Stability analysis of slopes in soils with strain-softening behaviour

This paper presents a numerical approach to analyse the stability of slopes in soils with strain-softening behaviour. In these materials, a progressive failure can occur owing to a reduction of strength with increasing strain. Such a phenomenon can be analysed using methods that are able to simulate the formation and development of the shear zones in which strain localises. From a computational point of view, this presents many difficulties because the numerical procedures currently used are often affected by a lack of convergence, and the solution may depend strongly on the mesh adopted. In order to overcome these numerical drawbacks, in the present study use is made of a non-local elasto-viscoplastic constitutive model within the framework of the finite element method. The Mohr–Coulomb yield function is adopted, and the strain-softening behaviour of the soil is simulated by reducing the strength parameters with the increasing deviatoric plastic strain. To assess the reliability of the proposed approach, some comparisons with the results obtained using other constitutive models for soils with strain-softening behaviour are presented. Finally, a slope subjected to a prescribed process of weathering is considered, and the effects of this process on the slope stability are discussed.     

Nonlinear three-dimensional analysis of reinforced concrete piles subjected to horizontal loading

A three-dimensional finite element approach is proposed to predict the response of reinforced concrete piles to horizontal loading. This approach allows the nonlinear effects arising from the soil–pile interaction to be properly accounted for. In particular, the occurrence of plastic strains in the soil, concrete cracking and steel yielding in the pile as well as the occurrence of slip and gap at the soil–pile interface are reliably simulated using appropriate constitutive models. Another advantage of the present method is that it requires few material parameters as input data. In addition, these parameters can be readily obtained from conventional geotechnical and structural tests. The proposed approach is used to analyse the results from some loading tests documented in the literature concerning a large-diameter pile and a large-section rectangular pile (barrette) embedded in sandy soils. The theoretical results from these analyses are found to be in fairly good agreement with the experimental measurements available from the loading tests. Remarks of practical interest on the response of the structures considered to horizontal loading are also made.     

Finite element analysis of progressive failure: Two case studies

The strain softening behaviour of soils, coupled with non-uniform loading, may result in progressive failure. Numerical analysis using the finite element method is capable of investigating the generation and the effects of progressive failure. Problems arising in the modelling of strain softening are discussed. A non-linear elastic strain hardening/softening plastic model is used to analyse two embankment failures. In both cases, progressive failure was found responsible for a substantial reduction in the average operating strengths along the failure surface. Two distinct mechanisms of progressive failure generation were uncovered, emphasising the effect of the embankment geometry.     

Numerical Simulation of the Process of Fracture of Echelon Rock Joints

The effect of joint overlap on the full failure behavior of a rock bridge in the shear-box test was numerically investigated by means of the particle flow code in two dimensions (PFC2D). Initially, the PFC2D was calibrated by use of data obtained from experimental laboratory tests to ensure the conformity of the simulated numerical model’s response. Furthermore, validation of the simulated models was cross-checked with the results from direct shear tests performed on non-persistent jointed physical models. By use of numerical direct shear tests, the failure process was visually observed and the failure patterns were seen to be in reasonable accordance with experimental results. Discrete element simulations demonstrated that macro shear fractures in rock bridges are because of microscopic tensile breakage of a large number of bonded discs. The failure pattern is mostly affected by joint overlap whereas the shear strength is closely related to the failure pattern. The results show that non-overlapping joints lost their loading capacity when nearly 50 % of total cracks developed within the rock bridge whereas the overlapping joints lost their loading capacity as soon as cracks initiated from the joint walls. Furthermore, progressive failure or stable crack growth was seen to develop for non-overlapped joints whereas brittle failure or unstable crack growth was seen to develop in overlapped joints.     

