Study by X-Ray microtomography of the horizontal vibration effects on sand densification

X ray microtomography experiments were performed in order to evaluate the densification of silica sand submitted to horizontal sinusoidal vibrations carried out at constant frequency (50 Hz) with controlled acceleration and deceleration Γ. Packing homogeneity was characterized using relative density distribution through 3D images of the relaxed samples. Information obtained from the images allowed us to evaluate data at grain scale: porosity and pore size distribution, number of contacts per particle, particle shape and size distribution were evaluated and linked to the densification process. Based on the internal analysis of samples, the results confirm and extend the conclusions of previous works regarding the 3-layer densification under vibration and the proposed optimized vibration cycle to get dense and homogeneous samples. They extend them to different initial packings. Additionally, significant correlations are found between density and local particle packing characteristics such as pores size distribution, or the number of contacts per particle.