(1) An elastoviscoplastic model that can describing both the solid-like and fluid-like behavior of clays has been implemented into the framework of the particle finite element method which is then used for studying the retrogressive failure behavior of sensitive clays in landslides.
Relevant exploitation and dissemination:
- A journal article named “Dynamic modelling of retrogressive landslides with emphasis on the role of clay sensitivity” has been formed based on this research work and submitted to “International Journal for Numerical and Analytical Methods in Goemechanics” (under review).
- A conference paper named “Particle finite element modelling of retrogressive slope failure in sensitive clays” has been formed based on this work.
- A presentation has been given at the 15th International Conference of the International Association for Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics held in Wuhan, China, Oct 2017.
- Dr Xue Zhang has been awarded the prestigious “John Carter Award” at this international conference.
(2) A three-dimensional version of the particle finite element method has been developed with the implementation of Non-Newtonian fluids in collaboration with Dr Alessandro Franci, which enables the approach to consider 3D problems. A paper titled “3D numerical simulation of free-surface Bingham fluids interacting with structures using the PFEM” has been formed and submitted to an international journal “Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics” (under review).
(3) The finite element formulation for solid mechanics and fluid dynamics has been unified on the basis of a general mixed variational principle. The proposed formulation enables the fluid-solid coupling to be achieved in a monolithic manner. With implementing the formulation into the particle finite element method, the resulting approach is now able to simulate submarine landslides and their consequences. This work forms an article titled “A unified solid/fluid finite element formulation and its possibility for modelling submarine landslides and their consequences” which is now under review by the international journal “Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering”
(4) Knowledge transfers have been conducted via giving a seminar at CIMNE.
(5) Dr Zhang attended the XIV International Conference on Computational Plasticity: Fundamentals and Applications (COMPLAS 2017) held by the host institution (CIMNE).
(6) Dr Zhang visited the University of Liverpool for disseminating his work related to the modelling of submarine landslides and their consequences and sought collaborations.
(7) Collaboration between Dr Xue Zhang and researchers from University of Bologna, Italy has been built up on the modelling of earthquake-induced landslides using the particle finite element method.
