Three-Dimensional Assessment of the Constitutive and Fracture Behaviors of Silica Sand at Particle-Scale Using X-ray Experiments and Finite Element Analysis

The constitutive behavior of sand has been conventionally measured and modeled using global-scale measurements of stresses and strains at the boundaries of laboratory-sized specimens. However, acquiring global-scale measurements has originally been proposed for solid metals, while sand possesses a particulate nature with complex mechanics that we still know little about its behavior. This dissertation exploited recent advances in 3D x-ray experiments and 3D finite element (FE) computer simulations that would significantly enhance our understanding of sand constitutive behavior. Fundamental properties at different scale-levels ranging from crystal structure to laboratory-sized specimens were investigated using synchrotron micro-computed tomography (SMT), digital image processing, 3D x-ray diffraction (3DXRD), and 3D FE analysis.