• Computers and Concrete
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.39-51
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• 2016

This paper considers the tensile strength of concrete samples in direct, CTT, modified tension, splitting and ring tests using both of the experimental tests and numerical simulation (particle flow code 2D). It determined that which one of indirect tensile strength is close to direct tensile strength. Initially calibration of PFC was undertaken with respect to the data obtained from Brazilian laboratory tests to ensure the conformity of the simulated numerical models response. Furthermore, validation of the simulated models in four introduced tests was also cross checked with the results from experimental tests. By using numerical testing, the failure process was visually observed and failure patterns were watched to be reasonable in accordance with experimental results. Discrete element simulations demonstrated that the macro fractures in models are caused by microscopic tensile breakages on large numbers of bonded discs. Tensile strength of concrete in direct test was less than other tests results. Tensile strength resulted from modified tension test was close to direct test results. So modified tension test can be a proper test for determination of tensile strength of concrete in absence of direct test. Other advantages shown by modified tension tests are: (1) sample preparation is easy and (2) the use of a simple conventional compression press controlled by displacement compared with complicate device in other tests.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.433-446
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• 2020

In this paper the effect of confining pressure and tunnel depth on the ground vertical settlement has been investigated using particle flow code (PFC2D). For this perpuse firstly calibration of PFC2D was performed using both of tensile test and triaxial test. Then a model with dimention of 100 m × 100 m was built. A circular tunnel with diameter of 20 m was drillled in the middle of the model. Also, a rectangular tunnel with wide of 10 m and length of 20 m was drilled in the model. The center of tunnel was situated 15 m, 20 m, 25 m, 30 m, 35 m, 40 m, 45 m, 50 m, 55 m and 60 m below the ground surface. these models are under confining pressure of 0.001 GPa, 0.005 GPa, 0.01 GPa, 0.03 GPa, 0.05 GPa and 0.07 GPa. The results show that the volume of colapce zone is constant by increasing the distance between ground surface and tunnel position. Also, the volume of colapce zone was increased by decreasing of confining pressure. The maximum of settlement occurs at the top of the tunnel roof. The maximum of settlement occurs when center of tunnel was situated 15 m below the ground surface. The settlement decreases by increasing the distance between tunnel center line and measuring circles in the ground surface. The minimum of settlement occurs when center of circular tunnel was situated 60 m below the surface ground. Its to be note that the settlement increase by decreasing the confining pressure.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.359-372
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• 2015

Rock masses include various rock discontinuities such as faults, joints, and bedding planes. These discontinuities appear as complex structures in geometry. In this study, growth patterns of fractures between two stepping shear fracture tips are numerically modeled using PFC2D (Particle Flow Code). The numerical model showed not only incipient growth of fractures at the tips of preexisting fractures but also subsequent growth of the new fractures. It is observed from all of the experiments that the incipient fractures are tensile cracks developed at $30{\sim}57^{\circ}$ to the preexisting fractures and the subsequent growth of these fractures were at low angles to the preexisting fractures this study.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.66 no.4
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• pp.445-452
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• 2018

In this paper the effects of particle size and model scale of concrete have been investigated on point load index, tensile strength, and the failure processes using a PFC2D numerical modeling study. Circular and semi-circular specimens of concrete were numerically modeled using the same particle size, 0.27 mm, but with different model diameters of 75 mm, 54 mm, 25 mm, and 12.5 mm. In addition, circular and semi-circular models with the diameter of 27 mm and particle sizes of 0.27 mm, 0.47 mm, 0.67 mm, 0.87 mm, 1.07 mm, and 1.27 mm were simulated to determine whether they can match the experimental observations from point load and Brazilian tests. The numerical modeling results show that the failure patterns are influenced by the model scale and particle size, as expected. Both Is(50) and Brazilian tensile strength values increased as the model diameter and particle sizes increased. The ratio of Brazilian tensile strength to Is(50) showed a reduction as the particle size increased but did not change with the increase in the model scale.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.57-69
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• 2023

In this study, we simulated induced seismicity in the Groningen natural gas reservoir using 2D hydro-mechanical coupled discrete element modelling (DEM). The code used is PFC2D (Particle Flow Code 2D), a commercial software developed by Itasca, and in order to apply to this study we further developed 1)initialization of inhomogeneous reservoir pressure distribution, 2)a non-linear pressure-time history boundary condition, 3)local stress field monitoring logic. We generated a 2D reservoir model with a size of 40 × 50 km² and a complex fault system, and simulated years of pressure depletion with a time range between 1960 and 2020. We simulated fault system failure induced by pressure depletion and reproduced the spatiotemporal distribution of induced seismicity and assessed its failure mechanism. Also, we estimated the ground subsidence distribution and confirmed its similarity to the field measurements in the Groningen region. Through this study, we confirm the feasibility of the presented 2D hydro-mechanical coupled DEM in simulating the deformation of a complex fault system by hydro-mechanical coupled processes.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.320-334
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• 2020

