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Particle shape effect on thermal conductivity and shear wave velocity in sands

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Abstract

This study presents the correlations between quantified shape parameters and geotechnical properties for nine sand specimens. Four shape parameters, sphericity, convexity, elongation and slenderness, were quantified with two-dimensional microscopic images with the aid of image processing techniques. An instrumented oedometer cell is used to measure compressibility, thermal conductivity and shear wave velocity during loading, unloading and reloading stages. As the particle shape inherently determines the initial loose packing condition, initial void ratio and shape parameters are well correlated with compressibility. The applied stress in soils increases the interparticle contact area and contact quality; round particles tend to achieve higher thermal conductivity and shear wave velocity during stress-induced volume change. Multiple linear regression is implemented to capture the relative contributions of involved variables, revealing that the thermal evolution is governed by the initial packing density and particle shape. The experimental observations underscore the predominant effect that particle shape has on the geomechanical and physical properties upon stress-induced soil behavior.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Korea CCS R&D Center (KCRC) Grant and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) Grant funded by the Korea government (MSIP) (Nos. 2012-0008929, 2011-0030040, 2016R1A2B4011292) and was supported by a Grant (16-RDRP-B076564-03) from Regional Development Research Program funded by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of Korean government.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Marine and Civil Engineering, Chonnam National University, Yeosu, 550-749, Korea

    Changho Lee

  2. School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul, 120-749, Korea

    Hyoung Suk Suh & Tae Sup Yun

  3. School of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, 136-713, Korea

    Boyeong Yoon

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  1. Changho Lee
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  2. Hyoung Suk Suh
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  4. Tae Sup Yun
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Correspondence to Tae Sup Yun.

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Lee, C., Suh, H.S., Yoon, B. et al. Particle shape effect on thermal conductivity and shear wave velocity in sands. Acta Geotech. 12, 615–625 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-017-0524-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-017-0524-6

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