CONSTITUTIVE MODELLING FOR ANISOTROPIC HARDENING BEHAVIOR WITH APPLICATIONS TO COHESIONLESS SOILS

Abstract

A constitutive model based on rate-independent elastoplasticity concepts is developed to simulate the behavior of geologic materials under arbitrary three-dimensional stress paths, stress reversals and cyclic loading. The model accounts for the various factors such as friction, stress path, stress history, induced anisotropy and initial anisotropy that influence the behavior of geologic materials. A hierarchical approach is adapted whereby models of progressively increasing sophistication are developed from a basic isotropic-hardening associative model. The influence of the above factors is captured by modifying the basic model for anisotropic (kinematic) hardening and deviation from normality (nonassociativeness). Both anisotropic hardening and deviation from normality are incorporated by introducing into the formulation a second order tensor whose evolution is governed by the level of induced anisotropy in the material. In the stress-space this formulation may be interpreted as a translating potential surface Q that moves in a fixed field of isotropic yield surfaces. The location of the translating surface in the stress-space, at any stage of the deformation, is given by the 'induced anisotropy' tensor. A measure to represent the level of induced anisotropy in the material is defined. The validity of this representation is investigated based on a series of special stress path tests in the cubical triaxial device on samples of Leighton Buzzard sand. The significant parameters of the models are defined and determined for three sands based on results of conventional laboratory test results. The model is verified with respect to laboratory multiaxial test data under various paths of loading, unloading, reloading and cyclic loading.