Abstract It is commonly accepted that remarkable particle breakage starts at a stress level exceeding the yield point on the compression curve and continuously affects the mechanical behavior of granular materials during compression. A series of one-dimensional compression tests on calcareous sands were performed to investigate the evolution of particle breakage during loading and the influence of particle breakage on the compression behavior. It was found that particle breakage of calcareous sand occurred at a relatively low-pressure region and increased linearly with increasing vertical stress before reaching the yield point. For a given void ratio, particle breakage leads to an increase in compressibility and reduction in stiffness during the compression process. However, the rate of particle breakage slows down with linearly increasing compaction energy, and particle breakage would not continue indefinitely. In one-dimensional compression tests, the total amount of particle breakage for a looser specimen is larger at the same vertical stress. The compaction energy method was used to produce pre-crushed materials and quantify the work consumed on specimens. The relationship between particle breakage index and work per unit volume was examined as well, which was independent of the initial void ratio.
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