A Fully Coupled Critical State Model

Abstract

In previous chapters, it has been shown that the principle of effective stresses can be applied to the shear strength, the tensile strength, and the volumetric behavior of unsaturated soils. This chapter shows that the critical state line for unsaturated soils shifts with respect to the saturated critical state line in a quantity that depends on the suction stress. Taking into account this phenomenon and the influence of hydro-mechanical coupling on the behavior of unsaturated soils, a fully coupled general constitutive model for soils is developed. This model is based on the modified Cam-Clay model but includes a yield surface with anisotropic hardening that takes into account the shift of the critical state line with suction. The result is a very simple model with symmetric stiffness matrix that can be used for the case of saturated, unsaturated, and compacted materials.

Keywords: Critical state concept, Critical void ratio, Effective stress, Virgin consolidation line, Elastoplastic framework, Elastic zone, Constitutive models, Tensile strength, Volumetric behavior, Effective stress., Yield surface, Plastic deformations, Suction hardening, Failure surface, Preconsolidation stress.