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Multiscale and Multiphysics Modeling of Soil Water Systems

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, Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, Civil Engineering.
Many geotechnical problems involve the interactions between soil skeleton and different multiphysics, e.g., frost heave of foundation, underground hazardous substance transport, geothermal heat transfer, and soil erosion under surface flow. The associated physical and mechanical behaviors of natural soils are highly determined by their microscale structural attribute. This study discussed the multiscale and multiphysics nature of granular materials focusing on three major areas, i.e., surface erosion behavior, desiccation cracking, and clay particle interaction. A coupled CFD-DEM model has been built to study the erosion behavior of granular soils under surface flow. The model was first verified by two benchmark examples, i.e., free settling of a single sphere in water and formation of repose angle of sand piles in water. Surface erosion of sand grains has been simulated considering different influencing factors, including particle size, particle bonding strength, flow turbulence, and particle angularity. It is shown erosion resistance increases linearly with particle size, and angular particles have a higher erosion resistance than spherical particles. An aggregate-scale DEM model was also built to simulate the formation and propagation of desiccation cracks of a thin clay layer. Model parameters have been calibrated by a customized experimental system monitoring the volumetric shrinkage of clay while drying. It is shown this aggregate-scale model replicates the formation and final cracking polygons very well. Sample thickness and bottom constraint have a significant influence on the cracking formation. A particle-scale DEM clay model was developed subsequently to study the mechanical interaction between clay particles with implementation of complicated inter-particle forces, e.g., long-range electrostatic force, short-range van der Waals force. The double-layer repulsion has been calibrated by AFM force measurement on kaolinite particles in 1.0 mM NaCl electrolyte. The model has been verified by comparing the equilibrium void ratio of kaolinite suspension under different centrifugal accelerations. Compressibility and shear strength of bulk clay particles have been simulated and compared with experimental observations. It is shown this microscale model holistically simulates the macroscale characteristics of clay under compression and shearing.
Xiong (Bill) Yu (Advisor)
Xiangwu (David) Zeng (Committee Member)
Adel S. Saada (Committee Member)
Bo Li (Committee Member)
Longhua Zhao (Committee Member)

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Guo, Y. (n.d.). Multiscale and Multiphysics Modeling of Soil Water Systems [Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1527760301074766

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Guo, Yuan. Multiscale and Multiphysics Modeling of Soil Water Systems. Case Western Reserve University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1527760301074766.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Guo, Yuan. "Multiscale and Multiphysics Modeling of Soil Water Systems." Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University. Accessed MARCH 28, 2024. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1527760301074766

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)