On the undrained strain-induced anisotropy of loose sand

An experimental study was carried out to investigate the effects of previous deviatoric strain histories on the undrained behaviour of loose and saturated Toyoura sand and compared with known results of Hostun RF sand. From an initial isotropic stress state, recent deviatoric strain histories in the compression side of the triaxial plane were generated by a standard drained presheared cycle up to a specified mobilized stress ratio. Mainly, the fully liquefied, contractive, unstable and softening behaviour of loose sand was progressively transformed into the non-liquefied, dilative, fully stable and hardening behaviour of dense-like sand, while remaining within a narrow range of loose density. The paper validates and extends the current understanding of strain-induced anisotropy of loose sand. New experimental data support the directional dependency of the instability cone on the stress increment direction, suggest the bifurcation characteristics of loose sand and evidence the important role of past deviatoric strain histories.     

Exploring the undrained induced anisotropy of Hostun RF loose sand

The effects of recent history on the undrained behaviour of very loose and saturated Hostun RF clean sand are investigated in this paper. From an initial isotropic stress state in the triaxial plane, recent histories are generated by isotropic consolidation followed by standard drained triaxial preshear in compression, up to a desired value of axial strain or mobilized stress ratio, and unloading to an initial stress ratio. Subsequent undrained behaviour in triaxial compression is analysed in detail. This paper contributes to the traits explaining the progressive transformation of a compressive and unstable behaviour of loose sand into a dilative and stable behaviour of dense-like sand by previous history, while remaining in the same state of loose density. Experiments show a large pseudo-elastic domain induced by recent history in terms of effective stress paths, function of the initially mobilized stress ratio level, a unique initial gradient of the effective stress paths depending on the stress ratio at the beginning of the undrained shearing, a progressive appearance of dilatancy and a surprising evolution the undrained behaviour of loose sand. Experimental results evidence the important role of the recent deviatoric strain history, from any initial isotropic or anisotropic stress state. This paper also offers a comprehensive understanding of the history mechanisms created by simple linear stress paths with fixed direction in the classical triaxial plane.     

The effect of drained pre-shearing on the undrained behaviour of loose sand with a small amount of fines

Stress history is recognised to play a major role in determining stress–strain behaviour of soil in undrained shearing. Most experimental studies on the effects of stress history on undrained behaviour are mainly limited to clean sand. In this paper, an experimental study carried out to investigate the effect of stress history on the undrained behaviour of loose sand with a small amount of fines is presented. Four series of triaxial compression tests, with different types of drained stress histories to near-failure prior to commencement of undrained shearing, were conducted. The experimental results indicate that drained pre-shearing to near-failure affects significantly the undrained behaviour of loose sand. In general, the drained pre-shearing improves the subsequent undrained behaviour of loose sand to the extent that liquefaction may not occur. It is shown that the effect of drained pre-shearing cannot be explained by the reduction in void ratio induced by drained pre-shearing. However, for specimens subjected to drained pre-shearing, $ p_{{{\text{d}}0}}^{\prime } $ / $ p_{{{\text{u}}0}}^{\prime } $ can be used as a parameter for analysing the effects of preloading history. It is also shown that for different preloading histories that brought the same change in void ratio or state parameter, drained pre-shearing to near-failure is the most effective, whereas pre-compression alone is the least effective in improving subsequent undrained behaviour of loose sand.     

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.     

Simulating the effects of induced anisotropy on liquefaction potential using a new constitutive model

The effects of induced anisotropy on the undrained behaviour of very loose and saturated sands have been a subject of intensive investigation, both experimentally and theoretically, by several authors in the past few years. This paper proposes an original constitutive model well‐adapted to simulate the behaviour of sands subject to complex stress histories, in particular, the preloading cycle along the classical drained stress path in compression. The developed model belongs to the family of critical state models. Its construction is based on a few theoretical concepts taken from the theory of ‘Bounding Surface Plasticity’ developed among others by Y. Dafalias and Popov (1975), the ‘Clay And Sand Model’ (CASM) of H. Yu (2006), the CJS model (B. Cambou and K. Jafari (1988)) and the hyperelastic isotropic model of P. Lade (1987). To accurately simulate volume changes, which represent a key element in soil behaviour, a state‐dependent dilatancy rule is proposed, which can account for the influences of stress and void ratio. The current void ratio depends implicitly on the irreversible strains already accumulated hence the strain history. A kinematic hardening is combined with an isotropic hardening, involving rotation and distortion of the bounding surface, in order to capture correctly the experimental observations. Comparisons of experimental results to numerical simulations show that the model is able to simulate with a good precision the major trends of undrained responses of loose and presheared sands. It predicts correctly rapid static liquefaction at small or null drained preloading, as well as the progressive transition to a completely stable behaviour typical of dense sands, while the sample is loose in reality. At intermediate to large amplitudes of preloadings, the model also predicts correctly the temporary stage of instability when the deviatoric stress decreases slightly before rising up again. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydromechanical Behaviour of Fontainebleau Sandstone

