| Abstract |
Soil in Motion (SiM) is a project to move forward in the understanding and modelling of triggering instability processes and the subsequent
dynamic response of soil and rock masses. Several phenomena are investigated from theoretical, experimental and numerical
approaches: (a) rate strengthening friction; (b) flash heating weakening; (c) thermal pressurization by frictional heating; (d) static and
dynamic mechanical pressurization inducing liquefaction; and (e) solid mass transport due to internal erosion.
All of this phenomena will be integrated in a numerical tool based on the Material Point Method which will be coupled with the Finite
Element Method with the aim of being able to simulate static long period process previous to the instability and the post failure response.
The software will be developed in collaboration with international research centres, universities and professionals and it will be provided as
free access code.
The project will result in an advance of the capabilities for analysing, predicting and preventing natural disasters as well as man-madeinduced
catastrophic geotechnical events, such as slope instabilities, seismic-induced liquefaction, erosion of earth/rockfill structures (i.e.
embankments and dams), rock avalanches and rainfall-induced shallow landslides. The work focuses on the run-out and velocity of
unstable masses and their interaction with other structures. These are key aspects to evaluate the associated risk, which requires the
identification of vulnerable areas.
In addition, a comprehensive evaluation of the phenomena and the validation of the theoretical and numerical developments will be carried
out by means of the design and performance of medium and intermediate scale tests developed specifically to evaluate large deformation
stages. At this range of strains, traditional measurement tools fail. The project will attempt to explore new monitoring techniques enable to
deal with the dynamic phase of the tests.
Some real cases, characterized by the reasonable information available, are also selected for further validation of the modelling
procedures and to show the capabilities of the outcomes of the project. This last activity is deemed to be quite fundamental because of the
necessary reliability and usefulness of the project results beyond their academic value. |