DEM modelling in geomechanics: Some recent breakthroughs

Abstract

We discuss the application of DEM to two major issues in Geomechanics: failure description and stresses in partially saturated granular materials. As for failure description, a significant theoretical complexity arises from the non-associatedness of geomaterials and DEM has been instrumental in the understanding of failure before the plastic limit condition (the Mohr-Coulomb surface). As for stresses in partially saturated granular materials, a variety of microscopic stresses exist in the medium with contact forces, fluid pressures, and surface tension forces. However, the DEM framework handles this complexity in a consistent manner with respect to analytical homogenization. DEM provides thus a powerful tool to investigate the tensorial nature of capillary stresses due to the fluid mixture in partially saturated granular material.