Dry Stone Retaining Structures: DEM Modeling

Dry stone retaining structures are structures made of individual decimeter stone blocks in contact. One advantage of this construction technology lies in the weak amount of embodied energy required for their construction, and uses only local materials. This technology may be a positive answer to the challenges brought by sustainable policies in civil engineering.

Many of these structures are older than one hundred years and sustain damage due to ageing; this places the owners in front of a challenging issue. Usual scientific tools cannot address the specific behavior of such structures. Due to the discrete nature of the system, a large amount of energy can be dissipated at contact level before failure of the structure. The shape, arrangement and possible breakage of blocks may play a major role in their overall behavior, specific to these structures. This book brings an overview of the DEM technique to model the behavior of discrete civil engineering structures. Physical models, modeling and site measurements are all explored, helping the civil engineer evaluate the behavior of unique structures.

• The only DEM technique to model the behavior of discrete civil engineering structures
• A specific and sophisticated tool to address the general features observed on site
• Details physical models, modeling and site measurements

Eric Vincens is Associated Professor at Ecole Centrale de Lyon, France. He has developed research which aims to better understand and model the behavior of granular soils and geotechnical works including dykes, dams and masonry structures. He is a member of the Geotechnical Risk and Safety Commission of Lyon.

Jean-Patrick Plassiard is Assistant Professor at the University of Savoy Mont Blanc, France. He has developed research on the static and dynamic behavior of structures including reinforced concrete, rammed earth and masonry, focusing on the modeling of their non-linear behavior under extreme loadings.

Jean-Jacques Fry is an embankment dam expert working at Electricité de France (EDF), the French utility firm. With more of 40 years of experience in geotechnics, he was successively consultant for UNDP, the general secretary of the French committee on large dams, Professor at Ecole Centrale de Lyon, the chairman of the working group on Internal Erosion of the European Club of ICOLD and he is currently the chairman of the working group on Dams and Earthquakes of the European Club of ICOLD.