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The main purpose of this paper is to analyse the convergence measurements of the ALC1604 in situ heating test carried out in the Callovo-Oxfordian claystone formation (COx) in the Meuse/Haute-Marne underground research laboratory (MHM URL). The concept of the test consists of horizontal micro-tunnel, equipped with a steel casing. The micro-tunnel is excavated in the direction of the horizontal principal major stress (σH). In situ observations showed anisotropic convergence with the maximum and minimum values in the horizontal and vertical directions, respectively. Coupled THM numerical analyses have been carried out to provide a structured framework for interpretation, and to enhance understanding of THM behaviour of Callovo-Oxfordian claystone. However, a special mechanical constitutive law is adopted for the description of the time-dependent anisotropic behaviour of the COx. The simulation of the test using this enhanced model provides a satisfactory reproduction of the THM long-term anisotropic convergence results. It also provides a better understanding of the observed test response.

It is widely recognised that particle shape influences the mechanical response of granular materials [1-2]. Rolling resistance elasto-plastic contact models are frequently used to approximate particle shape effects in simulations using the Discrete Element Method (DEM) [3-4]. Such contact models require calibration of several micro-parameters, most importantly a rolling resistance coefficient. In this work, the rolling resistance has been calibrated to reproduce the triaxial tests – in terms of mechanical and kinematic responses – of two different sands: Hostun and Caicos sands. The value of rolling resistance is directly linked to true sphericity, a basic measure of grain shape, as originally proposed in Rorato et al. (2018) [5]. When shape measurements are performed [6], this link enables independent evaluation of the rolling resistance coefficient for each particle. It does also allow the characteristic shape variability of natural soils to be easily taken into account.

The paper presents an interpretation of the full-scale ALC1604 in situ heating test carried out in Callovo-Oxfordian claystone (COx) in the Meuse/Haute-Marne underground research laboratory (MHM URL). The MHM URL is a site-specific facility planned to study radioactive waste disposal in the COx. The thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) behaviour of the host rock is significant for the design of the underground radioactive waste disposal facility and for its long-term safety. When subjected to thermal loading, the Callovo-Oxfordian claystone of low permeability (~10-20-10-21 m2) exhibits a strong pore pressure response that significantly affects the hydraulic and mechanical behaviour of the material. The observations gathered in the in situ test have provided an opportunity to examine the integrated thermo-hydromechanical (THM) response of this sedimentary clay. Coupled THM numerical analyses have been carried out to provide a structured framework for interpretation, and to enhance understanding of THM behaviour of COx. Numerical analyses have been based on a coupled theoretical formulation that incorporates a constitutive law specially developed for this type of material. The law includes a number of features that are relevant for a satisfactory description of the hydromechanical behaviour. By performing the numerical analysis, it has been possible to incorporate anisotropy of material parameters and of in situ stresses. The performance and analysis of the in situ tests have significantly enhanced the understanding of a complex THM problem and have proved the capability of the numerical formulation to provide adequate predictive capacity.

In the present paper a nonlocal plasticity model is described, intended to reproduce the mechanical behaviour of stiff fine-grained soils, including the objective simulation of strain localization; the phenomenon of accumulation of deformations in narrow zones in the form of shear bands or fractures. A number of analyses have been performed to assess the developed formulation. Relevant aspects have been addressed such as the thickness of the shear band, its orientation, and the onset of localization in a boundary value problem (BVP). Results provide useful insigths into relevant aspects of the numerical simulation of strain localization.

The simulation of penetration problems in geomaterials is a challenging problem as it involves large deformations and displacements as well as strong non-linearities affecting material behaviour, geometry and contact surfaces. The paper presents examples of modelling of the cone penetration test using two procedures: a discrete approach and a continuum approach. The discrete approach is based on the Discrete Element Method where a granular material is represented by an assembly of separate particles. Cone penetration has been successfully simulated for the case of crushable sands. For the continuum approach, the Particle Finite Element Method has been adopted. The procedure has been effectively applied to the modeling of undrained cone penetration into clays. Although not exempt of problems, both approaches yield realistic results leading to the possibility of a closer examination and an enhanced understanding of the mechanisms underlying penetration problems in geomechanics.

This paper highlights a computational framework for the numerical analysis of saturated soil-structure interaction problems. The variational equations of linear momentum and mass balance are obtained for the large deformation case. These equations are solved using the Particle Finite Element Method. The paper concludes with a benchmark test and the analysis of a penetration test.

The mechanical behavior of crushable granular materials is characterized by strong non-linearity and irreversibility. In this paper, the incremental behavior of crushable granular soils is investigated by numerically simulating three dimensional stress probing experiments on Distinct Element models consisting of a random assembly of spheres. Particle breakage is permitted and the initial high stress condition ensures that crushing will occur along some of the loading directions. The results obtained show that particle crushing considered as an additional source of plastic mechanism induces a change in the direction of the plastic flow and that this direction change is independent of the incremental loading path. This result is independent of damping and the magnitude of plastic strains tends towards an asymptotic value as damping increases.

