Pub Date : 2026-01-06DOI: 10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107878
Jin Zhang , Chong Shi , Linkai Zhang , Ke Ren , Wei Qiao , Xuan Tang
This study presents a fractional-order viscoplastic fatigue–damage model to investigate the long-term deformation behavior of rock materials considering creep effects. Fatigue damage is interpreted as progressive microstructural degradation, formulated through a convolution-based evolution law, while time-dependent creep effects are captured via a viscoplastic yield function. Fractional calculus is introduced to establish a unified constitutive framework that couples viscoplastic deformation with damage evolution. The established model is implemented numerically using a return-mapping algorithm and validated through applications to four sets of experimental data reported in the literature, showing excellent agreement in terms of strain-rate dependency, cumulative deformation, confining pressure effects and fatigue life. Moreover, the proposed model successfully reproduces the transition of volumetric strain from compaction to dilation during cyclic loading, demonstrating its capability to capture the coupled fatigue–creep behavior of rock materials.
{"title":"A unified fractional-order viscoplastic fatigue damage model for rock materials under cyclic loading with creep effects","authors":"Jin Zhang , Chong Shi , Linkai Zhang , Ke Ren , Wei Qiao , Xuan Tang","doi":"10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107878","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107878","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study presents a fractional-order viscoplastic fatigue–damage model to investigate the long-term deformation behavior of rock materials considering creep effects. Fatigue damage is interpreted as progressive microstructural degradation, formulated through a convolution-based evolution law, while time-dependent creep effects are captured via a viscoplastic yield function. Fractional calculus is introduced to establish a unified constitutive framework that couples viscoplastic deformation with damage evolution. The established model is implemented numerically using a return-mapping algorithm and validated through applications to four sets of experimental data reported in the literature, showing excellent agreement in terms of strain-rate dependency, cumulative deformation, confining pressure effects and fatigue life. Moreover, the proposed model successfully reproduces the transition of volumetric strain from compaction to dilation during cyclic loading, demonstrating its capability to capture the coupled fatigue–creep behavior of rock materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55217,"journal":{"name":"Computers and Geotechnics","volume":"192 ","pages":"Article 107878"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145924596","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-05DOI: 10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107893
Zhijian Qiu , Qiwei Jin , Qingwei Wu , Muhammad Zayed , Ahmed Ebeido , Yewei Zheng
Ensuring seismic resilience of transportation earth structures is critical for maintaining lifeline functionality following major earthquakes, with interpretability and data-driven modeling being key to achieving maximum resilience and rapid demand prediction. This study presents an explainable resilience-informed framework that integrates finite element (FE) simulations, probabilistic demand modeling, and machine learning-based surrogate modeling to rapidly assess and optimize the seismic resilience of earth embankments. Within the framework, FE results from 1,000 embankment configurations subjected to 100 recorded ground motions are employed to train an explainable XGBoost model that accurately captures the nonlinear effects of key parameters on seismic response. In this regard, the trained surrogate model further facilitates efficient derivation of seismic fragility and resilience curves, quantifying both performance degradation and post-earthquake recovery. Consequently, a resilience-informed multi-objective optimization is performed to identify optimal geometric configurations of earth embankments that maximize seismic resilience while minimizing both the lateral and vertical deformations. Representative scenarios show that reducing embankment height and flattening the embankment slope significantly enhance seismic resilience for low-strength materials, minimizing the need for costly reinforcement or material enhancement. Overall, the developed explainable framework provides a transparent, data-driven, and physics-consistent approach for rapid prediction and optimization of equivalent resilient transportation earth structures.
