A density‐dependent elastoplastic hydro‐mechanical model for unsaturated compacted soils

This paper presents a three‐dimensional elastoplastic constitutive model for predicting the hydraulic and mechanical behaviour of unsaturated soils. It is based on experimental results obtained from a series of controlled‐suction triaxial tests on unsaturated compacted clay with different initial densities. Hydraulic hysteresis in the water‐retention behaviour is modelled as an elastoplastic process, with the elastic part modelled by a series of scanning curves and the elastoplastic part modelled by the main drying and wetting curves. The effect of void ratio on the water‐retention behaviour is studied using data obtained from controlled‐suction wetting–drying cyclic tests on unsaturated compacted clay with different initial densities. The effect of the degree of saturation on the stress–strain‐strength behaviour and the effect of void ratio on the water‐retention behaviour are considered in the model, as is the effect of suction on the hydraulic and mechanical behaviour. The initial density dependency of the compacted soil behaviour is modelled by experimental relationships between the initial density and the corresponding yield stress and, thereby, between the initial density and the normal compression line. The model is generalized to three‐dimensional stress states by assuming that the shapes of the failure and yield surfaces in the deviatoric stress plane are given by the Matsuoka–Nakai criterion. Model predictions of the stress–strain and water‐retention behaviour are compared with those obtained from triaxial tests with different initial densities under isotropic compression, triaxial compression and triaxial extension, with or without variation in suction. The comparisons indicate that the model accurately predicts the hydraulic and mechanical behaviour of unsaturated compacted soils with different initial densities using the same material constant. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Three‐dimensional elasto‐plastic model for unsaturated compacted soils with different initial densities

This paper presents an elasto‐plastic model for unsaturated compacted soils and experimental results obtained from a series of suction‐controlled triaxial tests on unsaturated compacted clay with different initial densities. The initial density dependency of the compacted soil behaviour is modelled by establishing experimental relationships between the initial density and the corresponding yield stress and thereby between the initial density and the location and slope of normal compression line. The model is generalized to three‐dimensional stress states by assuming that the shapes of the failure surface and the yield surface in the deviatoric plane are given by the extended SMP criterion. A considerable number of the isotropic compression, triaxial compression and extension tests on unsaturated compacted clay with different initial densities were performed using a suction‐controllable triaxial apparatus, to measure the stress–strain–volume change in different stress paths and wetting paths. The model has well‐predicting capabilities to reproduce the mechanical behaviour of specimens compacted under different conditions not only in isotropic compression but also in triaxial compression and triaxial extension. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Stress‐dependent hardening and failure surfaces of dry sand

During several triaxial compression experiments on plastic hardening, softening, and failure properties of dense sand specimens, it was found on various stress paths that the size of the failure surface was not constant. Instead, it changed depending on the current state of hydrostatic pressure. This finding is in contrast to the standard opinion consisting of the fact that the failure surface remains constant, once it has been reached during an experiment or in situ. In general, the behaviour of cohesionless granular‐material‐like sand is somehow characterised in between fluid and solid, where the solid behaviour results from the angle of internal friction and the confining pressure. Although the friction angle is an intrinsic material property, the confining pressure varies with the boundary conditions, thus defining different solid properties like plastic hardening, softening, and also failure. Based on our findings, it was the goal of the present contribution to introduce an improved setting for the plastic strain hardening and softening behaviour including the newly found yield properties at the limit state. For the identification of the material parameters, a complete triaxial experimental analysis of the tested sand is given. The overall elasto‐plasticity concept is validated by numerical computations of several laboratory foundation‐ and slope‐failure experiments. The performance of the proposed approach is compared with the standard concept of a constant failure surface, where the corresponding yield surfaces are understood as contours of equivalent plastic work or plastic strain. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Large stress reversals in true triaxial tests on cross‐anisotropic sand

The results of a series of true triaxial tests with stress paths involving large reversals under 3D conditions are presented. These tests were performed on medium dense Santa Monica Beach sand to provide experimental evidence for the rotational kinematic hardening hypothesis presented in a companion paper and to provide stress–strain and volume change relations for experiments with 3D stress paths and large stress reversals to be predicted by the rotational kinematic hardening model. The experimental equipment and the testing procedures are briefly explained followed by a presentation of the experimental results and their sensitivity to unknown causes as well as effects of cross‐anisotropy on the sand behavior. The stress paths are presented in a σ₃′‐plane and in an octahedral plane and the directions of experimental strain increment vectors are compared with those obtained from the rotational kinematic hardening model. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A visco‐damage model for brittle materials under monotonic and sustained stresses