Summary. The hydromechanical behaviour of Fontainebleau sandstone is studied on the basis of isotropic and triaxial compression tests in drained and undrained conditions on water saturated samples. The effect of the evolution of the compressibility of the rock with the applied stress on the poromechanical parameters is shown. On the basis of micro-mechanical considerations, a new expression for the Skempton coefficient B is proposed as a function of the porosity, the drained bulk compressibility and the grain and fluid compressibility. The relation between rock deformation and pore-pressure evolution in undrained deviatoric tests is analysed. An elasto-plastic constitutive model with stress-dependent elasticity and damage is proposed to describe the behaviour of the rock and validated through back analysis of drained and undrained tests.     

Creep behavior of unsaturated cohesive soils subjected to various stress levels

This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation carried out on disturbed clay samples to analyze their creep behavior. The experimental program included compression triaxial tests with varied degree of saturation of the samples and stress level. Triaxial tests were performed at imposed strain rate varied from 0.005 to 0.10%/min. Various stress paths have also been tested including isotropic consolidation and deviatoric stress. The obtained results showed that shear deformation increases with the initial degree of saturation and stress level of clay samples. At fixed stress level and for both isotropic and deviatoric stress paths, the initial degree of saturation and the second invariant of the strain tensor varied with a similar trend. The variation of axial creep strain is correlated with time in a semi-logarithmic function.     

A Laboratory Experimental Study of the Hydromechanical Behavior of Boom Clay

This paper reports some results of a large experimental program on Boom Clay conducted in Grenoble in the framework of the European project SELFRAC. The program included isotropic compression up to relatively high stress, drained triaxial compression tests at different cell pressures, as well as permeability measurements under isotropic and deviatoric stress. Local measurement of axial and radial displacements allowed the detection of strain localization during deviatoric loading. The permeability of Boom Clay is found to depend on the mean effective stress. The response of Boom Clay during deviatoric loading appears to be strongly affected by the swelling experienced during the isotropic stage preceding triaxial compression. The rate of swelling decreases with isotropic stress. The longer the swelling before shear, more the response under shear becomes ductile and the lower the initial stiffness. Permeability depends on the mean effective stress and it is found to decrease of about two orders of magnitude when the mean stress increases from 1 to 32 MPa. Permeability during shear loading is essentially constant and does not seem to be affected by strain localization. These results are complemented by a few observations obtained using X-ray microtomography in the framework of the more recent European project TIMODAZ. These findings illustrate the impact of pre-existing inclusions and fissures on specimen deformation upon deviatoric loading in the laboratory.     

Modelling the elastic behaviour of granular materials

A review of the literature indicates that the elastic behaviour of granular materials is isotropic and that Poissony's ratio is constant, whereas Young's Modulus, the bulk modulus and the shear modulus vary with the mean normal stress and the deviatoric stress. A nonlinear, isotropic model for the elastic behaviour is developed on the basis of theoretical considerations involving the principle of conservation of energy. Energy is therefore neither generated not dissipated in closed-loop stress paths or in closed-loop strain paths. The framework for the model consists of Hooke's law, in which Poission's ratio is constant and Young's modulus is expressed as a power function invlving the first invariat of the stress tensor and the second invariant of the deviatoric stress tensor. The characteristics of the model are described, and the accuracy is evaluated by comparison with experimental results from triaxial tests and three-dimensional cubical triaxial tests with a variety of stress paths. Parameter determination from unloading–reloading cycles in conventional triaxial compression tests is demonstrated, typical parameter values are given for granular materials and extension of the model to soils with effective cohesion is described.     

