3-D bond contact model for structured sand considering influence of bond thickness

A 3-D bond contact model for better simulating the macroscopic mechanical behaviors of structured sand considering the influence of bond thickness is proposed. First, according to the mechanical behaviors and existence conditions of bond materials, this model is established by simplifying the contact behaviors of two aluminum rods glued together by cement. Second, the bond contact model is implemented into the 3-D DEM software (PFC^3D), and verified by simulating tension, compression and shear tests on two spherical balls. Finally, a series of triaxial compression tests are performed on simulated specimens with cement content of 2% under three confining pressures, and the DEM results are compared and analyzed. The results show that the DEM tests employing the bond contact model can well capture the macroscopic mechanical behaviors of cemented sands in laboratory tests.