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Deformation behaviour of railway embankment ... - Liikennevirasto

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37<br />

Figure 3.3:1 An example <strong>of</strong> a mechanical model <strong>of</strong> a contact point between two<br />

particles used in numerical simulations (Ting et al. 1989).<br />

Another method, together with numerical simulation, for modelling the mechanical<br />

<strong>behaviour</strong> <strong>of</strong> the granular materials starting from the particle level is based on the<br />

analytical study <strong>of</strong> the particulate system. The constitutive equations that describe the<br />

macroscopic <strong>behaviour</strong> <strong>of</strong> the material can be derived by modelling the structure <strong>of</strong> the<br />

particulate system and the micro-level interactions between the particles.<br />

Both the numerical and analytical modelling methods have still many restrictions when<br />

it comes to analysing real soil materials, real coarse grained aggregates, and general<br />

three dimensional stress states. In particular, continuous grain size distribution and<br />

variations in particle size and grain shape are very difficult to model correctly using<br />

particulate mechanics. One more impediment to the straightforward application <strong>of</strong> the<br />

particulate mechanics modelling is that initial modelling data, such as elastic and<br />

surface properties <strong>of</strong> the particles, are in most cases inadequately known. The<br />

application possibilities <strong>of</strong> the numerical simulation models in particular are, however,<br />

steadily improving due to the sharp increase in the capacity <strong>of</strong> computers.<br />

Despite its shortcomings and limitations, the particulate mechanics modelling approach<br />

<strong>of</strong>fers a physically well-justified point <strong>of</strong> view to the mechanical modelling <strong>of</strong> the<br />

aggregates and other soil materials. It can be used, for example, to support and

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