A theoretical model is proposed to describe the evolution of damage in brittle materials, such as concrete and masonry, subjected to increasing or sustained stresses of relatively high intensity. The model is based on the introduction of suitable damage variables in a rheological model. In this way, it is possible to describe the material behaviour under stresses either increasing or constant in time. The capabilities of the model in describing the mechanical response of material elements subjected to different stress histories are illustrated. Some correlations with experimental data from tests performed on masonry and concrete specimens are presented, to assess the reliability of the theoretical predictions. The results of some numerical applications to non‐proportional stress paths are also illustrated. Finally, the limitations of the proposal are discussed and possible further improvements are envisaged. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Coupled modelling of hydro‐mechanical behaviour of unsaturated compacted expansive soils

The Barcelona basic model cannot predict the mechanical behaviour of unsaturated expansive soils, whereas the Barcelona expansive model (BExM) can only predict the stress–strain behaviour of unsaturated expansive soils without the water‐retention behaviour being incorporated. Moreover, the micro‐parameters and the coupling function between micro‐structural and macro‐structural strains in the BExM are difficult to determine. Experimental data show that the compression curves for non‐expansive soils under constant suctions are shifted towards higher void ratios with increasing suction, whereas the opposite is true for expansive soils. According to the observed water‐retention behaviour of unsaturated expansive soils, the air‐entry value increases with density, and the relationship between the degree of saturation and void ratio is linear at constant suction. According to the above observation, an elastoplastic constitutive model is developed for predicting the hydraulic and mechanical behaviour of unsaturated expansive soils, based on the existing hydro‐mechanical model for non‐expansive unsaturated soil. The model takes into consideration the effect of degree of saturation on the mechanical behaviour and that of void ratio on the water‐retention behaviour. The concept of equivalent void ratio curve is introduced to distinguish the plastic potential curve from the yield curve. The model predictions are compared with the test results of an unsaturated expansive soil, including swelling tests under constant net stress, isotropic compression tests and triaxial shear tests under constant suction. The comparison indicates that the model offers great potential for quantitatively predicting the hydraulic and mechanical behaviour of unsaturated expansive soils. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A thermo‐hydro‐mechanical model for unsaturated soils based on the effective stress concept

A simple thermo‐hydro‐mechanical (THM) constitutive model for unsaturated soils is described. The effective stress concept is extended to unsaturated soils with the introduction of a capillary stress. This capillary stress is based on a microstructural model and calculated from attraction forces due to water menisci. The effect of desaturation and the thermal softening phenomenon are modelled with a minimal number of material parameters and based on existing models. THM process is qualitatively and quantitatively modelled by using experimental data and previous work to show the application of the model, including a drying path under mechanical stress with transition between saturated and unsaturated states, a heating path under constant suction and a deviatoric path with imposed suction and temperature. The results show that the present model can simulate the THM behaviour in unsaturated soils in a satisfactory way. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Non‐isothermal plasticity model for cyclic behaviour of soils

On the one hand, it has been observed that liquefaction‐induced shear deformation of soils accumulates in a cycle‐by‐cycle pattern. On the other hand, it is known that heating could induce plastic hardening. This study deals with the constitutive modelling of the effect that heat may have on the cyclic mechanical properties of cohesive soils, a relatively new area of interest in soil mechanics. In this paper, after a presentation of the thermo‐mechanical framework, a non‐isothermal plasticity cyclic model formulation is presented and discussed. The model calibration is described based on data from laboratory sample tests. It includes numerical simulations of triaxial shear tests at various constant temperatures. Then, the model predictions are compared with experimental results and discussed in the final section. Both drained and undrained loading conditions are considered. The proposed constitutive model shows good ability to capture the characteristic features of behaviour. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical modelling of shear socketed piers

When a socketed pier embedded in a rock mass is pushed down, the concrete asperities slide over the matching rock asperities. Consequently, the normal stress across the rock–concrete interface increases due to the dilation of the rough contact. The objective of this paper is to model the behaviour of such rough interfaces analytically. A plasticity‐based interface model is developed and implemented in a finite element program. Various features of the model such as failure criterion, plastic potential, bond degradation and dilatancy are presented. Interface parameters obtained from laboratory tests are used to simulate the interaction between concrete and rock numerically. A comparison between laboratory observations and numerical predictions is presented. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analysis of soil‐structural interface behavior using three‐dimensional DEM simulations