{"title":"An explainable resilience-informed framework for surrogate modeling and multi-objective optimization of embankments under seismic loading","authors":"Zhijian Qiu , Qiwei Jin , Qingwei Wu , Muhammad Zayed , Ahmed Ebeido , Yewei Zheng","doi":"10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107893","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107893","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ensuring seismic resilience of transportation earth structures is critical for maintaining lifeline functionality following major earthquakes, with interpretability and data-driven modeling being key to achieving maximum resilience and rapid demand prediction. This study presents an explainable resilience-informed framework that integrates finite element (FE) simulations, probabilistic demand modeling, and machine learning-based surrogate modeling to rapidly assess and optimize the seismic resilience of earth embankments. Within the framework, FE results from 1,000 embankment configurations subjected to 100 recorded ground motions are employed to train an explainable XGBoost model that accurately captures the nonlinear effects of key parameters on seismic response. In this regard, the trained surrogate model further facilitates efficient derivation of seismic fragility and resilience curves, quantifying both performance degradation and post-earthquake recovery. Consequently, a resilience-informed multi-objective optimization is performed to identify optimal geometric configurations of earth embankments that maximize seismic resilience while minimizing both the lateral and vertical deformations. Representative scenarios show that reducing embankment height and flattening the embankment slope significantly enhance seismic resilience for low-strength materials, minimizing the need for costly reinforcement or material enhancement. Overall, the developed explainable framework provides a transparent, data-driven, and physics-consistent approach for rapid prediction and optimization of equivalent resilient transportation earth structures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55217,"journal":{"name":"Computers and Geotechnics","volume":"192 ","pages":"Article 107893"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145924606","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-05DOI: 10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107857
Deyun Liu , Jidong Zhao , Shijin Feng , Hao Chen
This study investigates how particle shape governs the mechanical behavior of gap-graded soils, with a focus on stress transmission, small-strain stiffness, and the efficacy of a refined state variable framework. Based on systematic DEM simulations with non-spherical particles, we demonstrate that non-spherical coarse particles significantly enhance the engagement of finer particles in stress transmission, particularly when the fine content is between 15% and 25%. This effect stems from shape-induced changes in packing structure, which alter the void ratio and coordination number. In contrast, the effect of particle shape on small-strain stiffness, while measurable, is quantitatively limited. This is because the stiffness contribution from finer particles remains minor, even when their role in stress transmission is amplified. The refined state variable framework, which account for this enhanced role of fines, was validated and effectively captured the small-strain characteristics of gap-graded soils across all particle shapes. Overall, the observed mechanical trends remain consistent with those from studies using spherical particles, indicating that the underlying mechanisms are robust. These insights improve the understanding of coupled shape–size effects and provide enhanced modeling tools for geotechnical applications such as foundation design and material optimization.
{"title":"The role of particle shape in stress transmission and stiffness in gap-graded soils","authors":"Deyun Liu , Jidong Zhao , Shijin Feng , Hao Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107857","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107857","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates how particle shape governs the mechanical behavior of gap-graded soils, with a focus on stress transmission, small-strain stiffness, and the efficacy of a refined state variable framework. Based on systematic DEM simulations with non-spherical particles, we demonstrate that non-spherical coarse particles significantly enhance the engagement of finer particles in stress transmission, particularly when the fine content is between 15% and 25%. This effect stems from shape-induced changes in packing structure, which alter the void ratio and coordination number. In contrast, the effect of particle shape on small-strain stiffness, while measurable, is quantitatively limited. This is because the stiffness contribution from finer particles remains minor, even when their role in stress transmission is amplified. The refined state variable framework, which account for this enhanced role of fines, was validated and effectively captured the small-strain characteristics of gap-graded soils across all particle shapes. Overall, the observed mechanical trends remain consistent with those from studies using spherical particles, indicating that the underlying mechanisms are robust. These insights improve the understanding of coupled shape–size effects and provide enhanced modeling tools for geotechnical applications such as foundation design and material optimization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55217,"journal":{"name":"Computers and Geotechnics","volume":"192 ","pages":"Article 107857"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145924593","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-05DOI: 10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107865