This study presents an application of hydro-mechanical coupled Particle Flow Code 3D (PFC3D) to simulation of fluid injection induced fault slip experiment conducted in Mont Terri Switzerland as a part of a task in an international research project DECOVALEX-2019. We also aimed as identifying the current limitations of the modelling method and issues for further development. A fluid flow algorithm was developed and implemented in a 3D pore-pipe network model in a 3D bonded particle assembly using PFC3D v5, and was applied to Mont Terri Step 2 minor fault activation experiment. The simulated results showed that the injected fluid migrates through the permeable fault zone and induces fault deformation, demonstrating a full hydro-mechanical coupled behavior. The simulated results were, however, partially matching with the field measurement. The simulated pressure build-up at the monitoring location showed linear and progressive increase, whereas the field measurement showed an abrupt increase associated with the fault slip We conclude that such difference between the modelling and the field test is due to the structure of the fault in the model which was represented as a combination of damage zone and core fractures. The modelled fault is likely larger in size than the real fault in Mont Terri site. Therefore, the modelled fault allows several path ways of fluid flow from the injection location to the pressure monitoring location, leading to smooth pressure build-up at the monitoring location while the injection pressure increases, and an early start of pressure decay even before the injection pressure reaches the maximum. We also conclude that the clay filling in the real fault could have acted as a fluid barrier which may have resulted in formation of fluid over-pressurization locally in the fault. Unlike the pressure result, the simulated fault deformations were matching with the field measurements. A better way of modelling a heterogeneous clay-filled fault structure with a narrow zone should be studied further to improve the applicability of the modelling method to fluid injection induced fault activation.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.475-486
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• 2023

Ballast particles have an irregular shape and are discrete in nature. Due to the discrete nature of ballast, it exhibits complex mechanical behaviour under loading conditions. The discrete element method (DEM) can model the behaviour of discrete particles under a multitude of loading conditions. DEM is used in this paper to simulate a series of three-dimensional direct shear tests in order to investigate the shear behaviour of railway ballast and its interaction at the microscopic level. Particle flow code in three dimension (PFC3D) models the irregular shape of ballast particles as clump particles. To investigate the influence of particle size distribution (PSD), real PSD of Indian railway ballast specification IRS:GE:1:2004, China high-speed rail (HSR) and French rail specifications are generated. PFC3D built-in linear contact model is used to simulate the interaction of ballast particles under various normal stresses, shearing rate and shear box sizes. The results indicate how shear resistance and volumetric changes in ballast assembly are affected by normal stress, shearing rate, PSD and shear box size. In addition to macroscopic behaviour, DEM represents the microscopic behaviour of ballast particles in the form of particle displacement at different stages of the shearing process.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.84 no.5
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• pp.633-649
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• 2022

In this study, the effect of circle tunnel on the force distribution around underground rectangular gallery was investigated using theoretical approach, experimental test and Particle flow code simulation (PFC). Gypsum model with dimension of 1500×1500 mm was built. Tensile strength of material was 1 MPa. Dimension of central gallery was 100 mm×200 mm and diameter of adjacent tunnel in its right side was 20 mm, 40 mm and 60 mm. Horizontal distance between tunnel wall and gallery edge were 25, 50, 75, 100 and 125 mm. using beam theory, the effect of tunnel diameter and distance between tunnel and gallery on the induced force around gallery was analyzed. In the laboratory test, the rate of loading displacement was set to 0.05 millimeter per minute. Also sensitivity analysis has been done. Using PFC2D, interaction between tunnel and gallery was simulated and its results were compared with experimental and theoretical analysis. The results show that the tensile force concentration has maximum value in center of the rectangular space. The tensile force concentration at the right side of the axisymmetric line of gallery has more than its value in the left side of the galleries axisymmetric line. The tensile force concentration was decreased by increasing the distance between tunnel and rectangular space. In whole of the configurations, the angles of micro cracks fluctuated between 75 and 105 degrees, which mean that the variations of tunnel situation have not any influence on the fracture angle.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.663-673
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• 2018

In this study, the effect of particle size on the cracks propagation and coalescence or cracking pattern of the edge notched disc specimens are investigated. Firstly, calibration of PFC3D was performed using Brazilian experimental test output. Then micro parameters were used to build edge notched disc specimen. The horizontal wall of the assembly is let to move downward with a standard low speed of 0.016 m/s. The numerical results show that the tensile cracks are dominant failure pattern for the modeled discs. These tensile cracks initiate from the pre-existing notch tip and propagate parallel to the loading direction then interact with the upper boundary of the modeled specimen. As the size of the balls (ball diameter) decrease the number of tensile cracks increase. The tensile fracture toughness of the samples also decreases as the particle size increases. Understanding the crack propagation and crack coalescence phenomena in brittle materials such as concretes and rocks is of paramount importance in the stability analyses for engineering structures such as rock slopes, underground structures and tunneling.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.47-57
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• 2010

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.