Solidlike behavior and anisotropy in rigid frictionless bead assemblies

Abstract

We investigate the structure and mechanical behavior of assemblies of frictionless, nearly rigid equal-sized beads, in the quasistatic limit, by numerical simulation. Three different loading paths are explored: triaxial compression, triaxial extension, and simple shear. Generalizing a recent result, we show that the material, despite rather strong finite sample size effects, is able to sustain a finite deviator stress in the macroscopic limit, along all three paths, without dilatancy. The shape of the yield surface in principal stress space differs somewhat from the Mohr-Coulomb prediction, and is more adequately described by the Lade-Duncan or Matsuoka-Nakai criteria. We study geometric characteristics and force networks under varying stress levels within the supported range. Although the scalar state variables stay equal to the values observed in systems under isotropic pressure, the material, once subjected to a deviator stress, possesses some fabric and force distribution anisotropies. Each kind of anisotropy can be described, in good approximation, by a single parameter. Within the supported stress range, along each one of the three investigated stress paths, among those three quantities: deviator stress to mean stress ratio, fabric anisotropy parameter, force anisotropy parameter, any one determines the values of the two others. The pair correlation function also exhibits short range anisotropy, up to a distance between bead surfaces of the order of 10% of the diameter. The tensor of elastic moduli is shown to possess a nearly singular, uniaxial structure related to stress anisotropy. Possible stress-strain relations in monotonic loading paths are also discussed