Yuchen Zhang , Jianyong Shi , Yu Ping Li , Shi Shu , Xun Wu
Buried high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes are widely used in various transportation, municipal, and industrial infrastructures for drainage and utility conveyance. The safe operation of these infrastructures significantly depends on the stress–deformation behavior of buried HDPE pipes. To investigate the effects of the pipe–soil interface on the stress–deformation behavior of buried HDPE pipes and to reveal the interaction mechanism between the HDPE pipe and surrounding backfill, a series of experiments were conducted using a self-developed three-direction loading platform. Additionally, an interface slip monitoring apparatus was designed and utilized during these tests to accurately track the interface failure process under applied vertical pressures. The experimental results indicated two distinct slip behaviors at the pipe–soil interface: an initial sharp increase followed by a gradual, slight increment. Based on the test results and the fundamentals of elasticity, an analytical solution incorporating a pipe–soil slip interface was proposed to better describe the stress–deformation response of buried HDPE pipes. This slip interface, differing from the conventional fully bonded or perfectly smooth assumptions typically adopted in existing analytical models, was demonstrated to yield predictions that closely matched experimental observations, providing a more accurate and realistic representation of the pipe–soil interaction. Through the combined experimental and analytical approaches, the study preliminarily elucidated the interface failure mechanisms and interaction behavior between the pipe and soil, offering recommendations for improving theoretical methods to more accurately predict the stress–deformation behavior of buried HDPE pipes.
{"title":"Investigation of pipe–soil interface effects on the stress–deformation behavior of buried high-density polyethylene pipes: full-scale test and analytical solution","authors":"Yuchen Zhang , Jianyong Shi , Yu Ping Li , Shi Shu , Xun Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107865","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107865","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Buried high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes are widely used in various transportation, municipal, and industrial infrastructures for drainage and utility conveyance. The safe operation of these infrastructures significantly depends on the stress–deformation behavior of buried HDPE pipes. To investigate the effects of the pipe–soil interface on the stress–deformation behavior of buried HDPE pipes and to reveal the interaction mechanism between the HDPE pipe and surrounding backfill, a series of experiments were conducted using a self-developed three-direction loading platform. Additionally, an interface slip monitoring apparatus was designed and utilized during these tests to accurately track the interface failure process under applied vertical pressures. The experimental results indicated two distinct slip behaviors at the pipe–soil interface: an initial sharp increase followed by a gradual, slight increment. Based on the test results and the fundamentals of elasticity, an analytical solution incorporating a pipe–soil slip interface was proposed to better describe the stress–deformation response of buried HDPE pipes. This slip interface, differing from the conventional fully bonded or perfectly smooth assumptions typically adopted in existing analytical models, was demonstrated to yield predictions that closely matched experimental observations, providing a more accurate and realistic representation of the pipe–soil interaction. Through the combined experimental and analytical approaches, the study preliminarily elucidated the interface failure mechanisms and interaction behavior between the pipe and soil, offering recommendations for improving theoretical methods to more accurately predict the stress–deformation behavior of buried HDPE pipes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55217,"journal":{"name":"Computers and Geotechnics","volume":"192 ","pages":"Article 107865"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145924570","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-04DOI: 10.1016/j.compgeo.2026.107902
Thomas Barciaga , Mahdi Taiebat , Maria Datcheva , Torsten Wichtmann
Mechanized tunneling in natural clays requires accounting for complex soil behavior governed by anisotropy, structure, stress–strain history, and destructuration. This paper develops a hierarchical constitutive modeling framework based on the SANICLAY family within critical state soil mechanics to simulate mechanized tunneling. The framework establishes a clear progression from element-scale model evaluation to boundary-value application, ensuring continuity between constitutive formulation, calibration, and three-dimensional tunnel simulation. Calibration is anchored in well-documented element test datasets and supported by variance-based global sensitivity analysis to identify influential parameters. The resulting calibrated models are then applied in three-dimensional finite element tunneling simulations across normally consolidated and overconsolidated states under both drained and undrained conditions. Results show that destructuration is the dominant mechanism for settlements, most evident in normally consolidated drained cases, while anisotropy and bounding-surface plasticity have more moderate and case-dependent impacts. The tunnel-scale analyses extend the calibrated framework to realistic excavation conditions, maintaining continuity between constitutive formulation and boundary-value response. The study provides practical guidance for model selection and calibration in structured clays, with implications for realistic prediction and the safe design of mechanized tunnels.
