Project overview
Many natural sand deposits exhibit a fabric structure due to particle interlocking rather than bonding. This locked sand is characterised by a much higher peak strength and a much lower void ratio than the same sand reconstituted. The research described in this proposal aims to understand and quantify the mechanical behaviour of locked sands through the development of numerical models. It will build on experimental research carried out under ROPA grant GR/M57040, and will utilize numerical modelling techniques developed as part of ROPA grant GR/M57057. A numerical model will be developed to model the locked sand behaviour observed in GR/M57040, with a view to both explaining the behaviour and further exploring the engineering properties of this material. A programme of experimental work is also proposed to complement the numerical modelling and would further investigate aspects of locked sand behaviour.
Staff
Lead researchers
Research outputs
L. Le Pen, A.R. Bhandari & W. Powrie,
2014, Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 140(5)
Type: article