Testing and numerical simulation of Holocene marine sand uniaxial compression along the Lithuanian coast

Abstract

Compressibility of quartz sand from the Lithuanian coastal area in Klaipėda environs is investigated by testing and numerical simulation, with validation of obtained results. The shape of sand grains has been analysed with a scanning electronic microscope (SEM). The determined morphological parameters of sand grains are employed to create discrete models (particle models of grains) subsequently used for sand compression test numerical simulation via discrete element method (DEM) techniques. The background version of DEM and the numerical time-integration algorithm are implemented in original DEMMAT code. Compression tests have been realised by an oedometer device. Test versus numerical simulation results have revealed a dependence of significant compression curve character on the discretised shape of sand grains and Young’s modulus of particles.