The shear behavior at the interface between the soil and a structure is investigated at the macroscale and particle‐scale levels using a 3‐dimensional discrete element method (DEM). The macroscopic mechanical properties and microscopic quantities affected by the normalized interface roughness and the loading parameters are analyzed. The macro‐response shows that the shear strength of the interface increases as the normalized roughness of the interface increases, and stress softening and dilatancy of the soil material are observed in the tests that feature rough interfaces. The particle‐scale analysis illustrates that a localized band characterized by intense shear deformation emerges from the contact plane and gradually expands as shearing progresses before stabilizing at the residual stress state. The thickness of the localized band is affected by the normalized roughness of the interface and the normal stress, which ranges between 4 and 5 times that of the median grain diameter. A thicker localized band is formed when the soil has a rough shearing interface. After the localized band appears, the granular material structuralizes into 2 regions: the interface zone and the upper zone. The mechanical behavior in the interface zone is representative of the interface according to the local average stress analysis. Certain microscopic quantities in the interface zone are analyzed, including the coordination number and the material fabric. Shear at the interface creates an anisotropic material fabric and leads to the rotation of the major principal stress.     

Elasto‐plastic model for cement‐treated sand

This paper presents an elasto‐plastic model for non‐linear analyses of cement‐treated sand. Various laboratory tests were systematically carried out to investigate the pre‐peak and post‐peak behaviours of a cement‐treated sand. On the basis of these experimental results, the new model was built within the framework of a relatively simple elasto‐plastic theory. Two failure criteria are employed to express tensile and shear failure characteristics observed in the experimental results of the cement‐treated sand. The proposed model can describe strain‐hardening and strain‐softening responses under both failure modes. In the strain‐softening rules, the smeared crack concept is used, and a characteristic length is considered to avoid the issue of mesh‐size dependency. Since the failure criterion and strain‐hardening/softening rules are based on the experimental evidences, the model is relatively easy to understand and the parameters used in the model have clear physical meaning. The proposed model was applied to simulate the behaviour of cement‐treated sand in various laboratory tests, allowing for a reasonable comprehensive evaluation. It was demonstrated that the proposed model is suitable for describing both the tensile and shear failure behaviours of cement‐treated sand. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

不同法向边界条件接触面三维力学特性的试验研究

运用最新研制的80 t三维多功能土工试验机对粗粒土与结构接触面在3种典型法向边界条件下的三维力学特性进行了试验研究。结果表明,接触面法向边界条件对其力学特性有重要影响,不同法向边界条件下接触面表现出了一些相似和不同的力学响应：(1)接触面总体上剪缩或有剪缩趋势,但数值不同;(2)除常应力条件外,接触面切向应力-切向位移关系曲线同一循环内一般不闭合,不同循环也不重合;(3)3种法向边界条件下接触面应力比-切向位移关系曲线同一循环内基本闭合,不同循环也基本重合,且形状较为相似,均呈椭圆形;(4)接触面静、动抗剪强度指标随法向边界条件变化不大,但动抗剪强度则差别很大。     

Particle‐scale effects on global axial and torsional interface shear behavior

An extensive literature on the shear behavior of continuum–particulate interfaces has been developed during the last four decades. However, relatively limited work regarding the behavior of interfaces under different loading conditions has been published. This paper presents a discrete element modeling study, along with comparisons from experimental data, of interface behavior under axial and torsional drained loading conditions. Detailed studies allow for links between micro‐scale particle behavior and observed global response to be developed and for the latter to be evaluated in light of particle–particle and particle–continuum interactions. The results of this study indicate that axial and torsional interface shear induce inherently different loading conditions, as shown by the different failure envelopes, stress paths, and induced soil volume changes and deformations. Furthermore, the results presented in this paper indicate that particle‐level mechanisms, such as particle rotations and contact slippage, play different roles in axial and torsional shear. Coordination number, polar histograms, particle displacements, particle rotations, and local void ratio measurements provide further insights into the fabric evolution, loading conditions, and failure mechanisms induced by these two shear modes. This study expands the current understanding of interface behavior and discusses potential improvements to geotechnical systems that leverage the characteristics of different imposed loading conditions. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical simulations of simple shear with non‐coaxial soil models

This paper investigates the effects of a non‐coaxial model on simulated stress–strain behaviour of granular materials subject to simple shearing under various initial conditions. In most cases, a significant difference of predictions between coaxial and non‐coaxial modelling is found during the early stage in shearing. With the increase in shearing, non‐coaxial simulations approach and tend to coincide with coaxial simulations. It is also found that the roles of non‐coaxial modelling in simulating simple shear behaviour are considerably influenced by hardening rules, flow rules, initial static lateral pressure coefficients. In some cases, the non‐coaxial modelling gives a similar simulation as the coaxial modelling. In other cases, the non‐coaxial modelling decreases the hardening response or softening response of materials, compared with the coaxial modelling. Under certain conditions, the predicted peak strength of materials with non‐coaxial modelling is larger than that for coaxial modelling. Some of these observations can be attributed to the amount of principal stress rotation in various cases analysed. Others can be attributed to the difference between the directions of the non‐coaxial plastic flow and those for coaxial plastic flow. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

