Anisotropy of microstructure and force chains in granular materials

Abstract

Three orientation tensors are adopted to describe the anisotropy of microstructures and force chains in granular materials. Numerical investigations based on discrete element method focus on the evolution of anisotropy and the effect of particle rolling friction on anisotropy. Results show that the fabric tensor describing microstructure will be isotropic for large particle assemblies with circular grains, however, other two tensors describing force chains will be of significant anisotropy and the evolution curves of the intensity of anisotropy are similar to stress-strain curves, in addition, the particle rolling have major influences on the anisotropy of force chains. © 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.