{"title":"Hierarchical constitutive modeling of structured clays: Bridging element tests and mechanized tunneling simulations","authors":"Thomas Barciaga , Mahdi Taiebat , Maria Datcheva , Torsten Wichtmann","doi":"10.1016/j.compgeo.2026.107902","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compgeo.2026.107902","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mechanized tunneling in natural clays requires accounting for complex soil behavior governed by anisotropy, structure, stress–strain history, and destructuration. This paper develops a hierarchical constitutive modeling framework based on the SANICLAY family within critical state soil mechanics to simulate mechanized tunneling. The framework establishes a clear progression from element-scale model evaluation to boundary-value application, ensuring continuity between constitutive formulation, calibration, and three-dimensional tunnel simulation. Calibration is anchored in well-documented element test datasets and supported by variance-based global sensitivity analysis to identify influential parameters. The resulting calibrated models are then applied in three-dimensional finite element tunneling simulations across normally consolidated and overconsolidated states under both drained and undrained conditions. Results show that destructuration is the dominant mechanism for settlements, most evident in normally consolidated drained cases, while anisotropy and bounding-surface plasticity have more moderate and case-dependent impacts. The tunnel-scale analyses extend the calibrated framework to realistic excavation conditions, maintaining continuity between constitutive formulation and boundary-value response. The study provides practical guidance for model selection and calibration in structured clays, with implications for realistic prediction and the safe design of mechanized tunnels.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55217,"journal":{"name":"Computers and Geotechnics","volume":"192 ","pages":"Article 107902"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145924569","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-03DOI: 10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107888
Tuan A. Pham , Abdollah Tabaroei , Bayram Ateş , Tan Nguyen
Understanding the group behavior of semi-rigid soil–cement piles remains a major challenge in deep-mixed foundation engineering. Unlike conventional displacement piles, soil–cement columns exhibit transitional stiffness and composite interaction with the surrounding ground, leading to settlement-dependent mechanisms that are not captured by existing group-efficiency approaches. This study integrates rare full-scale load tests, carefully calibrated three-dimensional finite-element analysis (3D FEA), and systematic analytical benchmarking to establish a mechanistic basis for evaluating group efficiency in soil–cement pile groups. Instrumented field tests on single, three-pile, and five-pile groups (S/D = 2) reveal pronounced stress overlap, non-uniform shaft mobilisation, and significant reductions in per-pile capacity. A high-fidelity 3D FEA model, incorporating a physically justified transitional zone and enhanced interface stiffness, reproduces both the load–settlement response and axial force transfer with high accuracy. Parametric analyses over a wide range of spacings and group sizes demonstrate that group efficiency is not a constant parameter but increases with settlement due to progressive mobilisation of shaft resistance and pile–cap–soil interaction. Benchmarking against eight widely used empirical equations confirms that traditional rigid–pile formulations systematically misrepresent the behavior of semi–rigid pile groups. Motivated by these findings, a new settlement–dependent analytical expression for group efficiency is proposed, combining a geometry-based interaction term with a nonlinear mobilisation function. The model reproduces numerical trends with an average error of only 6.8 % and captures the physical behavior observed in both field and numerical results. The study provides a unified, experimentally validated framework for interpreting soil–cement pile group behavior and offers improved guidance for serviceability-based design of deep-mixed foundations.
