Cross‐Scale Simulation Study on the Wetting Mechanical Properties and Deformation Characteristics of Rockfill Materials

ABSTRACT The cross‐scale approach based on the finite element method (FEM) and discrete element method (DEM) was employed to investigate the effects of different particle shapes and stress conditions on axial deviatoric stress during wetting. A DEM modeling framework was proposed to simulate the wetting tests considering different particle shapes. The Effect of varying particle shapes on the stress‐strain and volumetric strain behavior of rockfill materials during the wetting process was investigated. Moreover, the study analyzed macroscopic characteristics such as axial and volumetric wetting deformation under triaxial test conditions. Furthermore, the mesoscopic mechanisms influencing the wetting behavior of rockfill materials were investigated using internal sample features such as Euler angles, coordination number, and contact fabric distribution. Finally, a wetting constitutive model incorporating particle shape characterization indices was proposed and validated across multiple scales. This study provides a novel approach for the accurate evaluation and safety control of the structural behavior of high rockfill dams.