Numerical local analysis of relevant internal variables for constitutive modelling of granular materials

DEM simulations on spherical materials have been performed to study the behaviour of model granular materials not only under monotonous stress path such as triaxial compression or extension, but also under two‐way cycling loading paths. Three reference states have been considered to characterize the behaviour of the granular material: the characteristic state, transitory state between volumetric contraction and dilation, the state of maximum resistance and the critical state. These states are regarded with respect to void ratio and anisotropy of fabric which are the two internal variables retained for the description of the internal state of the material. The characteristic state and the state at maximum resistance are clearly dependent on both levels of density and anisotropy at the beginning of a loading path. Bilinear models involving the two internal variables were designed for the characteristic state, the maximum dilatancy and the extent of the dilatancy domain for axisymetric loadings. They show that in each case the effect of density and anisotropy are different in compression and extension. The influence of anisotropy and density seems to be of the same order of magnitude. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.