Role of Particle Breakage in Rockfill Materials: Investigated by Using Combined SBFEM/DEM with Two Different Breakage Models

Abstract

This research will investigate the numerical simulation of rockfill materials using a combined scaled boundary finite–discrete element method (SBFEM/DEM) with two breakage models. Two rockfill specimens that are subjected to biaxial compaction will be simulated. The influence of breakage on the macroscopic stress–strain behaviors will be investigated by comparing the results obtained when breakage and no breakage were considered using two different models. Further investigations will be carried out to identify the effect of particle breakage on the stress–strain relationship, particle size distribution (PSD), and the force chain transmission of the rockfill specimens under different breakage models. The simulation with Breakage Model 2 (BM2) generated more small particles than when Breakage Model 1 (BM1) was used; therefore, it had the lowest shear strength, the most contractive behavior, and the lowest interparticle contact forces. Because one particle will be crushed into many small particles in practice, BM2 was recommended as the first option.