{"title":"Group efficiency and load transfer mechanisms of semi-rigid soil–cement piles: integrated experimental, 3D numerical, and analytical evaluation","authors":"Tuan A. Pham , Abdollah Tabaroei , Bayram Ateş , Tan Nguyen","doi":"10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107888","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107888","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding the group behavior of semi-rigid soil–cement piles remains a major challenge in deep-mixed foundation engineering. Unlike conventional displacement piles, soil–cement columns exhibit transitional stiffness and composite interaction with the surrounding ground, leading to settlement-dependent mechanisms that are not captured by existing group-efficiency approaches. This study integrates rare full-scale load tests, carefully calibrated three-dimensional finite-element analysis (3D FEA), and systematic analytical benchmarking to establish a mechanistic basis for evaluating group efficiency in soil–cement pile groups. Instrumented field tests on single, three-pile, and five-pile groups (S/D = 2) reveal pronounced stress overlap, non-uniform shaft mobilisation, and significant reductions in per-pile capacity. A high-fidelity 3D FEA model, incorporating a physically justified transitional zone and enhanced interface stiffness, reproduces both the load–settlement response and axial force transfer with high accuracy. Parametric analyses over a wide range of spacings and group sizes demonstrate that group efficiency is not a constant parameter but increases with settlement due to progressive mobilisation of shaft resistance and pile–cap–soil interaction. Benchmarking against eight widely used empirical equations confirms that traditional rigid–pile formulations systematically misrepresent the behavior of semi–rigid pile groups. Motivated by these findings, a new settlement–dependent analytical expression for group efficiency is proposed, combining a geometry-based interaction term with a nonlinear mobilisation function. The model reproduces numerical trends with an average error of only 6.8 % and captures the physical behavior observed in both field and numerical results. The study provides a unified, experimentally validated framework for interpreting soil–cement pile group behavior and offers improved guidance for serviceability-based design of deep-mixed foundations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55217,"journal":{"name":"Computers and Geotechnics","volume":"192 ","pages":"Article 107888"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145924571","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper investigates the effectiveness of vertical gravel drains for liquefaction mitigation in stratified soil deposits, emphasising the overlooked hydro-mechanical interaction with adjacent non–liquefiable layers. A comprehensive series of fully coupled 3D finite element analyses was first conducted in the OpenSees framework, modelling a unit cell within an indefinite drain system. Different spacing ratios, soil types, and seismic inputs were examined to provide generality and robustness to the study. The main outcome from the numerical analyses is that gravel drains significantly reduce both the peak excess pore water pressure and the duration of high pore pressures, with the hydraulic conditions imposed by the overlying non-liquefiable layers proving critical, particularly near layer interfaces. To quantify mitigation effectiveness, a new integral, dimensionless parameter was proposed, which conveys both the magnitude and dissipation time of the excess pore water pressures.
As a further outcome, this study extends to axisymmetric conditions a 1D uncoupled approach recently proposed for assessing free–field liquefaction, incorporating improvements to capture non–uniform cyclic loading and frequency variations induced by pore pressure build–up. The methodology couples a nonlinear total stress seismic response analysis with an iterative excess pore pressure computation using the Stockwell transform, implemented via a Finite Difference scheme in Matlab. Successful validation against the benchmark fully coupled 3D analyses proves that the uncoupled approach can be effectively adopted with low computational cost.
