Abstract
In this paper, the constitutive framework of hypoplasticity is used to model long-term deformations and stress relaxations of weathered and moisture sensitive rockfill materials. The state of weathering of the material is represented by a so-called solid hardness in the sense of a continuum description. The time-dependent degradation of the solid hardness is a result of progressive weathering caused for instance by hydro-chemical reactions of fluid with the solid material. The degradation of the solid hardness can lead to collapse settlements and creep deformations, which are also called wetting deformations. In contrast to a previous version, a new evolution equation for a more refined modelling of the degradation of the solid hardness is proposed. With respect to a pressure-dependent relative density, the influence of the pre-compaction of the material and also the influence of the pressure level on the stiffness can be modelled in a unified manner using a single set of constants. The performance of the new model is validated by comparison of the numerical simulations with experiments data.
Highlights
Wetting deformations in the form of collapse and longterm creep settlements are observed in rockfill dams and laboratory experiments
While in the version by Bauer [13], the time-dependent degradation of the solid hardness is modelled in a simplified manner using only three material parameters, a more sophisticated evolution equation is proposed in this paper
This paper proposes a constitutive model for simulation of wetting deformations and stress relaxation in which the solid hardness is a key parameter to reflect the state of weathering of rockfill material
Summary
Wetting deformations in the form of collapse and longterm creep settlements are observed in rockfill dams and laboratory experiments. Experiments with coarse-grained and weathered rockfills show that wetting deformations cannot be explained based on the concept of effective stresses. This is obvious for partly saturated coarse-grained materials where the. A hypoplastic model is used which takes into account the influence of pressure, density, state of weathering and the rate of deformation on the time-dependent, non-linear and inelastic stress–strain behaviour. While in the version by Bauer [13], the time-dependent degradation of the solid hardness is modelled in a simplified manner using only three material parameters, a more sophisticated evolution equation is proposed in this paper. International Journal of Civil Engineering (2019) 17:481–486 solid hardness related to collapse settlements and to longterm deformations
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