A promising alternative to construct engineered barriers for high level nuclear waste repositories is the use of pellets-based material because high dry densities can be achieved with no or minimal compaction effort. It is also planned to subject these materials to temperatures significantly higher than 100ºC. The paper reports the results of coupled THM analyses of a heating-hydration test performed on a granular assembly of MX-80 bentonite pellets. The goal is to characterize the material under conditions akin to those of an engineered barrier in a nuclear waste repository. It is shown that the numerical analyses are able to reproduce satisfactorily the observations of the test. This enhances the confidence placed on the computational tool for predicting the behaviour of actual engineered barriers constructed with pellets-based materials.

This paper tackles the issues related to the excavation of a horizontal gallery carried out in Boom clay, a tertiary clay that hosts the Underground Laboratory of the Belgium Nuclear Agency (SCK-CEN). The gallery is 85 m long, 5 m wide and connects one of the laboratory access shafts to a horizontal drift drilled from the second access shaft. Displacement and pore water pressure sensors installed from both gallery ends allowed for a detailed monitoring of the hydro-mechanical response of the clay rock before, during and after gallery excavation. A striking feature of the response concerns the strong changes measured in pore water pressure at distances as large as 60m from the excavation front. To explore and discriminate the mechanisms controlling such pore pressure changes, 2D axisymmetric Finite Element hydro-mechanical calculations have been carried out. An elastoplastic constitutive law based on Mohr-Coulomb criterion has been considered for the material. Several types of analyses have been performed: a) material and stress state are isotropic; b) material is isotropic but stress state is orthotropic and, c) material and stress state are orthotropic. Results allow for explaining the field measurements and identifying the key variables that control the clay response around the drift.

A framework for the study of the jet-grouting hydration reaction and of the associated thermo-hydro-mechanical and chemical (THMC) interactions with the surrounding soils has been developed. In this work, we summarize the basic formulation that may be used for the simulation of such interactions, including references to the balance equations governing the problem, to the release of heat during the curing of the jet-grouted mass, to the TMC behaviour of such material and to the THM behaviour of the surrounding soil. The approach presented falls within the framework of plasticity for saturated soils, and it has been implemented within a FEM code for the study of the potential effects of the THMC couplings associated to jet-grouting treatments. The results obtained with this program validate it as a proper tool for the systematic analysis of a number of questions of interest in engineering practice, allowing the assessment, among others, of the following issues: magnitude and rate of production of the thermo-plastic settlements caused by the heat release associated to the installation of jet-grouted columns in the soil; effects of the release of the hydration heat on the hydraulic conditions in the surrounding soil; effects of the boundary conditions, the relative position of the jet-grouted zones and its sequence of installation on the rate of increase of the stiffness and strength associated to the curing of the jet-grouted zones; effects of those factors on the impact of the heat release on the surrounding soils.

Artificial Ground Freezing (AGF) is a controllable process that can be used by engineers to stabilise temporarily the ground, provide structural support and/or exclude groundwater from an excavation until construction of the final lining provides permanent stability and water tightness. In this work, the process of ground freezing is studied using a constitutive model that encompasses frozen and unfrozen behaviour within a unified effective-stress-based framework and employs a combination of ice pressure, liquid water pressure and total stress as state variables. The parameters of the constitutive model are calibrated against experimental data obtained from samples retrieved during construction of Napoli underground, in which AGF was extensively used to excavate in granular soils and weak fractured rock below the ground water table.

In this work we describe a procedure for the smoothing of non-regular yield surfaces and plastic potential functions. We also present several application examples corresponding to different weell-known cases. Moreover, we show that a multi-surface plasticity model can be reduced to a model ith a single yield surface by using the same smoothing procedure.

The paper presents some improvements in the formulation of a kinematic hardening constitutive soil model incorporating structure initially proposed for soft clays. For the modelling of overconsolidated bonded clay the elastic formulation was deemed more important. Two different alternatives, one purely empirically based the other with a background in thermodynamics were implemented. It was also found that a smooth elastoplastic transition was required to avoid a spurious stiffness degradation response. Consequently, the hardening modulus formulation of the model was modified. The paper presents some results from a parametric analysis of the triaxial drained response of a material tailored to mimic London clay. The results chosen do not show a major difference between the chosen alternative elastic formulations, although both do improve the original model response. On the other hand the importance of ensuring a smooth elasto-plastic transition is clearly highlighted.

The paper presents a double structure constitutive model based on a generalized plasticity formalism. The behaviour of macrostructure, microstructure and their interactions are described. A coupled hydromechanical formulation is then presented that assumes no hydraulic equilibrium between structural levels. Constitutive law and formulation are applied to the simulation of the behaviour during hydration of a heterogeneous mixture of bentonite powder and bentonite pellets. A satisfactory reproduction of observed behaviour is achieved.