{"title":"Mitigation of Liquefaction Risk in Layered Soils via Stone Column Drains: Numerical Study and Novel Uncoupled Approach","authors":"Gabriele Boccieri , Domenico Gaudio , Pedro Arduino , Riccardo Conti","doi":"10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107882","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107882","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper investigates the effectiveness of vertical gravel drains for liquefaction mitigation in stratified soil deposits, emphasising the overlooked hydro-mechanical interaction with adjacent non–liquefiable layers. A comprehensive series of fully coupled 3D finite element analyses was first conducted in the <em>OpenSees</em> framework, modelling a unit cell within an indefinite drain system. Different spacing ratios, soil types, and seismic inputs were examined to provide generality and robustness to the study. The main outcome from the numerical analyses is that gravel drains significantly reduce both the peak excess pore water pressure and the duration of high pore pressures, with the hydraulic conditions imposed by the overlying non-liquefiable layers proving critical, particularly near layer interfaces. To quantify mitigation effectiveness, a new integral, dimensionless parameter was proposed, which conveys both the magnitude and dissipation time of the excess pore water pressures.</div><div>As a further outcome, this study extends to axisymmetric conditions a 1D uncoupled approach recently proposed for assessing free–field liquefaction, incorporating improvements to capture non–uniform cyclic loading and frequency variations induced by pore pressure build–up. The methodology couples a nonlinear total stress seismic response analysis with an iterative excess pore pressure computation using the Stockwell transform, implemented via a Finite Difference scheme in <em>Matlab</em>. Successful validation against the benchmark fully coupled 3D analyses proves that the uncoupled approach can be effectively adopted with low computational cost.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55217,"journal":{"name":"Computers and Geotechnics","volume":"192 ","pages":"Article 107882"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145883615","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-02DOI: 10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107892
Jiaxin Feng , Xu Yang , Gao Li , Yi Zhang , Hongtao Li , Mubai Duan
Sandstone is widespread in the upper crust and underpins many subsurface engineering and energy applications. Understanding its deformation and failure under stress conditions therefore remains essential. However, the micromechanical mechanisms governing damage evolution and failure transitions under confining pressure remain poorly understood, largely owing to limited experimental reproducibility and intrinsic sample heterogeneity. Discrete element method (DEM)-based digital rock simulation provides a promising way to interrogate micromechanical damage processes, yet contact-parameter calibration often relies on trial-and-error, yielding non-unique, scenario-specific parameter sets and limiting reproducibility and transferability. This study reconstructs a DEM-based digital rock using the mineralogical and microstructural features of sandstone from the Yanchang Formation in the Ordos Basin. Mineral-scale elastic modulus and fracture toughness were determined through nanoindentation and combined with semi-circular bend simulations of individual mineral phases to calibrate the micromechanical parameters of the digital rock. The calibrated parameters were validated against the Hoek-Brown strength criterion and mechanical responses under varying loading conditions, confirming their robustness and applicability. Using the physically informed calibrated parameter set, we performed pseudo-triaxial compression simulations of sandstone under different confining pressures. Spatiotemporal tracking of microcracks shows that higher confining pressure postpones intergranular tensile cracking and amplifies strain incompatibility at interfaces between soft and stiff minerals, which triggers intragranular tensile cracking inside stiff grains. Force chain analysis indicates a confinement-driven alignment and densification of load paths that homogenizes stress transfer and delays instability. Joint microcrack and acoustic emission statistics document a transition from tensile-dominated failure at low confinement to shear-dominated failure at higher confinement. The physically informed calibrated parameters provide a unified framework for digital rock simulations under similar conditions, demonstrating their potential for capturing the mechanisms of damage evolution and failure in rock under confining pressure constraints.
