Termite mounds are bioengineered granular ensembles that remain stable over decades, a vital requirement for termite societies house millions of individual termites. An experimental study on the mechanobiology and mound soil fungus-growing Odontotermes obesus (Rambur) demonstrated termites capable engineers. Mound was significantly different in its physical mechanical properties compared to surrounding or ‘control’ soil. However, control soils did not differ clay mineralogy. Utilising finer...

Abstract Railway tracks endure significant loads, with the ballast layer playing a crucial role in both damping and safely transmitting these forces to subgrade. However, degradation significantly impacts track maintenance costs. To mitigate this, tyre rubber crumbs could be mixed coarse aggregates. This study employs coupled 2D - Discrete Element Method (DEM) Free Galerkin (EFG) framework evaluate effect of including angular aggregates on micromechanics during simple shear. The addition...

Abstract The aim of this study was to develop a 3-D numerical technique, which combines peridynamics (PD) and the discrete element method (DEM), handle both fracture post-fracture behavior granular aggregates. In particular, inclusion an unstructured grid into coupled PD-DEM framework [1] represent complex morphology aggregate thoroughly studied. accuracy model first verified through simulation indirect tensile tests on cylindrical specimen. Then, structured models were compared by...

Abstract Understanding the flow of suspensions through porous media is crucial, particularly in applications such as grouting, waterflooding, and hydraulic fracturing. Previous research indicates that investigations into mechanisms underlying transient coupled phenomenon have been insufficient to fully understand complex phenomenon. The present study employs an experimental methodology, aided with X-ray CT images, examine particle migration process resulting formation internal filer cake...

Gas extraction from methane hydrate reservoirs results in significant changes to pore pressure, causing soil deformation and progressive failure. Current advanced constitutive models, which are capable of capturing this process, often complex, computationally expensive, challenging implement numerical solvers. Hence, simpler models generally preferred; however, these fail predict critical geomechanical aspects such as strain softening dilation. To address limitation, the present study...

Understanding and controlling fracture propagation is one of the most challenging engineering problems, especially in oil gas sector, groundwater hydrology geothermal energy applications. Predicting orientation while also possessing a non-linear material response becomes more complex when medium subjected to anisotropic boundary stresses. Further, fracturing behaviour geological porous media that exhibit high leak-off potential not clearly understood. In this context, novel testing technique...

ABSTRACT: Alternative energy sources, such as methane gas hydrates, lie between renewable and conventional hydro-carbon fuels in terms of clean resources. The global abundance hydrate reserves has generated interest harnessing the without affecting environment. mechanical response hydrate-bearing sediments depends on morphology, which exerts a profound influence sediment behavior under various loading conditions. present study experimentally investigates characteristics stiffness, peak...

ABSTRACT Modelling the cyclic response of granular materials is key in design several geostructures. Over years, numerous constitutive models have been proposed to predict behaviour materials. However, pertaining hypoplastic models, one significant limitations their inability accurately geomechanical during unloading and reloading phases. This study introduces an extension MS‐IS model designed enhance predictions non‐monotonic loading conditions. Addressing observed phases, incorporates...