An experimental database for the development,calibration and verification of constitutive models for sand with focus to cyclic loading: part I—tests with monotonic loading and stress cycles

For numerical studies of geotechnical structures under earthquake loading, aiming to examine a possible failure due to liquefaction, using a sophisticated constitutive model for the soil is indispensable. Such a model must adequately describe the material response to a cyclic loading under constant volume (undrained) conditions, amongst others the relaxation of effective stress (pore pressure accumulation) or the effective stress loops repeatedly passed through after a sufficiently large number of cycles (cyclic mobility, stress attractors). The soil behaviour under undrained cyclic loading is manifold, depending on the initial conditions (e.g. density, fabric, effective mean pressure, stress ratio) and the load characteristics (e.g. amplitude of the cycles, application of stress or strain cycles). In order to develop, calibrate and verify a constitutive model with focus to undrained cyclic loading, the data from high-quality laboratory tests comprising a variety of initial conditions and load characteristics are necessary. The purpose of these two companion papers was to provide such database collected for a fine sand. The database consists of numerous undrained cyclic triaxial tests with stress or strain cycles applied to samples consolidated isotropically or anisotropically. Monotonic triaxial tests with drained or undrained conditions have also been performed. Furthermore, drained triaxial, oedometric or isotropic compression tests with several un- and reloading cycles are presented. Part I concentrates on the triaxial tests with monotonic loading or stress cycles. All test data presented herein will be available from the homepage of the first author. As an example of the examination of an existing constitutive model, the experimental data are compared to element test simulations using hypoplasticity with intergranular strain.     

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.     

A simple hypoplastic model for normally consolidated clay

The paper presents a simple constitutive model for normally consolidated clay. A mathematical formulation, using a single tensor-valued function to define the incrementally nonlinear stress–strain relation, is proposed based on the basic concept of hypoplasticity. The structure of the tensor-valued function is determined in the light of the response envelope. Particular attention is paid towards incorporating the critical state and to the capability for capturing undrained behaviour of clayey soils. With five material parameters that can be determined easily from isotropic consolidation and triaxial compression tests, the model is shown to provide good predictions for the response of normally consolidated clay along various stress paths, including drained true triaxial tests and undrained shear tests.     

An experimental database for the development,calibration and verification of constitutive models for sand with focus to cyclic loading: part II—tests with strain cycles and combined loading

For numerical studies of geotechnical structures under earthquake loading, aiming to examine a possible failure due to liquefaction, using a sophisticated constitutive model for the soil is indispensable. Such model must adequately describe the material response to a cyclic loading under constant volume (undrained) conditions, amongst others the relaxation of effective stress (pore pressure accumulation) or the effective stress loops repeatedly passed through after a sufficiently large number of cycles (cyclic mobility, stress attractors). The soil behaviour under undrained cyclic loading is manifold, depending on the initial conditions (e.g. density, fabric, effective mean pressure, stress ratio) and the load characteristics (e.g. amplitude of the cycles, application of stress or strain cycles). In order to develop, calibrate and verify a constitutive model with focus to undrained cyclic loading, the data from high-quality laboratory tests comprising a variety of initial conditions and load characteristics are necessary. It is the purpose of these two companion papers to provide such database collected for a fine sand. Part II concentrates on the undrained triaxial tests with strain cycles, where a large range of strain amplitudes has been studied. Furthermore, oedometric and isotropic compression tests as well as drained triaxial tests with un- and reloading cycles are discussed. A combined monotonic and cyclic loading has been also studied in undrained triaxial tests. All test data presented herein will be available from the homepage of the first author. As an example of the examination of an existing constitutive model, the experimental data are compared to element test simulations using hypoplasticity with intergranular strain.     

不同应力路径下剪切带的数值模拟

采用回映应力更新算法,编写了基于伏斯列夫面的超固结黏土本构关系模型子程序,嵌入非线性有限元软件ABAQUS。通过对单元试验进行三轴压缩、三轴伸长及平面应变等问题的模型预测,再现了超固结黏土在不同初始超固结比和应力路径时的变形和强度特性,从而验证了子程序的正确性。借助该本构模型,对三轴压缩、三轴伸长及平面应变应力路径下超固结黏土体变形局部化问题,进行了三维数值模拟。分析结果表明：超固结黏土在三轴压缩及伸长状态时,土体变形局部化在应力-应变关系软化时出现,而平面应变状态时,在应力-应变关系硬化阶段出现,其超固结黏土的剪胀特性在剪切带的形成过程中起重要作用。     

Mechanics of origin of flow liquefaction instability under proportional strain triaxial compression

