ABSTRACT
This suggests that there is value in physically extracting from ‘real’ materials, particular influences at the grain-level – such as the relative role of angularity versus elongation of particles. While difficulties can arise in isolating populations of particles to have only one factor acting as a variable (i.e. either mineralogy, particle shape, etc.), on occasion this process occurs naturally. This study discusses one such occurrence where two populations of essentially the same material were found to have a difference in grain shape, with all other factors remaining equal. This allowed physical comparison of mechanical behavior to be made purely on the basis of grain shape. The results suggest that particle elongation has a definite and distinct influence on the stress-strain and creep response of a granular material.
