A hierarchical thermo‐hydro‐plastic constitutive model for unsaturated soils and its numerical implementation

Unsaturated soils are highly heterogeneous 3‐phase porous media. Variations of temperature, the degree of saturation, and density have dramatic impacts on the hydro‐mechanical behavior of unsaturated soils. To model all these features, we present a thermo‐hydro‐plastic model in which the hydro‐mechanical hardening and thermal softening are incorporated in a hierarchical fashion for unsaturated soils. This novel constitutive model can capture heterogeneities in density, suction, the degree of saturation, and temperature. Specifically, this constitutive model has 2 ingredients: (1) it has a “mesoscale” mechanical state variable—porosity and 3 environmental state variables—suction, the degree of saturation, and temperature; (2) both temperature and mechanical effects on water retention properties are taken into account. The return mapping algorithm is applied to implement this model at Gauss point assuming an infinitesimal strain. At each time step, the return mapping is conducted only in principal elastic strain space, assuming no return mapping in suction and temperature. The numerical results obtained by this constitutive model are compared with the experimental results. It shows that the proposed model can simulate the thermo‐hydro‐mechanical behavior of unsaturated soils with satisfaction. We also conduct shear band analysis of an unsaturated soil specimen under plane strain condition to demonstrate the impact of temperature variation on shear banding triggered by initial material heterogeneities.     

ACMEG‐TS: A constitutive model for unsaturated soils under non‐isothermal conditions

This paper introduces an unconventional constitutive model for soils, which deals with a unified thermo‐mechanical modelling for unsaturated soils. The relevant temperature and suction effects are studied in light of elasto‐plasticity. A generalized effective stress framework is adopted, which includes a number of intrinsic thermo‐hydro‐mechanical connections, to represent the stress state in the soil. Two coupled constitutive aspects are used to fully describe the non‐isothermal behaviour. The mechanical constitutive part is built on the concepts of bounding surface theory and multi‐mechanism plasticity, whereas water retention characteristics are described using elasto‐plasticity to reproduce the hysteretic response and the effect of temperature and dry density on retention properties. The theoretical formulation is supported by comparisons with experimental results on two compacted clays. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A three‐phase model for unsaturated soils

A comprehensive framework to define the constitutive behaviour of unsaturated soils is developed within the theory of mixtures applied to three‐phase porous media. Each of the three phases is endowed with its own strain and stress. Elastic and elastic–plastic constitutive equations are developed. Particular emphasis is laid on the interactions between the phases both in the elastic and plastic regimes. Nevertheless, the clear structure of the constitutive equations requires a minimal number of material parameters. Their identification is provided: in particular, it incorporates directly the soil–water characteristic curve. Crucial to the formulation is an appropriate definition of the effective stress. The coupled influence of this effective stress and of suction makes it possible to describe qualitatively many of the characteristic features observed in experiments, e.g. for normally consolidated soils, a plastic behaviour up to air entry followed by an elastic behaviour at increasing suctions, and, on the way back, an elastic behaviour, unless compression is applied in which case plastic collapse occurs. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An improved return‐map stress update algorithm for finite deformation analysis of general isotropic elastoplastic geomaterials

This paper develops a novel return mapping algorithm for the numerical integration of general isotropic finite strain elastoplastic constitutive models for geomaterials. The constitutive formulation is founded on multiplicative decomposition of the deformation gradient. The logarithmic strain measure as well as the exponential approximation of the plastic flow rule is utilized to restore the standard infinitesimal format return mapping algorithm. Central to the algorithm is the exploitation of a set of three mutually orthogonal unit base tensors for the representation of constitutive relations and the corresponding integration of the rate form of the constitutive equations. The base tensors constitute a local cylindrical coordinate system in the principal space, which allows to formulate the return mapping algorithm in the three‐dimensional space and reduce the dimension of the problem to be analyzed from six down to three. With the proposed approach, direct determination of the principal axes and the transformation procedure between the general space and the principal space, as required in traditional spectral decomposition, are avoided. Furthermore, the matrices that are involved in the inversion evaluation take simple forms, leading to extremely easy inverse computation. As a result, the consistent tangent operator can be streamlined into a form simpler and more compact than those by conventional integration methods. Following the formulation of the integration procedure, a numerical experiment is performed to assess the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed algorithm. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical analysis of seepage–deformation in unsaturated soils

A coupled elastic–plastic finite element analysis based on simplified consolidation theory for unsaturated soils is used to investigate the coupling processes of water infiltration and deformation. By introducing a reduced suction and an elastic–plastic constitutive equation for the soil skeleton, the simplified consolidation theory for unsaturated soils is incorporated into an in-house finite element code. Using the proposed numerical method, the generation of pore water pressure and development of deformation can be simulated under evaporation or rainfall infiltration conditions. Through a parametric study and comparison with the test results, the proposed method is found to describe well the characteristics during water evaporation/infiltration into unsaturated soils. Finally, an unsaturated soil slope with water infiltration is analyzed in detail to investigate the development of the displacement and generation of pore water pressure.     