We define a flow liquefaction potential for determining flow liquefaction susceptibility during proportional strain triaxial compression. The flow liquefaction potential is a function of inconsistency between the natural dilative tendency of the soil and the imposed dilatancy during proportional strain triaxial compression. It helps us analyze why given the right conditions, a loose soil that contracts during drained triaxial compression and liquefies under undrained triaxial compression may be stable under proportional strain triaxial compression. Conversely, we also use the flow liquefaction potential to analyze why a dense soil that dilates during drained triaxial compression and is stable under undrained triaxial compression may liquefy under proportional strain triaxial compression. The undrained loose case is a special case of proportional strain triaxial compression under which a soil can liquefy. The central objective of this paper was to investigate the origins of flow liquefaction instability. Hence, we also analyze stress evolution during proportional strain triaxial compression and discuss the mechanics of the test leading up to flow liquefaction instability. We arrive at a necessary precursor for instability, which can serve as a warning sign for flow liquefaction instability, while the soil is still stable. The precursor is not a condition of sufficiency and should also not be confused with the onset of instability itself. The same loading must be applied continuously to induce flow liquefaction instability. The current progress is encouraging and facilitates a deeper understanding of origin of flow liquefaction instabilities.     

考虑卸荷速率的K0固结膨胀土应力-应变行为

通过GDS三轴试验系统对K0固结原状南阳膨胀土原状样进行了不同卸荷速率和卸荷路径下的不排水三轴剪切试验,在试验资料的基础上,建立了K0固结膨胀土的初始切线模量Ei和极限偏应力qult与固结应力及卸荷速率的关系式。发现,K0固结膨胀土在卸荷剪切过程中的应力-应变关系曲线呈典型双曲线特征;膨胀土的不排水剪切强度随轴向固结应力及卸荷速率的增加而单调增加;Ei及qult随固结应力及卸荷速率的变化规律与强度基本类似,但Ei随固结应力的增加呈指数增加,而qult则表现为线性增加。通过改进邓肯-张双曲线表达式,建立了K0固结膨胀土下不同卸荷速率时应力-应变关系的预测公式,并进行了模型验证。     

Stress-strain behaviour of reconstituted illitic clay at different temperatures

Tests on specimens of reconstituted illitic clay have examined the influence of temperature on the mechanical behaviour of clay soils. The program involved consolidation to effective confining pressures up to 1.5 MPa, heating to 100°C, and tests on normally consolidated and overconsolidated specimens with OCR = 2. The tests included isotropic consolidation, undrained triaxial compression with pore water pressure measurement, drained tests along controlled stress paths to investigate yielding behaviour, and undrained tests which involved heating and measurement of the resulting induced pore water pressures. The large strain strength envelope is independent of temperature. However, peak undrained strengths increase with temperature because smaller pore water pressures are generated during shearing. An important contribution from the study is a series of results for the yielding of illitic clay at three different temperatures. For the first time, there is clear evidence of yield loci decreasing in size with increasing temperature. An associated flow rule can be assumed without serious error. The results contribute to the confirmation of a thermal elastic-plastic soil model developed by the authors from cam clay following the addition of a small number of extra assumptions. Depending on the initial stress state, heating under undrained conditions may produce shear failure.     

An elastoplastic constitutive model for cyclic behaviour of sands

The constitutive model of sands is proposed to describe the characteristics of plastic behaviour for cyclic loadings. A non-associated flow rule is used and both yield function and plastic potential are generalized forms of the Modified Cam clay model. The hardening parameter is represented by the plastic work related to different portions of volumetric and deviatoric changes. The boundary surface is employed to describe the plastic strain within the yield surface. The directional independency of yield condition in triaxial compression and extension tests is extended to that in general stress states. Several drained and undrained cyclic tests are predicted and the comparison is made with experimental results. The proposed model is capable of representing the monotonic and cyclic behaviours of sands with reasonable accuracy. The simulation is performed for both included and excluded membrane penetration effects and it is suggested that the membrane penetration causes the significant influences on the results of undrained cyclic tests.     

Undrained behaviour of Changi sand in triaxial and plane-strain compression

The results of an experimental study of the undrained behaviour of Changi sand under axisymmetric and plane-strain conditions are presented. K₀ consolidated undrained plane-strain tests and K₀ or isotropically consolidated triaxial tests on very loose and medium dense specimens were conducted. The undrained behaviour of sand at very loose and medium dense states under plane-strain conditions was characterised and compared with that under axisymmetric conditions. It was observed that the undrained behaviour of very loose and medium dense sand under plane strain is similar to that under axisymmetric conditions. However, because of the formation of shear bands in plane-strain tests, the post-peak behaviour of medium dense sand in plane strain is different from that in triaxial tests. It was also established that an instability line for plane-strain conditions can be defined in a way similar to that for axisymmetric conditions. Using the state parameter, a unified relationship between the normalised slope of instability line and the state parameters can be established for both axisymmetric and plane-strain conditions. Using this relationship, the instability conditions established under axisymmetric conditions can be used for plane-strain conditions.