Role of particle rotation in sheared granular media

Abstract When granular assemblies are subject to external loads or displacements, particles interact with each other through contact and may exhibit translations rotations. From a micromechanical perspective, particle rotations an essential mechanism influencing the macroscopic behavior of materials. In this study, biaxial shearing tests were conducted on dual-sized circular at different confining pressures. A high-precision image analysis method was developed extract particle-level motion all particles, including rotational behavior. Experimental results showed that most exhibited Particles within shear band more significant characterized by low connectivity (number contacts per particle). contrast, outside rotated lesser, only in beginning stage shearing. Every rotation either direction is accompanied opposite almost same magnitude neighboring region, clusters have been observed. Rotations both directions normally distributed assembly, average zero. The evolve symmetrically major principal strain. Generally, rate (degrees incremental strain) observed be maximum start shearing, gradually it becomes constant toward end value absolute cumulative for whole 18.6° i.e., 20% deviatoric Smaller size tend 67% higher than bigger particles. Confining pressures no effect