AUS: Anisotropic undrained shear strength model for clays

A total stress model applicable to clays under undrained conditions is presented. The model involves three strength parameters: the undrained shear strengths in triaxial compression, triaxial extension, and simple shear. The amount of physical anisotropy implied by the model is a function of the relative magnitude of these three strengths assuming a Mises-type plastic potential. Elastoplastic deformation characteristics below failure are accounted for by a hardening law requiring two additional parameters that can be related to the axial strains halfway to failure in triaxial compression and extension. Finally, elasticity is accounted for by Hooke law. The result is a relatively simple model whose parameters can all be inferred directly from a combination of in situ and standard undrained laboratory tests. The model is applied to a problem involving the horizontal loading of a monopile foundation for which full scale tests have been previously conducted. The model shows good agreement with the measured data.     

基于颗粒元模拟的含软弱夹层类土质边坡变形破坏过程分析

采用基于离散单元法的颗粒元程序,引用平行连接模型,通过数值试验,确定土体细观参数与宏观力学性质的关系,并据此建立含软弱夹层的类土质边坡模型。通过路堑开挖卸荷过程模拟,再现了大变形条件下坡体渐进性破坏的完整过程,并对裂隙的发展演化过程进行实时监测。模拟结果显示,含软弱夹层类土质边坡的破坏过程历经裂隙的形成、扩大、发展直至贯通,最终发生大规模滑移破坏;裂隙从滑坡体前缘和软弱层面开始,范围逐步扩大,呈现典型的类土质边坡的渐进性破坏形式;滑坡发生后,土体结构破坏严重,承载能力大幅下降。边坡滑移过程模拟和最终滑移结果与现场滑坡状况完全吻合,表明该方法适用于类土质边坡变形破坏过程分析及其机理研究。     

Limitations of suction‐controlled triaxial tests in the characterization of unsaturated soils

Behavior of unsaturated soils is influenced by many factors, and the influences of these factors are usually coupled together. Suction‐controlled triaxial (SCTX) tests are considered to allow researchers to investigate influences of individual variables on unsaturated soils under specified stress path with controls of stresses, pore water, and air pressures. In the past 50 years, SCTX testing method has been established as a standard approach to characterize constitutive behavior of unsaturated soils. Most important concepts for modern unsaturated soil mechanics were developed upon results from the SCTX tests. Among these, one of the most important contributions in the constitutive modeling of elasto‐plastic behavior for unsaturated soils is the Barcelona basic model (BBM) proposed by Alonso et al. in 1990. The BBM successfully explained many features of unsaturated soils and received extensive acceptance. However, the SCTX tests are designed based upon the divide‐and‐conquer approach in which an implicit assumption is used: soil behavior is stress‐path independent. However, it is well‐established that unsaturated soil behavior is elasto‐plastic and stress‐path dependent. It is found that the SCTX tests in fact cannot control the stress path of an unsaturated soil during loading. This incapability, in combination with complicated loading/collapse behavior of unsaturated soils, makes the SCTX tests for characterizing unsaturated soil questionable. This paper discusses the limitations of the SCTX tests in the characterization of unsaturated soils. A possible solution to the problem was proposed based on a newly developed modified state surface approach. The discussions are limited for isotropic conditions. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Thermo-elastoplastic constitutive model for unsaturated soils

This study presents a simple approach to modelling the effect of temperature on the deformation and strength of unsaturated/saturated soils by using the average skeleton stress and degree of saturation. The concept of thermo-induced equivalent stress is introduced to consider the influence of temperature on the pre-consolidated stress. A skeleton stress–saturation framework is applied to enable the model to describe the thermo-elastoplastic behaviour of both unsaturated and saturated soils, as the skeleton stress can smoothly shift to Terzaghi’s effective stress if saturation changes from the unsaturated to the saturated condition. The new model only employs seven parameters, of which five parameters are the same as those used in the Cam-Clay model. The other two parameters can be easily determined by oedometer tests and simple thermo-mechanical tests. Numerical simulations of isotropic loading tests and triaxial shear tests under different conditions are conducted to illustrate the performance of the proposed model. By comparing with experimental temperature controlled oedometer tests and triaxial tests, it is confirmed that the proposed model is able to capture the thermo-mechanical behaviour of unsaturated/saturated normally and over-consolidated soils with a set of unified parameters.     