{"title":"Micromechanical mechanisms of damage evolution and failure transition in sandstone: insights from physically informed digital rock models","authors":"Jiaxin Feng , Xu Yang , Gao Li , Yi Zhang , Hongtao Li , Mubai Duan","doi":"10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107892","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107892","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sandstone is widespread in the upper crust and underpins many subsurface engineering and energy applications. Understanding its deformation and failure under stress conditions therefore remains essential. However, the micromechanical mechanisms governing damage evolution and failure transitions under confining pressure remain poorly understood, largely owing to limited experimental reproducibility and intrinsic sample heterogeneity. Discrete element method (DEM)-based digital rock simulation provides a promising way to interrogate micromechanical damage processes, yet contact-parameter calibration often relies on trial-and-error, yielding non-unique, scenario-specific parameter sets and limiting reproducibility and transferability. This study reconstructs a DEM-based digital rock using the mineralogical and microstructural features of sandstone from the Yanchang Formation in the Ordos Basin. Mineral-scale elastic modulus and fracture toughness were determined through nanoindentation and combined with semi-circular bend simulations of individual mineral phases to calibrate the micromechanical parameters of the digital rock. The calibrated parameters were validated against the Hoek-Brown strength criterion and mechanical responses under varying loading conditions, confirming their robustness and applicability. Using the physically informed calibrated parameter set, we performed pseudo-triaxial compression simulations of sandstone under different confining pressures. Spatiotemporal tracking of microcracks shows that higher confining pressure postpones intergranular tensile cracking and amplifies strain incompatibility at interfaces between soft and stiff minerals, which triggers intragranular tensile cracking inside stiff grains. Force chain analysis indicates a confinement-driven alignment and densification of load paths that homogenizes stress transfer and delays instability. Joint microcrack and acoustic emission statistics document a transition from tensile-dominated failure at low confinement to shear-dominated failure at higher confinement. The physically informed calibrated parameters provide a unified framework for digital rock simulations under similar conditions, demonstrating their potential for capturing the mechanisms of damage evolution and failure in rock under confining pressure constraints.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55217,"journal":{"name":"Computers and Geotechnics","volume":"192 ","pages":"Article 107892"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145883614","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-02DOI: 10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107868
Yixin Li , Zhen-Yu Yin , Luyu Wang , Xueyu Geng
Geomaterials are pressure-dependent and exhibit non-linear elastoplastic deformation and failure behaviours, including strain localisation and complex cracking. To study these phenomena, this paper develops an improved non-ordinary state-based peridynamic (NOSB-PD) framework for simulating the elastoplastic response and progressive failure of geomaterials. A bond-associated (BA) stabilisation approach is incorporated to eliminate zero-energy deformation modes, while a divergence-form peridynamic differential operator (PDDO) is employed to remove residual stresses near boundaries. Using the principle of virtual work, a new equation of motion is derived that naturally incorporates both zero and non-zero traction boundary conditions. Furthermore, a modified staggered algorithm is introduced to mitigate spurious plastic yielding arising from surface effects and inaccuracies in stress history. The improved BA-NOSB-PD framework enables direct implementation of elastoplastic constitutive laws and mixed-mode failure criteria. Model accuracy and convergence performance are verified against analytical solutions. The numerical simulations confirm the model’s capability to capture elastoplastic behaviour, including stress redistribution, shear band development, and plasticity-induced crack propagation. Moreover, the mixed-mode fracture mechanisms arising from different pre-existing fissure configurations are thoroughly analysed. The results demonstrate that the proposed model accurately captures shear band formation and fracture coalescence, exhibiting good numerical stability and convergence. The improved PD model provides a robust and feasible framework for investigating elastoplastic behaviour and the underlying failure mechanisms in geomaterials.
