CHanges in the Instantaneous Shear Modulus of Normally Consolidated Clay with Shear History

Abstract

ABSTRACT Changes in the instantaneous shear modulus associated with the non-coaxiality of NC clay materials are presented. A series of hollow cylindrical shear tests was performed to measure the changes in the instantaneous shear modulus with shear history. After each normally consolidated clay specimen was compressively sheared until a prescribed shear level, it was continuously torsionally sheared under a constant volume to measure the instantaneous shear modulus. Coaxial constitutive relations, such as these of the conventional Cam-clay type of models, predict that the instantaneous shear modulus obtained, does not change regardless of the compressive shear history. On the contrary, it is known that non-coaxial constitutive relations theoretically bring about changes in the instantaneous shear modulus in relation to the compressive shear history. The test results supported the predictions made by the non-coaxial constitutive models. Finally, the proper formulation for the non-coaxiality between the stress and the incremental plastic strain is discussed.