Clay hypoplasticity coupled with small-strain approaches for complex cyclic loading

Abstract

Constitutive models that are able to accurately predict cyclic soil behaviour are crucial for finite element design of offshore foundation or railway embankments. Basic hypoplastic models introduce the history of loading in state variables such as the stress and void ratio and are therefore incapable of describing small-strain stiffness and cyclic loading. In this work, clay hypoplasticity is extended with a modified intergranular strain proposed by Duque et al. [3]. The new model is compared to the one coupled previously with ISA based on unconventional as well as complex cyclic loading paths. Abilities and limitations of the models are addressed: (i) showing that both models predict a reduction in strain accumulation with an increasing number of cycles. (ii) For both models pronounced over- and undershooting effects can occur for certain cyclic loading paths and certain parameters. Despite the consensus in the literature, the results show that a yield surface in the (intergranular) strain space is not sufficient to ban these effects. Furthermore, the models’ predictive capabilities are verified with simulations of monotonic and cyclic tests of Lower Rhine clay.