Experimental testing of coarse granular materials

One of our research axes concerns the large-scale mechanical characterization of coarse granular materials (CGM). The prime objective of this collaboration is to enhance the database and develop scaling laws for testing CGM on representative small-scaled samples. This effort requires multiscale characterization on a wide range of coarse materials with different lithologies and particle shapes. The collaboration with the Institute of Soil Mechanics and Rock Mechanics (IBF) at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany, helps to meet this end. IBF disposes one of the largest triaxial cells worldwide that allows testing samples of diameter D=780 mm (Hettler and Vardoulakis, 1984). However, this device has been often used for industrial projects but seldom for research purpose (e.g. Brauns & Reith 2000; Bettzieche & Bieberstein 2009). Therefore, this initiative intends also to resurface this device by taking advantages that it offers to the research community at large, to contribute on coarse materials testing database.

Faculty Supervisor:

Carlos Ovalle Ortega

Student:

Partner:

Karlsruher Institut für Technologie

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Education

University:

Polytechnique Montréal

Program: