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The complexity of the mechanics of active clays and, more generally, of geomaterials with clay minerals, under saturated and unsaturated conditions, still provides relevant scientific challenges today. Equally relevant challenges are the understanding of t ...
The similarity in mechanical properties of dense active matter and sheared amorphous solids has been noted in recent years without a rigorous examination of the underlying mechanism. We develop a mean-field model that predicts that their critical behavior— ...
The assessment of the shear strength of reinforced concrete beams with and without shear reinforcement is investigated in this paper on the basis of the contribution of the various potential shear-transfer actions. To that aim, a comprehensive experimental ...
Bed-joint structural repointing is a widely used strengthening technique in historic masonry constructions, particularly in applications where the material appearance needs to be preserved. Despite its wide use, limited research is available on the effecti ...
Triaxial testing of argillaceous rocks and shales is significantly more challenging than conventional rock mechanical testing. The challenges are mainly related to the very low permeability of these geomaterials, and their sensitivity to exposure of atmosp ...
Dense granular flows -debris or pyroclastic flows, avalanches, granular flows in heaps, silos or rotating drums-are ubiquitous to many natural and industrial processes. Their grain composition is often polydisperse, with particles differing in shape, size ...
Reinforced concrete planar members, as slabs and shells, are structural elements commonly used in the construction technique, which are typically designed without the arrangement of shear reinforcement. Despite the fact that this solution allows for fast a ...
Experimental geomechanics highlights that the mechanical behavior of expansive porous media is variable depending on the pore water chemical composition. These porous media are typically characterized by clay particles, whose activity (Skempton, 1953) (and ...
Energy piles are shallow geothermal systems integrated into structures already required for structural functions of civil works that provide both geothermal energy supply and structural support to the built environments. This research work is driven by the ...
Predicting the induced change of fluid pressure in an unsaturated porous medium during undrained loading/unloading processes is challenging because two different fluids (a liquid and a gaseous solution) and a mixture of solid particles are involved. The re ...