Discrete Element Method Study of Micro-Macro Mechanical Behavior of Unsaturated Granular Soils

This study investigated contact distribution and force anisotropy associated with elliptical particles in granular soils within the pendular state of unsaturated soils, employing the discrete element method. The high cost of determining the micromechanical factors through laboratory tests justifies the use of this method. The macromechanical behavior of unsaturated granular soils depends on interparticle contact characteristics and liquid bridge behavior. The findings indicated that as the degree of saturation increased, both the shear strength and the anisotropy of the normal and shear forces initially rose before subsequently declining. Notably, the contact normal anisotropy exhibited minimal variation with changes in saturation. Furthermore, it was observed that as confining pressure increased at a specific eccentricity and degree of saturation, the associated anisotropies exhibited a continuous increase. In this context, as the eccentricity of the particles increased, the peak shear strength and its corresponding anisotropies initially increased and then decreased. Conversely, residual soil strength showed a consistent increase in shear strength and anisotropy with rising eccentricity.