等应力增量比路径下接触面应变软化模型

等应力增量比路径单剪试验条件下,部分土体与结构接触面表现出明显的应变软化和剪胀特性。基于广义位势理论,将土与结构的接触面问题看作应力空间上的二维问题,势函数取法向应力和切向应力,用塑性状态方程取代传统的屈服面,建立等应力增量比路径条件下的土与结构接触面应力-应变软化模型。采用指数函数,拟合单向压缩试验中法向应力与法向应变的关系,采用复合指数函数,拟合应力比与切向应变的关系,采用另一复合指数函数,拟合法向剪胀分量与切向应变的关系。通过对拟合函数进行微分,确定模型中待定系数的求解方法。结合试验结果对模型进行验证,模型拟合效果良好,具有一定的合理性。     

Thermodynamic‐based model for coupling temperature‐dependent viscoelastic,viscoplastic, and viscodamage constitutive behavior of asphalt mixtures

Based on the continuum damage mechanics, a general and comprehensive thermodynamic‐based framework for coupling the temperature‐dependent viscoelastic, viscoplastic, and viscodamage behaviors of bituminous materials is presented. This general framework derives systematically Schapery‐type nonlinear viscoelasticity, Perzyna‐type viscoplasticity, and a viscodamage model analogous to the Perzyna‐type viscoplasticity. The resulting constitutive equations are implemented in the well‐known finite element code Abaqus via the user material subroutine UMAT. A systematic procedure for identifying the model parameters is discussed. Finally, the model is validated by comparing the model predictions with a comprehensive set of experimental data on hot mix asphalt that include creep‐recovery, creep, uniaxial constant strain rate, and repeated creep‐recovery tests in both tension and compression over a range of temperatures, stress levels, and strain rates. Comparisons between model predictions and experimental measurements show that the presented constitutive model is capable of predicting the nonlinear behavior of asphaltic mixes under different loading conditions. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Visco‐elastic load transfer models for axially loaded piles

Viscoelastic or creep behaviour can have a significant influence on the load transfer (t–z) response at the pile–soil interface, and thus on the pile load settlement relationship. Many experimental and theoretical models for pile load transfer behaviour have been presented. However, none of these has led to a closed‐form expression which captures both non‐linearity and viscoelastic behaviour of the soil. In this paper, non‐linear viscoelastic shaft and base load transfer (t–z) models are presented, based on integration of a generalized viscoelastic stress–strain model for the soil. The resulting shaft model is verified through published field and laboratory test data. With these models, the previous closed‐form solutions evolved for a pile in a non‐homogeneous media have been readily extended to account for visco‐elastic response. For 1‐step loading case, the closed‐form predictions have been verified extensively with previous more rigorous numerical analysis, and with the new GASPILE program analysis. Parametric studies on two kinds of commonly encountered loading: step loading, ramp (linear increase followed by sustained) loading have been performed. Two examples of the prediction of the effects of creep on the load settlement relationship by the solutions and the program GASPILE, have been presented. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Laboratory modelling of shear behaviour of soft joints under constant normal stiffness conditions

Shear behaviour of regular sawtooth rock joints produced from casting plaster are investigated under constant normal stiffness (CNS) conditions. Test results obtained in this investigation are also compared with the constant normal load (CNL) tests. It is observed that the peak shear stress obtained under CNL conditions always underestimates the peak shear stress corresponding to the CNS condition. Plots of shear stress against normal stress show that a nonlinear (curved) strength envelope is acceptable for soft rock joints subjected to a CNS condition, in comparison with the linear or bilinear envelopes often proposed for a CNL condition. Models proposed by Patton (1966) and Barton (1973) have also been considered for the predictions of peak shear stress of soft joints under CNS conditions. Although Patton's model is appropriate for low asperity angles, it overestimates the shear strength in the low to medium normal stress range at higher asperity angles. In contrast, while Barton's model is realistic for the CNL condition, it seems to be inappropriate for modelling the shear behaviour of soft joints under CNS conditions. The effect of infill material on the shear behaviour of the model joints is also investigated, and it is found that a small thickness of bentonite infill reduces the peak stress significantly. The peak shear stress almost approached that of the shear strength of infill when the infill thickness to asperity height ratio (t/a) reached 1.40. This paper also introduces an original, empirical shear strength envelope to account for the change in normal stress and surface degradation during CNS shearing. © Rapid Science Ltd. 1998