CFD-DEM simulation of consolidated undrained triaxial test of completely decomposed granite

Jiatai Lu; Zhiren Zhu; Jianfeng Wang; Wen-Jie Xu; Eugene Wong

doi:10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107500

CFD-DEM simulation of consolidated undrained triaxial test of completely decomposed granite

Jiatai Lu
, Zhiren Zhu
, Jianfeng Wang^*
, Wen-Jie Xu
, Eugene Wong

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

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Abstract

Particle morphology significantly influences the mechanical properties of soils. A coupled CFD-DEM method is developed in this paper to simulate consolidated undrained (CU) triaxial tests considering real morphologies of completely decomposed granite (CDG) particles. This method incorporates fluid compressibility into the volume-averaged Navier-Stokes equations, synchronizes CFD and DEM boundaries, and corrects elementary sphere overlaps when using clumps. The 3D morphologies of CDG particles are obtained using in-situ X-ray micro tomography (μCT) CU triaxial tests, image processing techniques, and spherical harmonic analysis. Validation of this CFD-DEM model is performed by comparing simulation results with experimental data and those obtained from the coupled fluid method. Based on the simulation results, the effects of particle morphology on the macro and microscopic undrained behavior of CDG are systematically investigated. © 2025 The Author(s).

Original language	English
Article number	107500
Number of pages	17
Journal	Computers and Geotechnics
Volume	188
Online published	4 Aug 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107500
Publication status	Published - Dec 2025

Funding

This study was supported by General Research Fund Grant Nos. CityU 11204224 and 11207321 from the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong SAR and Research Grant No. 52378371 from the National Science Foundation of China, as well as Contract Research Project Ref. No. CEDD STD-30-2030-1-12R from the Geotechnical Engineering Office. The BL13Wbeam-line of Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF) is also acknowledged.

Research Keywords

CFD-DEM simulation
Completely decomposed granite
Particle Morphology
Undrained triaxial test
X-ray micro tomography

Publisher's Copyright Statement

This full text is made available under CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

RGC Funding Information

RGC-funded

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10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107500

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title = "CFD-DEM simulation of consolidated undrained triaxial test of completely decomposed granite",

abstract = "Particle morphology significantly influences the mechanical properties of soils. A coupled CFD-DEM method is developed in this paper to simulate consolidated undrained (CU) triaxial tests considering real morphologies of completely decomposed granite (CDG) particles. This method incorporates fluid compressibility into the volume-averaged Navier-Stokes equations, synchronizes CFD and DEM boundaries, and corrects elementary sphere overlaps when using clumps. The 3D morphologies of CDG particles are obtained using in-situ X-ray micro tomography (μCT) CU triaxial tests, image processing techniques, and spherical harmonic analysis. Validation of this CFD-DEM model is performed by comparing simulation results with experimental data and those obtained from the coupled fluid method. Based on the simulation results, the effects of particle morphology on the macro and microscopic undrained behavior of CDG are systematically investigated. {\textcopyright} 2025 The Author(s).",

keywords = "CFD-DEM simulation, Completely decomposed granite, Particle Morphology, Undrained triaxial test, X-ray micro tomography",

author = "Jiatai Lu and Zhiren Zhu and Jianfeng Wang and Wen-Jie Xu and Eugene Wong",

year = "2025",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107500",

language = "English",

volume = "188",

journal = "Computers and Geotechnics",

issn = "0266-352X",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - CFD-DEM simulation of consolidated undrained triaxial test of completely decomposed granite

AU - Lu, Jiatai

AU - Zhu, Zhiren

AU - Wang, Jianfeng

AU - Xu, Wen-Jie

AU - Wong, Eugene

PY - 2025/12

Y1 - 2025/12

N2 - Particle morphology significantly influences the mechanical properties of soils. A coupled CFD-DEM method is developed in this paper to simulate consolidated undrained (CU) triaxial tests considering real morphologies of completely decomposed granite (CDG) particles. This method incorporates fluid compressibility into the volume-averaged Navier-Stokes equations, synchronizes CFD and DEM boundaries, and corrects elementary sphere overlaps when using clumps. The 3D morphologies of CDG particles are obtained using in-situ X-ray micro tomography (μCT) CU triaxial tests, image processing techniques, and spherical harmonic analysis. Validation of this CFD-DEM model is performed by comparing simulation results with experimental data and those obtained from the coupled fluid method. Based on the simulation results, the effects of particle morphology on the macro and microscopic undrained behavior of CDG are systematically investigated. © 2025 The Author(s).

AB - Particle morphology significantly influences the mechanical properties of soils. A coupled CFD-DEM method is developed in this paper to simulate consolidated undrained (CU) triaxial tests considering real morphologies of completely decomposed granite (CDG) particles. This method incorporates fluid compressibility into the volume-averaged Navier-Stokes equations, synchronizes CFD and DEM boundaries, and corrects elementary sphere overlaps when using clumps. The 3D morphologies of CDG particles are obtained using in-situ X-ray micro tomography (μCT) CU triaxial tests, image processing techniques, and spherical harmonic analysis. Validation of this CFD-DEM model is performed by comparing simulation results with experimental data and those obtained from the coupled fluid method. Based on the simulation results, the effects of particle morphology on the macro and microscopic undrained behavior of CDG are systematically investigated. © 2025 The Author(s).

KW - CFD-DEM simulation

KW - Completely decomposed granite

KW - Particle Morphology

KW - Undrained triaxial test

KW - X-ray micro tomography

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105012269108

UR - https://www.scopus.com/record/pubmetrics.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105012269108&origin=recordpage

U2 - 10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107500

DO - 10.1016/j.compgeo.2025.107500

M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal

SN - 0266-352X

VL - 188

JO - Computers and Geotechnics

JF - Computers and Geotechnics

M1 - 107500

ER -

CFD-DEM simulation of consolidated undrained triaxial test of completely decomposed granite

Abstract

Funding

Research Keywords

Publisher's Copyright Statement

RGC Funding Information

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GRF: Development of an X-Ray Microtomography Method for Full-Field Discrete Particle Tracking in Sand Specimens

GRF: Development of A Hybrid Feature-Aided Volumetric Digital Image Correlation Method for Fine-Grained Soil Mixtures

Cite this

CFD-DEM simulation of consolidated undrained triaxial test of completely decomposed granite

Abstract

Funding

Research Keywords

Publisher's Copyright Statement

RGC Funding Information

Access Output

Other Access Options

Permanent Link

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Projects

GRF: Development of an X-Ray Microtomography Method for Full-Field Discrete Particle Tracking in Sand Specimens

GRF: Development of A Hybrid Feature-Aided Volumetric Digital Image Correlation Method for Fine-Grained Soil Mixtures

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