Nonlinear Model for the Stress–Strain–Strength Behavior of Unsaturated Granular Materials
Publication: International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 21, Issue 7
Abstract
Granular materials are typically used as fills in earth structures, including foundation, embankment, and slope. The majority of these granular materials are built and maintained in unsaturated conditions. It is still an open question to develop simple and suitable models to capture the behaviors of unsaturated granular materials. This study aimed to formulate a model for describing the behaviors of granular materials under unsaturated conditions. An exponential function based on a phenomenological model was used to reproduce the asymptotic relationship between stress ratio and deviatoric strain during shearing, and a quantitative relationship considering variable void ratios was adopted to describe the changes of degree of saturation during shearing. In this new nonlinear model, nonlinear stiffness, nonlinear stress dilatancy, and critical state were introduced to enhance the model. Compared with the model for saturated soils, the new model for unsaturated soils could capture the suction effect on the behavior of stiffness and critical state. Finally, the new nonlinear model was used to simulate the behavior of saturated and unsaturated Chongqing granular fill and Beijing sand under triaxial stress conditions. The comparisons of experimental and simulated results showed that this model can consider the suction effect in reproducing the stress–strain and volumetric behavior of unsaturated granular materials.
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Acknowledgments
The authors appreciate the useful discussions with Dr. Chao Zhou and Dr. Jie Yang at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. We also thank Dr. Yin-Fu Jin for his kind help in the optimization of model parameters. The work in this paper was supported by the General Research Fund (GRF) (PolyU 152209/17E, PolyU 152179/18E, and PolyU 152130/19E) and a Research Impact Fund (R5037-18) from the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government of China. The work was also supported by grants (ZVNC and ZDBS) from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, China. We also acknowledge the supports from the Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and the Center for Urban Geohazard and Mitigation of the Faculty of Construction and Environment of PolyU.
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International Journal of Geomechanics
Volume 21 • Issue 7 • July 2021
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© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Apr 30, 2020
Accepted: Jan 20, 2021
Published online: Apr 23, 2021
Published in print: Jul 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Sep 23, 2021
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