A three‐phase soil model for simulating stress wave propagation due to blast loading

A three‐phase soil model is proposed to simulate stress wave propagation in soil mass to blast loading. The soil is modelled as a three‐phase mass that includes the solid particles, water and air. It is considered as a structure that the solid particles form a skeleton and their voids are filled with water and air. The equation of state (EOS) of the soil is derived. The elastic–plastic theory is adopted to model the constitutive relation of the soil skeleton. The damage of the soil skeleton is also modelled. The Drucker–Prager strength model including the strain rate effect is used to describe the strength of the soil skeleton. The model is implemented into a hydrocode Autodyn. The recorded results obtained by explosion tests in soil are used to validate the proposed model. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

劈裂注浆复合土体三维等效弹性模型理论研究

劈裂注浆可以有效改善土体的变形参数,大大降低土体在受力状态改变时的变形量,对劈裂注浆后复合土体的等效变形参数进行研究十分重要。在综合分析劈裂注浆扩散机制和工程应用实际的基础上,基于均质化理论提出了劈裂注浆后复合土体的三维单元体几何模型,按等效原则给出了浆-土体积及受力分配关系模型图;接着基于横向各向同性本构关系推导了模型的等效弹性模量和等效泊松比的解析解。然后采用有限元方法取得了模型特定条件下的等效弹性模量和等效泊松比,并与解析结果进行对比分析。最后把模型和相应的解析结果引入Flac3D岩土工程专业分析软件,结合一个热力隧道工程实例对隧道劈裂注浆后关键位置的沉降进行预测分析,并与实测值进行了对比。研究表明：对所提出的计算模型,解析计算与有限元方法计算结果吻合度较高,说明了解析结果的正确性;基于该模型及其解析结果得到的隧道开挖后的沉降预测值与实测值具有良好的一致性,说明所提出的模型和相应的解析计算方法具有一定的可靠性和实用性。     

A model for stress and plastic strain induced nonlinear,hyperelastic anisotropy in soils

The experimental evidence that cohesive and granular soils possess an elastic range in which the elasticity is both nonlinear and anisotropic—with stiffness and directional characteristics strongly dependent on stress and plastic strain (the so‐called ‘stress history’)—is given a formulation based on hyperelasticity. This is accomplished within the framework of elastoplastic coupling, through a new proposal of elastic potentials and a combined use of a plastic‐strain‐dependent fabric tensor and nonlinear elasticity. When used within a simple elastoplastic framework, the proposed model is shown to yield very accurate simulations of the evolution of elastic properties from initial directional stiffening to final isotropic degradation. Within the proposed constitutive framework, it is shown that predictions of shear band formation and evolution become closer to the existing experimental results, when compared to modelling in which elasticity does not evolve. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An anisotropic elastic‐decohesive constitutive relation for sea ice

Thermodynamic growth or melt and mechanical redistribution due to lead opening or ridge formation shape the thickness distribution of the Arctic ice cover and impact the overall strength of pack ice. Specifically, the deformation and strength of ice are not isotropic but vary with the thickness and lead orientation. To reflect these facts, we develop an anisotropic, elastic‐decohesive constitutive model for sea ice together with a model to describe an oriented, ice thickness distribution. The tight connection between the mechanical response and the thickness distribution is an improvement over a previous model that only depended on the average ice thickness. The model describes mechanical responses anisotropically in both the elastic and failure regimes. In the elastic regime, the constitutive relation implicitly reflects strong and weak directions of the pack ice depending on the distribution of thin ice (including open water) and thicker ice (e.g., multi‐year ice or ridges). In the failure regime, the model predicts both failure initiation and the lead orientation. Evolution from initial failure to complete failure when traction‐free crack surfaces are formed is also modeled. Crack or lead width is determined during the evolution. Various examples of failure surfaces are presented to describe the behavior of modeled ice when the thickness distribution varies. The model predictions are also illustrated and compared with previous modeling efforts by examining regions of ice under idealized loading. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An updated reference configuration formulation for large-deformation problems

