Research

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Geomechanics

Multiscale Modeling

A family of geomaterials, ranging from granular rocks to concrete, exhibit a granular structure at some scale. For example, in sandstones and sands a granular structure at the millimeter scale is not uncommon. Similarly, in cement-based materials, it is believed that calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H), cements main component, is formed by nano-globules that may control the behavior of the material at the macroscopic scale. The objective of this research area is to exploit the granular structure in these geomaterials to develop more accurate material descriptions in highly distorted zones where phenomenological approaches break down. The procedure promises to aid in the development of new physics-based continuum models for geomaterials.