Breaking processes in three-dimensional bonded granular materials with general shapes

The paper presents an extension to the spheropolyhedra method for the simulation of granular materials comprising particles of general shapes with bonding. A bonding, cement, or cohesion model for particles sharing common faces is introduced. The bonding force is elastic and has a strain-based breaking threshold for modelling fracture. An initial study is conducted based on the Brazilian tensile test to check how the parameters of the proposed model affect the principal variables measured in this test. Afterwards, solid cubic blocks are then subjected to a triaxial test to explore the mathematical macroscopic failure model. It is found that the peak strength envelope is the product of the superposition of frictional and fracture failure mechanisms. The fracture failure is mainly produced by an avalanche of broken cohesive bonds. The intensity of the avalanche exhibits a power law distribution, as reported in previous studies. The method allows for random divisions of solid bodies without any pre-existing internal voids. It offers a natural, effective tool to model, simulate and study fragmentation processes in 3D.

► We have developed a model for bounded particles with general shapes in 3D.
► The model includes particles produced by the Voronoi tessellation.
► Fragmentation processes in solid blocks without internal voids can be modelled.
► Two validation examples are presented: the Brazilian disk test and the triaxial cell.