Experimental and numerical study on the shear deformation characteristics of the loess-concrete interfaces

The mechanical properties of loess-concrete interfaces affect the stability and durability of engineering structures in loess regions. However, the combined effects on deformation behavior under varying loess parameters with normal stress conditions and micromechanical evolution properties at the lo...

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Main Authors: Liang Zhang, Tiehang Wang, Zhilang You, Zaikun Zhao, Jiabin Ruan, Yuxin Xue
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:Results in Engineering
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025027057
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author Liang Zhang
Tiehang Wang
Zhilang You
Zaikun Zhao
Jiabin Ruan
Yuxin Xue
author_facet Liang Zhang
Tiehang Wang
Zhilang You
Zaikun Zhao
Jiabin Ruan
Yuxin Xue
author_sort Liang Zhang
collection DOAJ
description The mechanical properties of loess-concrete interfaces affect the stability and durability of engineering structures in loess regions. However, the combined effects on deformation behavior under varying loess parameters with normal stress conditions and micromechanical evolution properties at the loess-concrete interface remain insufficiently understood. Direct shear tests were conducted to examine the combined effects of water content and dry density with varying normal stress conditions on deformation and mechanical response. Gypsum powder lines were adopted to capture horizontal displacement, and the shear zone thickness was quantified using the single change-point slope method. In addition, the discrete element method (DEM) was applied to simulate the shear process and reveal micromechanical evolution properties. Results show that increasing water content reduces shear band thickness and interface shear stress, although this effect diminishes with high normal stress. Similarly, the influence of dry density on deformation and shear stress is also weakened under elevated normal stress. DEM simulations closely matched the experimental results and reproduced micromechanical evolution features of the shear process. The evolution of force chains, stress fields, coordination number, and porosity exhibited strong directionality opposite to the shear direction, reflecting consistency between microscopic responses and macroscopic behavior.
format Article
id doaj-art-129f40fe30384f558a2b13dbba542025
institution Kabale University
issn 2590-1230
language English
publishDate 2025-09-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Results in Engineering
spelling doaj-art-129f40fe30384f558a2b13dbba5420252025-08-20T03:41:57ZengElsevierResults in Engineering2590-12302025-09-012710663810.1016/j.rineng.2025.106638Experimental and numerical study on the shear deformation characteristics of the loess-concrete interfacesLiang Zhang0Tiehang Wang1Zhilang You2Zaikun Zhao3Jiabin Ruan4Yuxin Xue5School of Civil Engineering, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an, Shaanxi, 710055, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an, Shaanxi, 710055, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Geotechnical and Underground Space Engineering, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi′an, Shaanxi, 710055, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an, Shaanxi, 710055, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Geotechnical and Underground Space Engineering, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi′an, Shaanxi, 710055, China; Corresponding author.School of Civil Engineering, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an, Shaanxi, 710055, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an, Shaanxi, 710055, ChinaSchool of Highway, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710064, ChinaThe mechanical properties of loess-concrete interfaces affect the stability and durability of engineering structures in loess regions. However, the combined effects on deformation behavior under varying loess parameters with normal stress conditions and micromechanical evolution properties at the loess-concrete interface remain insufficiently understood. Direct shear tests were conducted to examine the combined effects of water content and dry density with varying normal stress conditions on deformation and mechanical response. Gypsum powder lines were adopted to capture horizontal displacement, and the shear zone thickness was quantified using the single change-point slope method. In addition, the discrete element method (DEM) was applied to simulate the shear process and reveal micromechanical evolution properties. Results show that increasing water content reduces shear band thickness and interface shear stress, although this effect diminishes with high normal stress. Similarly, the influence of dry density on deformation and shear stress is also weakened under elevated normal stress. DEM simulations closely matched the experimental results and reproduced micromechanical evolution features of the shear process. The evolution of force chains, stress fields, coordination number, and porosity exhibited strong directionality opposite to the shear direction, reflecting consistency between microscopic responses and macroscopic behavior.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025027057Loess-concrete interfaceShear band deformationDirect shear testMesoscopic simulationShear process evolution
spellingShingle Liang Zhang
Tiehang Wang
Zhilang You
Zaikun Zhao
Jiabin Ruan
Yuxin Xue
Experimental and numerical study on the shear deformation characteristics of the loess-concrete interfaces
Results in Engineering
Loess-concrete interface
Shear band deformation
Direct shear test
Mesoscopic simulation
Shear process evolution
title Experimental and numerical study on the shear deformation characteristics of the loess-concrete interfaces
title_full Experimental and numerical study on the shear deformation characteristics of the loess-concrete interfaces
title_fullStr Experimental and numerical study on the shear deformation characteristics of the loess-concrete interfaces
title_full_unstemmed Experimental and numerical study on the shear deformation characteristics of the loess-concrete interfaces
title_short Experimental and numerical study on the shear deformation characteristics of the loess-concrete interfaces
title_sort experimental and numerical study on the shear deformation characteristics of the loess concrete interfaces
topic Loess-concrete interface
Shear band deformation
Direct shear test
Mesoscopic simulation
Shear process evolution
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025027057
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AT tiehangwang experimentalandnumericalstudyonthesheardeformationcharacteristicsoftheloessconcreteinterfaces
AT zhilangyou experimentalandnumericalstudyonthesheardeformationcharacteristicsoftheloessconcreteinterfaces
AT zaikunzhao experimentalandnumericalstudyonthesheardeformationcharacteristicsoftheloessconcreteinterfaces
AT jiabinruan experimentalandnumericalstudyonthesheardeformationcharacteristicsoftheloessconcreteinterfaces
AT yuxinxue experimentalandnumericalstudyonthesheardeformationcharacteristicsoftheloessconcreteinterfaces