Formulation and application of 3D THM-coupled zero-thickness interface elements
Author(s)
Cui, Wenjie
Potts, David M
Zdravković, Lidija
Gawecka, Klementyna A
Tsiampousi, Aikaterini
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Interface elements are frequently employed in finite element (FE) analyses to represent soil-structure interfaces or rock joints. The modelling of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) problems in geotechnical engineering requires equally a coupled and robust THM formulation for interface elements. This paper presents such a formulation which is capable of reproducing the coupled THM behaviour of discontinuities and soil-structure boundaries, and is compatible with other types of finite elements used to discretise the soil and structural domains (e.g. solid and shell elements). The coupled THM three-dimensional (3D) zero-thickness interface element is implemented into the bespoke FE code employed in this research and its features are verified using a number of numerical exercises. To demonstrate their performance, the proposed interface elements are employed in the simulation of the coupled THM behaviour of a fissured triaxial sample subjected to a thermal load and the influence of the presence of fissures on soil behaviour is presented.
Date Issued
2019-12
Date Acceptance
2019-08-05
Citation
Computers and Geotechnics, 2019, 116, pp.1-11
ISSN
0266-352X
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Start Page
1
End Page
11
Journal / Book Title
Computers and Geotechnics
Volume
116
Copyright Statement
© 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This manuscript is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Sponsor
Geotechnical Consulting Group
Identifier
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0266352X1930268X?via%3Dihub
Grant Number
CISM_P60087
Subjects
0905 Civil Engineering
0914 Resources Engineering and Extractive Metallurgy
0915 Interdisciplinary Engineering
Geological & Geomatics Engineering
Publication Status
Published online
Article Number
103204
Date Publish Online
2019-08-09