Triple-Shear Elastoplastic Constitutive Models for Normally Consolidated Unsaturated Soils Based on the Coordinate Translation Method

Abstract

The unified triple-shear strength criterion for unsaturated soils was established with the single-stress variable method and the double-stress variable method, and the corresponding triple-shear failure stress ratios were derived with the coordinate translation method. Then the triple-shear failure stress ratios were combined with the modified Cambridge model for unsaturated soils, the triple-shear elastoplastic constitutive models for normally consolidated unsaturated soils under the single-stress variable and double-stress variable were built, and the secondary development of ABAQUS was carried out. With the Nanchang unsaturated remolded clay as the research object, the consolidation and drainage (CD) test verification and true triaxial CD test simulation of unsaturated soils were done, and the effects of intermediate principal stress influence coefficient b and matrix suction s on the calculation model for the gravity retaining wall were studied. The results show that, the proposed 2 constitutive models can well describe the deformation characteristics of normally consolidated unsaturated soils in CD tests, and the simulation results of the coordinate translation method under double-stress variables are more close to the real test data. In the simulation of true triaxial CD tests, the shear stress and the volume strain obtained with the double-stress variable method are more close to the results of the single-stress variable method. With the increase of intermediate principal stress influence coefficient b, the shear stress and the volume strain of the 2 constitutive models will also increase. The gravity retaining wall calculation model with the double-stress variable method is more stable. With the increase of intermediate principal stress influence coefficient b or matrix suction s, the soil displacement of the retaining wall model will decrease, while the strength and stability of the soils behind the wall will increase.