软弱夹层几何参数对试样力学行为影响颗粒元模拟研究

基于离散元理论的颗粒元程序,采用颗粒接触连接模型和滑动模型,建立了含软弱夹层试样的颗粒元模型。通过数值模型实验,对不同软弱夹层几何参数试样进行加载模拟,探讨了不同夹层厚度及不同倾角条件下试样的破坏过程和破坏形式,并分析其对试样强度的影响。模拟结果表明,裂隙首先产生于软弱夹层处,随着荷载的增加,再逐渐扩展,呈现渐进性破坏特征;夹层越厚,倾角越大,试样沿软弱夹层呈现较强的滑动特征,如果夹层薄且缓,软弱夹层成为试样破坏的非控制因素;软弱夹层厚度和夹角对试样的峰值强度都有影响,随软弱夹层厚度和夹角的增大,试样的峰值强度降低。     

根据参数反演结果分析非饱和黄土边坡破坏机理

边坡的变形破坏本质上有两方面的因素控制,(1)开挖或堆载引起斜坡内应力的重分布; (2)地表水渗入或地下水变动引起其抗剪强度的变化。大部分黄土路堑边坡位于地下水位以上,斜坡开挖以后,应力不再改变。 如果不是在人工灌溉区,其破坏大多可归结为降雨入渗引起的黄土抗剪强度的降低。对于非饱和黄土来讲,其孔隙水压力为负值,传统的Terzaghi有效应力原理不适用于Mohr-Coulomb抗剪强度公式,而Bishop的非饱和土有效应力公式中参数测定周期很长,技术还不是很成熟,目前在实际工程中应用还不现实。如何基于目前常规的测试方法,合理地确定边坡抗剪强度参数,是值得研究的问题。本文对局部发生滑坡的山西吉家塬黄土路堑51.6m高边坡,采用Bishop法反演边坡c、值; 取边坡上的黄土样,测了不同含水率试样的直接快剪强度参数。将试验结果与反演结果对比发现,含水量在接近土样塑限时的直接快剪试验结果与反演结果较为接近。塑限是土的一个状态界限指标,即固态到塑态含水量的界限值。土由固态进入塑态,土强度显著降低,此时最容易发生变形破坏,这符合土体稠度状态和强度变化的本质。因此建议在黄土边坡设计中,一般可取塑限含水量下的直接快剪强度指标作为边坡稳定性评价的指标。     

基于试验的花岗岩渐进破坏本构模型研究

对取自大渡河流域大岗山电站的花岗岩进行了系统的试验研究,得到了不同围压下的应力-应变曲线。根据岩样受力过程中内部微裂纹的活动状态,定义了4个特征应力,即闭合应力、起裂应力、破损应力、峰值应力,来反映花岗岩的渐进破坏过程,特征应力也反映了岩石内部的损伤程度。依据特征应力,将试验曲线分为4个阶段,并对每一阶段分别求取变形模量和泊松比。结果表明,变形模量不仅与围压有关,且与岩石的损伤程度有关,而泊松比只取决于岩石的损伤程度。特征应力可由体积应变曲线结合线性回归技术准确求取。在此基础上,提出了一个考虑花岗岩渐进破坏的本构模型。在该模型中,变形参数(弹性模量、泊松比)是应力状态的函数,强度参数（凝聚力、内摩擦角）是塑性变形的函数。将该模型嵌入大型有限元分析软件ABAQUS,对不同围压下的花岗岩室内压缩试验进行模拟,结果表明,模拟所得的应力-应变曲线与试验曲线的吻合程度较高,模型能反映花岗岩等脆性岩石的峰前非线性力学行为。     

长期循环荷载下人工结构性软土累积变形规律及预测模型

针对软土地区路基运营后显著的长期沉降效应问题,以及天然沉积软土均具有一定结构性的特点,制备了不同胶结强度的人工结构性土,开展了结构性土与相应重塑土的压缩试验和动三轴试验,分析了循环次数、动应力比和结构性强度对土体累积塑性变形的影响规律。试验结果表明:土体累积变形随着循环次数、动应力比的增大而增大,随着结构性强度的提高而减小;累积应变曲线可分为破坏型、稳定型和临界型3种形式。进而考虑土结构性影响,在已有累积变形模型基础上引入应力灵敏度S_σ参数,分别建立了结构性软土的破坏型和稳定型的累积变形模型,较好地预测了结构性软土不同变形状态的累积应变曲线,并分析了模型参数随应力水平和结构强度的变化规律。     

