TY  - EJOU
AU  - Pu, Yang  
AU  - Zhihai, Xiang  
AU  - Xiasong, Hu  
AU  - Guorong, Li  
AU  - Haili, Zhu  
AU  - XiaoqinCen, Mao 
AU  - Zhangzhi, 

TI  - Limit Load of Soil-Root Composites
T2  - Computers, Materials \& Continua

PY  - 2009
VL  - 10
IS  - 2
SN  - 1546-2226

AB  - This paper studies the influence of root reinforcement on shallow soil protection by using Finite Element (FE) method. Taking the root-soil composite as a periodic material, the homogenization method is used to construct a Representative Volume Element (RVE) that consists of roots and soil. This RVE is discretized by a two-dimensional (2-D) FE mesh, while special formulation is established so that this model is capable of describing three-dimensional (3-D) deformations when the strain is invariant along the fiber axis. The important effect of debonding on the interface between the fiber and the matrix is also considered by using a special interface element. To verify the validity of the proposed computational model, triaxial tests were conducted, where the root-soil composite was subjected to axial and lateral pressures. Good agreement of limit loads has been achieved between the numerical and the experimental results.
KW  - limit load
KW  -  soil-root composites
KW  -  soil-root interaction
KW  -  periodic composites

DO  - 10.3970/cmc.2009.010.117