Effects of particle size on crushing and deformation behaviors of rockfill
materials
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Abstract
Strength and deformation behaviors of rockfill materials, key factors for determining the stability of
dams, pertain strongly to the grain crushing characteristics. In this study, single-particle crushing tests
were carried out on rockfill materials with nominal particle diameters of 2.5 mm, 5 mm and 10 mm to
investigate the particle size effect on the single-particle strength and the relationship between the
characteristic stress and probability of non-failure. Test data were found to be described by the Weibull
distribution with the Weibull modulus of 3.24. Assemblies with uniform nominal grains were then
subjected to one-dimensional compression tests at eight levels of vertical stress with a maximum of
100 MPa. The yield stress in one-dimensional compression tests increased with decreasing the particle
size, which could be estimated from the single-particle crushing tests. The void ratio-vertical stress curve
could be predicted by an exponential function. The particle size distribution curve increased obviously
with applied stresses less than 16 MPa and gradually reached the ultimate fractal grading. The relative
breakage index became constant with stress up to 64 MPa and was obtained from the ultimate grading at
the fractal dimension (a ¼ 2:7). A hyperbolical function was also found useful for describing the relationship
between the relative breakage index and input work during one-dimensional compression tests.
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