A new fluid-solid coupled numerical approach is developed by combining the CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics)- DEM (discrete element method) with the pore network model (PNM) to simulate the erosion of the soil-rock mixture. The pore network with pore and pore pipes is constructed based on the particles and updated regularly. A relationship equation is derived between the permeability scalar for micro-scaled pore pipe and the anisotropic permeability tensor for macro-scaled fluid element. By the Delaunay-PorePy-PFC3D program framework, the erosion process of the soil-rock mixture with different fine contents (FCs) is simulated. The results show that the PNM-CFD-DEM model can meet the computational accuracy for simulating the rule-arranged uniform particles. The duration of the erosion stage is different for specimens with different FCs. The PNM-CFDDEM model can reproduce the particle erosion paths in different specimens, as well as the adjustment of the pore network between their coarse particles. The preferential drag forces in the discrete portion take into account the pore network formed by the state of the particle buildup within each fluid element.

Application of biopolymers to improve the mechanical properties of soils has been extensively reported. However, a comprehensive understanding of various engineering applications is necessary to enhance their effectiveness. While numerous experimental studies have investigated the use of biopolymers as injection materials, a detailed understanding of their injection behavior in soil through numerical analyses is lacking. This study aimed to address this gap by employing pore network modeling techniques to analyze the injection characteristics of biopolymer solutions in soil. A pore network was constructed from computed tomography images of Ottawa 20-30 sand. Fluid flow simulations incorporated power-law parameters and governing equations to account for the viscosity characteristics of biopolymers. Agar gum was selected as the biopolymer for analysis, and its injection characteristics were evaluated in terms of concentration and pore-size distribution. Results indicate that the viscosity properties of biopolymer solutions significantly influence the injection characteristics, particularly concerning concentration and injection pressure. Furthermore, notable trends in injection characteristics were observed based on pore size and distribution. Importantly, in contrast to previous studies, meaningful correlations were established between the viscosity of the injected fluid, injection pressure, and injection distance. Thus, this study introduces a novel methodology for integrating pore network construction and fluid flow characteristics into biopolymer injections, with potential applications in optimizing field injections such as permeation grouting.

In this study, a functional relationship for frozen soil at different temperatures, confining pressures, and triaxial compressive strengths is established through macroscopic and mesoscopic comparative tests. Additionally, a three-dimensional pore network model at the mesoscopic scale is constructed. Morphological characterization parameters are introduced to quantify the pore structure, and the evolution of the pore structure in frozen soil during the stress process is analyzed, as well as the influence of temperature and confining pressure on the pore characteristics and failure morphologies. The results reveal that at the macroscale, frozen soil exhibits a power function relationship with temperature, confining pressure, and triaxial compressive strength. During mechanical loading, frozen soil undergoes compaction, pore development, and pore expansion stages, leading to changes in pore size and connectivity. Additionally, temperature and confining pressure significantly impact the pore characteristics and failure morphologies of frozen soil. At lower temperatures, frozen soil experiences severe bulging and brittle failure, accompanied by increased pore size, enhanced connectivity, and complex morphology. Increasing the confining pressure reduces the degree of bulging and damage, decreases the porosity and connectivity, enhances the complexity of the pore morphology, and results in a denser and more stable internal structure in frozen soil. Through this study, a better understanding of the damage behavior of frozen soil under different temperatures and confining pressures is achieved. Furthermore, this research provides a theoretical basis and reference for addressing related engineering problems.

A close relationship exists between the pore network structure of microbial solidified soil and its macroscopic mechanical properties. The microbial solidified engineering residue and sand were scanned by computed tomography (CT), and a three-dimensional model of the sample was established by digital image processing. A spatial pore network ball-stick model of the representative elementary volume (REV) was established, and the REV parameters of the sample were calculated. The pore radius, throat radius, pore coordination number, and throat length were normally distributed. The soil particle size was larger after solidification. The calcium carbonate content of the microbial solidified engineering residue's consolidated layer decreased with the soil depth, the porosity increased, the pore and throat network developed, and the ultimate structure was relatively stable. The calcium carbonate content of the microbial solidified sand's consolidated layer decreased and increased with the soil depth. The content reached the maximum, the hardness of the consolidated layer was the highest, and the development of the pore and throat network was optimum at a depth of 10-15 mm.

Characterisation of the permeability of soils is of practical importance and, for cohesionless or granular soils, it can be predicted from the void ratio and the particle size distribution (PSD). However, the effect of fabric anisotropy on the permeability is rarely discussed. Restricting consideration to granular (cohesionless) soil, this study combines a variety of numerical methods to investigate (1) how the anisotropy of the permeability evolves as the soil fabric anisotropy evolves in triaxial deformation and (2) establish a link between the anisotropy of the permeability and the fabric anisotropy. The Discrete Element Method (DEM) was employed to create linearly graded virtual samples of spheres (Cu of 1 to 2). Initially isotropic sphere packings were subjected to triaxial compression or triaxial extension up to 30% of absolute axial strain to induce an anisotropic fabric. Pore Network Models (PNMs) present a computationally efficient option for simulation of flow through the pore space. A PNM models fluid flow between pores (nodes) connected by pipes ( edges) whose geometry is defined by the topology of the connected pores and the mass balance equation is solved at each pore. After demonstrating the accuracy of the PNM framework adopted here, this contribution presents data from PNM simulations that used the positions of individual particles in the sheared spherical packings as input data. The fabric and permeability anisotropies during triaxial shear deformation were compared at axial strain intervals of 1%. Detailed microscale analyses suggest that the anisotropy in the permeability can be attributed to an increase in the local conductance of fluid pipes in the direction of the major principal stress, which is related to the evolution of the pore topologies during the shear deformation.