Macro deformation and micro displacement characteristics of granular materials

Abstract

Granular material is the most common thing in the nature, including sand, rice and coffee beans et al. Soil and sand are typical granular materials, the deformation of granular materials like soil and sand could induce different kinds of natural hazards, like landslides, debris flow and ground settlement. The macro deformation of granular material is caused by the integral of micro displacement of each particle. However, traditional experimental method could only get the macro deformation rather than micro displacement. Hence, the three typical kinds of granular displacement are explained in this paper to reveal the macro deformation mechanism, firstly. Two latest novel experimental techniques on granular materials deformation studying and corresponding working principles are introduced in detail.