The material spatial distributions were generated using scanning electron microscope and optical microscope images. The surface roughness and the shape indices were found to affect the shear band thickness; a parametric study was performed and such effects were found to be significant. The shear band thickness was found to increase as the surface roughness of the particles, particle size, and the particle angularity index increase while it tends to decrease as the particle sphericity, initial density and the confining pressure increase.