Evaluating uncertainty in particle roughness of coated sand and its implication to coating abrasion

Abstract

Coated soils have recently been spotlighted for their prospective applications in geotechnical engineering. Prior studies have shown that Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coatings can substantially mitigate surface roughness and have suggested that such coatings may experience abrasion under stress conditions. However, comprehensive studies exploring the impacts of these coatings on particle surface attributes have been scarce. In this work, we scrutinize the surface properties of coated sands with varying mass ratios (MRs), applying probabilistic analysis to account for inherent uncertainty. According to the uncertainty quantification investigation via experimental data, the Gamma distribution is optimal to examine increasing MRs, highlighting a steady decline in surface roughness and corresponding dispersion. Furthermore, a probabilistic assessment of a specific coated sand sample (3% MR) exposed to different stress levels are conducted. The findings suggest that polymer coatings may endure abrasion as stress levels rise, with the average roughness values incrementally converging towards those of natural sands. The detailed examination of particle surface characteristics also unveils the existence of more pronounced peaks and valleys at elevated stress levels, implying significant height variations and evident heterogeneity in surface profiles. Overall, the use of probabilistic analysis techniques provides a more precise understanding of how particle surface properties depend on increasing MRs and their notable dispersion under escalating stress levels. This methodology could be instrumental in probing the mechanical behavior of coated sands, known for their considerable uncertainty.