Material stability analysis of rock joints

For prediction of rockfalls, the failure of rock joints is studied. Considering these failures as constitutive instabilities, a second‐order work criterion is used because it explains all divergence instabilities (flutter instabilities are excluded). The bifurcation domain and the loading directions of instabilities, which fulfill the criterion, are determined for any piecewise linear constitutive relation. The instability of rock joints appears to be ruled by coupling features of the behavior (e.g., dilatancy). Depending on the loading parameters, instabilities can lead to failure, even before the plastic limit criterion. Results for two given constitutive relations illustrate the approach. Some given loading paths are especially considered. Constant volume (undrained) shear and τ‐constant paths are stable or not depending on the link between the deviatoric stress and strain along undrained paths, as found for soils. Some unstable loading paths are illustrated. Along these paths, failure before the plastic limit criterion is possible. The corresponding failure rules are determined. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

边坡渐进破坏的动态强度折减法研究

边破的变形破坏是量变积累到质变的渐进发生过程,由坡体内部潜在滑动面的逐渐破损并扩展至整体滑面。基于强度折减法思想,提出模拟边坡渐进破坏的动态强度折减法。该方法利用屈服接近度指标YAI确定边坡的破损区域,将YAI<0.2的区域定为破损区,通过不断动态折减局部破损坡体的强度参数,使边坡潜在滑动面渐进演化至贯通,边坡达到极限平衡状态。算例计算表明,该方法可有效解决强度折减法中折减范围的问题,克服整体强度折减法破损区过大的缺陷,获得的位移变化趋势与破损区演化过程也具有良好的一致性。动态强度折减法真实再现了边坡渐进失稳过程,为强度折减法更有效地应用于边坡稳定性定量评价提供有效途径。     

基于动力学和材料软化特性的边坡渐进破坏特征研究

边坡的失稳是一个从量变到质变的动态渐进破坏过程,此问题也是边坡领域研究的重点与难点之一。在考虑岩土材料软化特性和动力学求解的基础上,建立了边坡渐进破坏仿真的理论框架;利用ABAQUS软件的动力显式求解模块实现了边坡的渐进破坏仿真;根据塑性应变揭露了剪切带的扩展过程,由软化本构确定了滑面材料的分区演化规律,根据等效塑性应变确定了边坡的滑面,通过滑面位置将边坡分为滑体、滑带、滑床,并分别研究了边坡各分区内部特征点运动学变量的发展过程,从而揭示了边坡的渐进破坏过程;基于材料参数沿滑面的时空分布,利用矢量和法得到了边坡不同演化阶段的安全系数。对比该方法与Bishop法确定的滑面位置与安全系数,发现两种方法峰值和残余强度对应的安全系数比较接近,该方法搜索所得滑面位于Bishop法自动搜索的滑面之间,验证了此方法的合理性及可靠性。最后分析了材料软化特征对边坡稳定性的影响,在保持其他参数不变的条件下,增大残余黏聚力,边坡的滑面位置加深,安全系数的初始值减小,安全系数的快速减小阶段有所推迟,并且快速减小阶段经历的时间有所延长,稳定后的安全系数有所增大。保持其他参数不变,增大残余黏聚力对应的等效塑性应变阈值,边坡的滑面位置加深,安全系数的初始值减小,安全系数的快速减小阶段有所推迟,但快速减小阶段经历的时间基本不变,达到稳定的时间有所推迟,同时稳定后的安全系数略微有所增大。     

A two-surface thermomechanical plasticity model considering thermal cyclic behavior

