Applicability of Particle Crushing Model by Using PFC

Granular soils having a large particle size have been used as a filling material in the construction of foundation, harbor, dam, and so on. Consequently, the shear behavior of this granular soil plays a key role in respect of stability of structures. For example, soil particle crushing occurring at the interface between structure and soil and/or within soil mass can cause a disturbance of ground characteristics and consequently induce issues in respect of stability of structures. In order to investigate the shear behavior according to an existence and nonexistence of particle crushing, numerical analyses were conducted by using the DEM (Discrete Element Method)-based software program PFC2D (Particle Flow Code). By dividing soil particle bonding model into crushing model and noncrushing model, total four particle bonding models were simulated and their results were compared. Noncrushing model included one ball model and clump model, and crushing model included cluster model and Lobo-crushing model. The combinations of soil particle followed the research results of Lobo-Guerrero and Vallejo (2005) which were composed of eight circles. The results showed that the friction angle was in order of clump model > cluster model > one ball model. The particle bonding model compared to one ball model and noncrushing model compared to crushing model showed higher shear strength. It was also concluded that the model suggested by Lobo-Guerrero and Vallejo (2005) is not appropriate to simulate the soil particle crushing.