This paper examines difficulties encountered when using the Green-Nagdi rate and presents an updated configuration formulation for problems dealing with large deformations. It is shown that a natural link can be established between the updated reference configuration and linearized updated Lagrangian formulations, if Truesdell's objective stress rate is used. Owing to this connection, any limitations associated with the described formulation would be expected to also apply to an updated Lagrangian formulation and vice versa. It is pointed out that, if second-order effects are induced, the Truesdell rate appears in the rate equation for equilibrium even when strains are infinitesimal. By examining a simple-shear problem, where hypoelastic material behaviour with ‘Hooke's law’ is assumed, it is shown that the spherical state of stress is coupled with the shear stress when using the Truesdell or Green-Nagdi stress rate. It is suggested that objective stress rates, introduced in large-deformation formulations, may contribute to erroneous predictions if a constitutive law is developed independent of the adopted stress rate.     

A two‐invariant pseudoelastic model for reservoir compaction

Predicting the deformations of deep reservoirs due to fluid withdrawal/injection is a challenging task that could have important environmental, social, and economical impacts. Finite element models, if endowed with an appropriate constitutive law, represent a useful tool for computing the displacements, the deformations, and the stress distributions in reservoir applications. Several studies show that hypoelastic laws, based on a stress‐dependent vertical compressibility, are able to provide accurate results, confirmed by in situ and satellite measurements. On the other hand, such laws present some weaknesses related to the numerical implementation, in particular due to the nonsymmetry of the tangent operator. This paper presents a new constitutive model based on 2 invariants (the mean normal and deviatoric stresses), characterized by a variable pressure‐dependent bulk modulus K. This constitutive law allows for overcoming most shortcomings of the hypoelastic law, although preserving the same accuracy, reliability, and ease of use and calibration. This paper presents a procedure to identify the parameters of the new model, starting from the typically available data on the vertical compressibility. Numerical results show a good agreement between the 2 laws, suggesting the proposed approach as a valid alternative in reservoir applications.     

On the choice of elastic parameters for sand

When soils are considered as elastoplastic materials the elastic moduli are much higher than the plastic one(s). However the amount of elastic strain cannot be disregarded as it appears when undrained loading occurs. Based on experimental or theoretical observations, a number of elastic models with stress dependent moduli have been proposed. Attention is focused here on the consequences of this stress dependency on the recoverability of strain and work done after a closed stress path. A necessary and sufficient condition for an elastic material to be hyperelastic is given and the way to obtain practical solutions is shown on examples. The study is restricted to isotropic material undergoing small strains.     

Finite deformation analysis of geomaterials

The mathematical structure and numerical analysis of classical small deformation elasto–plasticity is generally well established. However, development of large deformation elastic–plastic numerical formulation for dilatant, pressure sensitive material models is still a research area. In this paper we present development of the finite element formulation and implementation for large deformation, elastic–plastic analysis of geomaterials. Our developments are based on the multiplicative decomposition of the deformation gradient into elastic and plastic parts. A consistent linearization of the right deformation tensor together with the Newton method at the constitutive and global levels leads toward an efficient and robust numerical algorithm. The presented numerical formulation is capable of accurately modelling dilatant, pressure sensitive isotropic and anisotropic geomaterials subjected to large deformations. In particular, the formulation is capable of simulating the behaviour of geomaterials in which eigentriads of stress and strain do not coincide during the loading process. The algorithm is tested in conjunction with the novel hyperelasto–plastic model termed the B material model, which is a single surface (single yield surface, affine single ultimate surface and affine single potential surface) model for dilatant, pressure sensitive, hardening and softening geomaterials. It is specifically developed to model large deformation hyperelasto–plastic problems in geomechanics. We present an application of this formulation to numerical analysis of low confinement tests on cohesionless granular soil specimens recently performed in a SPACEHAB module aboard the Space Shuttle during the STS‐89 mission. We compare numerical modelling with test results and show the significance of added confinement by the thin hyperelastic latex membrane undergoing large stretching. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Influence of Lode angle‐dependent failure criteria on shear localization analysis in sand

Geotechnical experiments show that Lode angle‐dependent constitutive formulations are appropriate to describe the failure of geomaterials. In the present study, we have adopted one such class of failure criteria along with a versatile constitutive relationship to theoretically analyze the effects of Lode angle on localized shear deformation or shear band formation in loose sand for both drained and undrained conditions. We determine the variation in the possible stress states for shear localization due to the introduction of Lode angle by considering the localized deformation as a bifurcation problem. Further, similar bifurcation analysis is performed for the stress states along a specific loading path, namely, plane strain compression at the constitutive level. In addition, the plane strain compression tests have been simulated as a boundary value finite element problem to see how Lode angle affects the post‐localization response. Results show that the inclusion of a Lode angle parameter within the failure criterion has considerable effects on the onset, plastic strain, and propagation of shear localization in loose sand specimens. For drained condition, we notice early inception of shear localization and multiple band formation when the Lode angle‐dependent failure criterion is used. Undrained localization characteristics, however, found to be independent of Lode angle consideration.     