In thermal-related engineering such as thermal energy structures and nuclear waste disposal, it is essential to well understand volume change and excess pore water pressure buildup of soils under thermal cycles. However, most existing thermo-mechanical models can merely simulate one heating–cooling cycle and fail in capturing accumulation phenomenon due to multiple thermal cycles. In this study, a two-surface elasto-plastic model considering thermal cyclic behavior is proposed. This model is based on the bounding surface plasticity and progressive plasticity by introducing two yield surfaces and two loading yield limits. A dependency law is proposed by linking two loading yield limits with a thermal accumulation parameter n_c, allowing the thermal cyclic behavior to be taken into account. Parameter n_c controls the evolution rate of the inner loading yield limit approaching the loading yield limit following a thermal loading path. By extending the thermo-hydro-mechanical equations into the elastic–plastic state, the excess pore water pressure buildup of soil due to thermal cycles is also accounted. Then, thermal cycle tests on four fine-grained soils (natural Boom clay, Geneva clay, Bonny silt, and reconstituted Pontida clay) under different OCRs and stresses are simulated and compared. The results show that the proposed model can well describe both strain accumulation phenomenon and excess pore water pressure buildup of fine-grained soils under the effect of thermal cycles.

     

基于损伤控制方法的大理岩非线性剪胀特性试验研究

剪胀角是描述岩石体积膨胀扩容的常用参数,在非关联流动法则中,连续介质理论通常假设剪胀角为0;在关联流动法则中,其值恒定且等于内摩擦角。岩石三轴压缩全过程体应变曲线表明,其体积剪胀性依赖于围压和塑性参量,破坏过程中不仅其特征强度随围压和塑性参量呈非线性变化,而且剪胀特性也表现出非线性特征。基于塑性力学理论,针对锦屏大理岩损伤控制的全过程三轴加、卸载试验,采用双参数非线性函数拟合方法建立了能同时考虑围压效应和塑性参量的非线性剪胀角模型。结果表明,对于大理岩、中硬岩,在破坏过程中扩容行为强烈依赖围压和岩石塑性参量,均表现出先快速增加至峰值后,随着塑性变形增加逐渐减小的非线性演化规律。提出的双参数非线性剪胀角模型很好地描述了岩石破坏过程中的体积扩容特性,其结果对于研究地下工程围岩应力变化诱发的围岩剪胀破坏机制、体积扩容膨胀区范围预测和围岩支护的合理设计均具有一定的理论和工程应用价值。     

土体抗拉张力学特性研究进展

在传统土力学的观念中,土体通常不主动作为抗拉材料使用,土的抗拉强度很小,因而土体的抗拉强度往往被忽略或几乎视为零,造成土体抗拉强度理论远落后于抗剪强度理论。实际上,土体的抗拉张力学特性在土体变形与破坏的过程中起着非常重要的作用。总结了土体抗拉张力学特性试验的发展过程及发展特点,介绍了土体抗拉张力学试验的最新进展,并结合非饱和土力学及其抗拉强度理论的研究热点,认为对非饱和土合理统一的"吸力"认识仍然是非饱和土抗拉张特性研究的关键。然后,从岩土破坏模式角度,总结了岩土拉剪耦合破坏规律的8类破坏模式,分析了土体在此研究领域的现状,最后阐明了土体尤其是非饱和土的抗拉张力学特性研究现状的5个特点,展望了土体抗拉张力学特性新的重要研究方向。     

考虑毛细滞回效应的非饱和多孔介质渗流与变形耦合本构模型

在Wheeler本构模型框架的基础上,提出了一个水力与力学耦合的本构模型。该模型中的土-水特征曲线采用毛细滞回内变量模型,能够更好地描述水力历史变化下毛细滞回现象对非饱和多孔介质变形的影响,同时也可描述非饱和多孔介质变形对渗流的影响。非饱和土的强度不仅与吸力有关,而且受到饱和度的影响。相同的吸力下,土样经过吸湿和脱湿路径的饱和度不同,因此,非饱和土的强度也不同。此模型以体积含水率的塑性变化和体变的塑性变化为硬化参数,不仅能描述基质吸力对非饱和土的强化作用,而且考虑了饱和度对强度及变形的影响。试验结果与模型预测基本吻合,证明该模型能够模拟非饱和土的主要特性。为了简化,此模型是在各向同性荷载下推得的,有待于推广到一般的应力状态