Stress Transmission in Granular Media

Abstract

An attempt is made to bring out the contribution of the material parameter E/G (E-Young's modulus, G- Shear modulus), by presenting graphically some of the pertaining numerical results as a supplement to earlier work (by the same author) using the model E/G greater than 1(1+mu) where mu-Poisson's ratio of the material in state. In the study of the stress distribution problems the effect of the material parameter E/G and of limited thickness of a compressive layer, d, have been examined. The results lead to the following conclusions: development of the onion-shaped pressure bulb depends on the E/G ratio but is only slightly affected by mu; the concentration of stresses around the loading area increases as the material parameter E/G increases. Increase in E/G value represents increase in looseness/softness of the medium; normal stresses on the axis depend on the thickness of the medium and d/a ratio (a-radius of the rigid circular footing) but are only slightly affected by the nature of the contact surface. Thus the E/G values are an effective measure of the state of the medium which influences the stress transmission in materials other than solids.