引入非线性瞬时弹性模量的软土流变模型

软土是一种非线性流变物质,但现行流变模型却忽略了加载瞬时的非线性变形;软土流变试验参数是数学模型参数而非物理模型参数,一个土样一般只对应一种材料参数,但现行流变模型的模型参数常随着荷载变化,且变化无规律,离散性大。基于以有机质为流变相物质的人工土试样室内一维压缩蠕变试验,建立了各级荷载作用下具有相同模型参数的7组件流变模型,用非线性弹簧H描述软土加载瞬时弹塑性变形、并联的三元件组件模拟软土随时间变化的黏弹塑变形。结果表明：引入三次非线性瞬时弹性模量的7组件流变模型能够较准确地反映软土的流变特性。     

Efficient solution algorithms for multiaxial probabilistic elasto‐plastic constitutive simulations of soils

A Fokker‐Planck‐Kolmogorov (FPK) equation approach has recently been developed to probabilistically solve any elastic‐plastic constitutive equation with uncertain material parameters by transforming the nonlinear, stochastic constitutive rate equation into a linear, deterministic partial differential equation (PDE) and thereby simplifying the numerical solution process. For an uniaxial problem, conventional numerical techniques, such as the finite difference or finite element methods, may be used to solve the resulting univariate FPK PDE. However, for a multiaxial problem, an efficient algorithm is necessary for tractability of the numerical solution of the multivariate FPK PDE. In this paper, computationally efficient algorithms, based on a Fourier spectral approach, are presented for solving FPK PDEs in (stress) space and (pseudo) time, having space‐independent but time‐dependent coefficients and both space‐ and time‐dependent coefficients, that commonly arise in probabilistic elasto‐plasticity. The algorithms are illustrated by probabilistically simulating 2 common laboratory constitutive experiments in geotechnical engineering, namely, the unconfined compression test and the unconsolidated undrained triaxial compression test.     

夹层地基本构方程的研究与应用

工程中常见的地基往往含有多个夹层 ,将各个夹层按力学性质进行分组 ,分别考虑了各组夹层对整个地基本构关系的影响 ,得出了含有若干夹层的地基的本构方程 ,为求解夹层地基的本构关系的研究提供了新的思路。利用该理论可反求横观各向同性地基的弹性参数 ,并可考虑地基的弹性参数随深度变化的情况对整个地基的本构关系的影响     

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.     

Semi-analytical solution for one-dimensional consolidation of fractional derivative viscoelastic saturated soils

This paper presents a semi-analytical solution to one-dimensional consolidation equation of fractional derivative Kelvin-Voigt viscoelastic saturated soils subjected to different time-dependent loadings. The theory of fractional calculus is first introduced to Kelvin-Voigt constitutive model to describe consolidation behavior of viscoelastic saturated soils. By applying Laplace transform upon the one-dimensional consolidation equation of saturated soils, the analytical solutions of effective stress and settlement in the Laplace transform domain are obtained. The present solutions are more general and have good agreements with available solutions from the literature, and are degenerated into ones for one-dimensional consolidation of elastic and viscoelastic saturated soils.     

岩石破坏非连续变形分析弹脆性本构模型的二次开发

岩石非连续变形分析方法DDARF成功实现了模拟岩体裂纹萌生、扩展、贯通、破碎的全过程,但算法只考虑了岩体的线弹性本构模型,没有分析岩体的非线性应力-应变关系。为更符合真实岩体工程,同时扩展岩石非线性本构模型的应用范围,分别采用摩尔-库仑强度准则和最大拉应力强度准则对岩体进行剪切和拉伸破坏判断;对理想弹脆性本构模型进行算法分析,并在VC++平台下程序实现;对“自定义”的岩体非连续变形分析方法弹脆性本构模型与室内单轴压缩试验进行比较分析;将岩体非连续变形分析方法弹脆性本构模型应用于大型地下洞室开挖,并与线弹性本构模型进行对比。结果表明,非连续变形分析方法中自定义岩体弹脆性本构模型是可行的,它能够反映岩体变形的非线性特征,与室内试验吻合度较好;非连续变形分析方法弹脆性本构模型应用于大型地下工程,能更安全且真实地分析洞室围岩的稳定性,进而更好地指导地下洞室的防护措施。