Extreme pressure due to expanded cylindrical and spherical cavity in a limitless medium: applications in soil mechanics

The extreme net pressure resulting from an expansion in a cylindrical or spherical cavity within a limitless medium is studied. Performing the static and kinematic approaches of yield design theory, analytical solutions of the extreme net pressure are established for cohesive–frictional as well as for purely cohesive medium. In the case of a cylindrical cavity, the identification between the analytical extreme net pressure and limit net pressure leads to the prediction of shear strength characteristics of soil. As useful result, in soil mechanics, the assessment of correlations using pressuremeter data has been discussed. Also, some assumptions for designing foundations, from pressuremeter data, have been highlighted.