This paper addresses the transient stability of grid-forming (GFM) inverters when transitioning from the islanded to grid-connected mode. It is revealed that the reconnection of the GFM inverters to the main grid can be equivalent to a step change of the active power reference, whose impact is closely related with the local load, active power reference of GFM inverter, and short-circuit ratio (SCR) of the grid. Such equivalent disturbance may cause GFM inverters lose the synchronism with the grid. To avoid loss of synchronization, the existence of equilibria of GFM inverter after reconnecting it with the grid is examined, considering the varying SCR. Then, the parametric effects of power controllers on the transient stability are characterized by using phase portraits, which shed clear insights into the controller design for reliably reconnecting GFM inverters with grid. Lastly, all the theoretical findings are confirmed by experimental tests.

Over the past decades, because of boosted energy demands and the serious concerns of climate change, inverter-based resources (IBRs) have been widely deployed to integrate renewable energy into power systems for the goal of carbon neutrality. Thanks to the full controllability of power electronic devices, IBRs have the capability to implement reliable and flexible power regulation, which makes them technically feasible for enhancing the resilience and energy efficiency of power systems.

Rubber–soil mixtures (RSM), formed by mixing two types of granules with vastly different mechanical properties, has the potential for serving as a cost-effective substitute for geotechnical fillings. Its micromechanical behavior at a microscopic scale, however, is not yet well understood. In this study, a numerical model of granulated RSM under biaxial compression conditions is established based on the discrete element theory and two-dimensional particle flow code. Microparameters of a particular RSM are studied and calibrated by comparison with triaxial consolidated drained shear tests. The volumetric fraction of sand is assigned as the index of the mixture, and the deviatoric stress–axial strain curves of RSM with different sand fractions are analyzed. Particle rotation, average coordination number, force chain structure, and energy dissipation with axial strains are further investigated to better understand the microscopic mechanisms of RSM. The main findings of the study include: (1) Rubber particles are highly deformable and fill the voids more easily than stiffer sand particles. This contributes to the high friction of sand–rubber interfaces, which delays or even inhibits the relative motion and tumbling of sand particles; (2) The force chains of sand particles are either braced from buckling until large axial strains by rubber particles occupying the intergranular voids or distributed by increased rubber–rubber contacts depending on the rubber content; and (3) RSM with a rubber volumetric content of 30–40% are optimal in that the force chain increases monotonically with axial strain with a stable load-deformation relationship. In addition, the sensitivity analysis of the effect of microparameters on the macroscopic behavior of RSM is presented, which can provide theoretical support for exploring the mechanical properties of similar mixed granular materials subjected to external loading.