Micromechanical study of potential scale effects in small-scale modelling of sinker tree roots

TY - GEN

T1 - Micromechanical study of potential scale effects in small-scale modelling of sinker tree roots

AU - Zhang, Xingyu

AU - Ciantia, Matteo

AU - Knappett, Jonathan

AU - Leung, Anthony

PY - 2021/12/16

Y1 - 2021/12/16

N2 - When testing an 1:N geotechnical structure in the centrifuge, it is desirable to choose a large scale factor (N) that can fit the small-scale model in a model container and avoid unwanted boundary effects, however, this in turn may cause scale effects when the structure is overscaled. This is more significant when it comes to small-scale modelling of sinker root-soil interaction, where root-particle size ratio is much lower. In this study the Distinct Element Method (DEM) is used to investigate this problem. The sinker root of a model root system under axial loading was analysed, with both upward and downward behaviour compared with the Finite Element Method (FEM), where the soil is modelled as a continuum in which case particle-size effects are not taken into consideration. Based on the scaling law, with the same prototype scale and particle size distribution, different scale factors/g-levels were applied to quantify effects of the ratio of root diameter (푑푟) to mean particle size (퐷50) on the root rootsoil interaction.

AB - When testing an 1:N geotechnical structure in the centrifuge, it is desirable to choose a large scale factor (N) that can fit the small-scale model in a model container and avoid unwanted boundary effects, however, this in turn may cause scale effects when the structure is overscaled. This is more significant when it comes to small-scale modelling of sinker root-soil interaction, where root-particle size ratio is much lower. In this study the Distinct Element Method (DEM) is used to investigate this problem. The sinker root of a model root system under axial loading was analysed, with both upward and downward behaviour compared with the Finite Element Method (FEM), where the soil is modelled as a continuum in which case particle-size effects are not taken into consideration. Based on the scaling law, with the same prototype scale and particle size distribution, different scale factors/g-levels were applied to quantify effects of the ratio of root diameter (푑푟) to mean particle size (퐷50) on the root rootsoil interaction.

KW - Root-soil interaction

KW - Distinct Element Method

KW - Scale effects

U2 - 10.20933/100001235

DO - 10.20933/100001235

M3 - Conference contribution

T3 - GM3 Travelling Workshop Proceedings

SP - 41

EP - 44

BT - Proceedings of the 18th UK Travelling Workshop

A2 - Ciantia, Matteo

A2 - Previtali, Marco

A2 - Bolton, Malcolm

PB - University of Dundee

CY - Dundee

ER -