Experiment and discrete element modeling of particle breakage in coral sand under triaxial compression conditions

Particle breakage is a major factor that determines the strength and deformation of coral sand. Consolidated drained triaxial compression tests under different confining pressures have been conducted on coral sands as a basis for 3D discrete element simulations, focusing on the particle breakage characteristics. Considering angular breakage and overall breakage in the numerical model, particle breakage is simulated with a fragment replacement method, and the particle size and the equivalent stress are combined as the criterion to judge the occurrence of particle crushing. The validation of the numerical model is proved by reproducing comparable stress-strain relations, evolutions of grain size distribution and relative breakage rate. The overall behavior of the specimen transit from strain softening to strain hardening with the increase in confining pressure from 100 kPa to 400 kPa. Meanwhile, the number of angular breakages increases at a decreasing rate, while the number of overall breakages increase at an increasing rate. This phenomenon implies that overall breakage overwhelms angular breakage and becomes the dominating particle breakage mechanism gradually with increasing confining pressure. Microscopic analyses reveal that higher confining pressure increases the overall contact force, the portion of strong contact force and the coordination number.