Thermodynamic constitutive model for granular soils considering particle shape distribution

Abstract

Particle shape has a significant effect on the shear strength and shear dilatancy properties of granular materials. This study presents a granular thermodynamic theory investigate the effects of particle shape and distribution on the mechanical properties and behavior of granular materials. The theory model outcomes closely resemble experimental results, effectively capturing the impact of particle shape on the mechanical properties and shear dilation of granular materials. The paper analyzes the relationship between a granular system's plastic behavior and granular temperature and explores the influence of irregularly shaped granular on the system's strength and kinetic energy activity. The granular temperature behavior during external loading is studied, showing that granular temperatures increase to a maximum value before gradually decreasing to a more stable state. Simulation results based on the proposed model also indicate obvious effects of nonuniform particle-shape distribution on the mechanical properties of granular materials, providing a comprehensive insight into the underlying mechanisms of the particle-shape effects from the perspective of thermodynamics.