{"title":"An improved bond-associated peridynamics for modelling elastoplastic deformation and progressive fracture in geomaterials","authors":"Yixin Li , Zhen-Yu Yin , Luyu Wang , Xueyu Geng","doi":"10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107868","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107868","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Geomaterials are pressure-dependent and exhibit non-linear elastoplastic deformation and failure behaviours, including strain localisation and complex cracking. To study these phenomena, this paper develops an improved non-ordinary state-based peridynamic (NOSB-PD) framework for simulating the elastoplastic response and progressive failure of geomaterials. A bond-associated (BA) stabilisation approach is incorporated to eliminate zero-energy deformation modes, while a divergence-form peridynamic differential operator (PDDO) is employed to remove residual stresses near boundaries. Using the principle of virtual work, a new equation of motion is derived that naturally incorporates both zero and non-zero traction boundary conditions. Furthermore, a modified staggered algorithm is introduced to mitigate spurious plastic yielding arising from surface effects and inaccuracies in stress history. The improved BA-NOSB-PD framework enables direct implementation of elastoplastic constitutive laws and mixed-mode failure criteria. Model accuracy and convergence performance are verified against analytical solutions. The numerical simulations confirm the model’s capability to capture elastoplastic behaviour, including stress redistribution, shear band development, and plasticity-induced crack propagation. Moreover, the mixed-mode fracture mechanisms arising from different pre-existing fissure configurations are thoroughly analysed. The results demonstrate that the proposed model accurately captures shear band formation and fracture coalescence, exhibiting good numerical stability and convergence. The improved PD model provides a robust and feasible framework for investigating elastoplastic behaviour and the underlying failure mechanisms in geomaterials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55217,"journal":{"name":"Computers and Geotechnics","volume":"192 ","pages":"Article 107868"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145883638","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-02DOI: 10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107879
Haohao Zhang , Rui Chen , Yazhou Wang , Huijie Bi , Chaojun Fan , Hui Peng
In this study, a coupled strain-damage framework based on mesoscale elastoplastic elements is proposed to numerically investigate rock deformation and dynamic damage (from the initiation of mesoscale damage to macroscopic failure) under cyclic loading. Building on mesoscale elastic-damage mechanics, elements are upgraded to elastoplastic counterparts to capture plastic strain accumulation and strength degradation during deformation. Damage is formulated as a strain- and time-dependent field variable and solved together with the solid-mechanics field through a staggered coupling scheme. The framework is evaluated by cyclic uniaxial compression and cyclic Brazilian splitting tests. The simulations reproduce the complete deformation–failure process and key laboratory-observed features, including hysteresis, irreversible strain growth, and fatigue failure. Quantitative validation shows that key mechanical parameters are reproduced with relative errors below 5% (elastic modulus: 4.6%, UCS: 0.9%, UTS: 0.4%, and failure angle: 3.2%). The results indicate that the ultimate failure strain under cyclic loading is governed by its monotonic counterpart, and they quantify the influences of specimen heterogeneity (homogeneity index m), maximum stress ratio, and loading frequency on fatigue life. The proposed approach provides a physics-grounded and computationally tractable basis for analysing rock fatigue and failure in geoengineering settings subjected to dynamic loading.
{"title":"A coupled strain-damage framework for rock deformation and dynamic damage under cyclic loading based on mesoscale elastoplastic elements","authors":"Haohao Zhang , Rui Chen , Yazhou Wang , Huijie Bi , Chaojun Fan , Hui Peng","doi":"10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107879","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107879","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, a coupled strain-damage framework based on mesoscale elastoplastic elements is proposed to numerically investigate rock deformation and dynamic damage (from the initiation of mesoscale damage to macroscopic failure) under cyclic loading. Building on mesoscale elastic-damage mechanics, elements are upgraded to elastoplastic counterparts to capture plastic strain accumulation and strength degradation during deformation. Damage is formulated as a strain- and time-dependent field variable and solved together with the solid-mechanics field through a staggered coupling scheme. The framework is evaluated by cyclic uniaxial compression and cyclic Brazilian splitting tests. The simulations reproduce the complete deformation–failure process and key laboratory-observed features, including hysteresis, irreversible strain growth, and fatigue failure. Quantitative validation shows that key mechanical parameters are reproduced with relative errors below 5% (elastic modulus: 4.6%, UCS: 0.9%, UTS: 0.4%, and failure angle: 3.2%). The results indicate that the ultimate failure strain under cyclic loading is governed by its monotonic counterpart, and they quantify the influences of specimen heterogeneity (homogeneity index <em>m</em>), maximum stress ratio, and loading frequency on fatigue life. The proposed approach provides a physics-grounded and computationally tractable basis for analysing rock fatigue and failure in geoengineering settings subjected to dynamic loading.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55217,"journal":{"name":"Computers and Geotechnics","volume":"192 ","pages":"Article 107879"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145883616","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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