Experimental and Numerical Analyses of Particle Shape Effects on the Mechanical Behavior of Particulate Packs Under Different Loading Conditions

Experimental and Numerical Analyses of Particle Shape Effects on the Mechanical Behavior of Particulate Packs Under Different Loading Conditions | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Experimental and Numerical Analyses of Particle Shape Effects on the Mechanical Behavior of Particulate Packs Under Different Loading Conditions Ayat Alasadi, Shahrzad Roshankhah This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8109028/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This combined experimental and numerical study examines the effects of different particle shapes on the mechanical behavior of particulate packs under vertical and shear loading conditions. Laboratory oedometer tests (ODT) and direct shear tests (DST) performed on 3D-printed polylactic acid (PLA) spherical particles provide data for calibrating the three-dimensional discrete element method (DEM) models implemented in the particle flow code (PFC3D). This study links the micro–macro behavior to gain insights into the mechanical behavior of different particle shapes, focusing on stress–strain relationships, volumetric and permeability changes, and the evolution of contact networks. The calibrated models compare spherical and non-spherical particles with varying aspect ratios. Results show that interlocking, alignment, and rolling tendencies control particle behavior under different loading conditions. Spherical particles show the lowest compressibility under plane strain loading and the least shear strength, post-peak softening, and dilation under shear, due to their ability to roll and rearrange. Non-spherical particles show higher compressibility under plane strain conditions and higher shear strength with strain-hardening and higher contraction under direct shear, driven by alignment, interlocking, and restricted rotation. The approximate permeability analysis reveals that the higher compressibility of non-spherical packs results in a greater reduction in permeability compared to spherical packs. Particle shape Particulate packs Oedometer test (ODT) Direct shear test (DST) Discrete element method (DEM) Particle flow code (PFC) Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8109028","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":549319385,"identity":"eea5a958-a0ec-4547-bb27-4c44ed637ca9","order_by":0,"name":"Ayat Alasadi","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Utah","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ayat","middleName":"","lastName":"Alasadi","suffix":""},{"id":549319386,"identity":"75746658-28b0-4246-bac4-594f632fcd11","order_by":1,"name":"Shahrzad Roshankhah","email":"data:image/png;base64,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","orcid":"","institution":"University of Utah","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Shahrzad","middleName":"","lastName":"Roshankhah","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-11-13 21:23:12","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8109028/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8109028/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":96878023,"identity":"e95b6ebf-8b77-4f93-90d9-afe3dd085895","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-11-27 06:10:00","extension":"json","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":4769,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"f6c81f484660473ea0e02225be19bb16.json","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8109028/v1/184b5d970330603ae0f31c8c.json"},{"id":108989783,"identity":"7cae9d92-a7d7-4b42-95de-8ee34379493a","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-11 13:14:48","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":4447808,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ExperimentalandNumericalAnalysesofParticleShapeEffectsontheMechanicalBehaviorofParticulatePacksUnderDifferentLoadingConditi.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8109028/v1_covered_3866e8eb-6afd-4391-b30b-213e1a0ffc0c.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Experimental and Numerical Analyses of Particle Shape Effects on the Mechanical Behavior of Particulate Packs Under Different Loading Conditions","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Particle shape, Particulate packs, Oedometer test (ODT), Direct shear test (DST), Discrete element method (DEM), Particle flow code (PFC)","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8109028/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8109028/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"This combined experimental and numerical study examines the effects of different particle shapes on the mechanical behavior of particulate packs under vertical and shear loading conditions. Laboratory oedometer tests (ODT) and direct shear tests (DST) performed on 3D-printed polylactic acid (PLA) spherical particles provide data for calibrating the three-dimensional discrete element method (DEM) models implemented in the particle flow code (PFC3D). This study links the micro–macro behavior to gain insights into the mechanical behavior of different particle shapes, focusing on stress–strain relationships, volumetric and permeability changes, and the evolution of contact networks. The calibrated models compare spherical and non-spherical particles with varying aspect ratios. Results show that interlocking, alignment, and rolling tendencies control particle behavior under different loading conditions. Spherical particles show the lowest compressibility under plane strain loading and the least shear strength, post-peak softening, and dilation under shear, due to their ability to roll and rearrange. Non-spherical particles show higher compressibility under plane strain conditions and higher shear strength with strain-hardening and higher contraction under direct shear, driven by alignment, interlocking, and restricted rotation. 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