GESTIONE AMMINISTRATIVA

NUMERICAL
CONTRATTI METHODS
IN GEOTECHNICAL
ENGINEERING

LECTURE 13
Elastoplastic models 3

Guido Musso
Dipartimento di Ingegneria Strutturale, Edile e Geotecnica

Elastic Hardening Plastic Models

Elastic hardening plastic models

 Experimental evidences

 General structure of elastic perfectly plastic models

 Extended Mohr Coulomb

 Mohr Coulomb with post peak softening

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 Linear Elastic
Elastic Hardening
Perfectly
Plastic
Plastic
Modelsmodels

A general observation

Working in terms of stiffness matrix instead of compliance matrix is more

convenient since not all the stress paths are possible (any combination of
plastic strain changes is possible instead ).

Stiffness
ds = Dep de

Compliance

de = Cep ds

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Elastic plastic models – Taylor and Quinney exp.

Taylor and Quinney (1931): annealed copper wire tested in simple tension
P

P
Irreversible strains B1, B2 … Bn under null load as a new reference for ‘elastic behavior’
Departure from stiff elastic response C1, C2 … Cn yielding
Effect of load history

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 Linear Elastic
Elastic Hardening
Perfectly
Plastic
Plastic
Modelsmodels
Elastic strain hardening plastic model

σ
ePC = plastic strain
syE E
e
syC C

syB
B

ePC

A eB D eC F eF ε
Elastic strain hardening
plastic model
AB e CD - linear elastic
BCE - irreversible

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Linear Elastic
Elastic Hardening
Perfectly
Plastic
Plastic
Modelsmodels

Linear elastic hardening plastic models

• While the stress remains within the yield surface (0- a –b), the behaviour is elastic.
• Plastic strains occur while the stress state remains on the yield surface (b-c-d)
• For Hardening Plastic Models the Yield Surface expands in the stress space
The yield surface expands (isotropic hardening)

sy sy sy
deypl depl d
d
c c sx
b hardening b

0 a dexpl, sx a 0 e ey

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 Linear Elastic
Elastic Hardening
Perfectly
Plastic
Plastic
Modelsmodels
Elastic strain softening plastic model

σ ePC = permanent strain

syB B
e

C
syC F

ePC

A eB D eC ε
(3) Elastic strain softening
plastic material AB e CD - linear elastic
BCF - irreversible

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Linear Elastic
Elastic Hardening
Perfectly
Plastic
Plastic
Modelsmodels

Linear elastic softening plastic models

• While the stress remains within the yield surface (0- a –b), the behaviour is elastic.
• Plastic strains occur while the stress state remains on the yield surface (b-c-d)
• For Softening Plastic Models the Yield Surface shrinks in the stress space
The yield surface is reduced in size (isotropic softening)

sy sy sy
deypl depl
b
b

c sx
c softening

0 a dexpl, sx a 0 d ey

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 Structure of Elastic Hardening Plastic Models

TO FORMULATE AN ELASTO-PLASTIC CONSTITUTIVE MODEL

REQUIRES THE FOLLOWING ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS

(a) an elastic stress-strain relationship (ILE or NONILE)

(b) a yield function which indicates the onset of plastic strain (i.e. a scalar
function of stress, espressed in terms of stress components or stress invariants)

(c) a plastic potential function which provides direction of plastic strains

(d) hardening / softening rule which tells how the yield surface evolves.
This is usally obtained by relating the size of the yield surface to the plastic strains

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Linear Elastic
Elastic Hardening
Perfectly
Plastic
Plastic
Modelsmodels

Yield function

f(s,c) = 0 Separates purely elastic from elastic-plastic behaviour

This function f defines the type of material behaviour and is based on theoretical -
experimental results
f (s, c) < 0, purely elastic behaviour

f (s, c) = 0, elastic – plastic behaviour

f (s, c) > 0, impossible situation

Differently from elastic perfectly plastic models, hidden variable(s) c are introduced

c= c (ep) , hardening parameter(s)

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 Linear Elastic
Elastic Hardening
Perfectly
Plastic
Plastic
Modelsmodels

sy
hardening

Examples of
hardening/softening rules

softening

epl

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Linear Elastic
Elastic Hardening
Perfectly
Plastic
Plastic
Modelsmodels

Consistency condition

c The hardening parameter is a function of plastic strains which ensures that

f =0 even though the size of the elastic domain is evolving

f f
T

f(s, c) = 0 df = dσ  dc = 0
σ c

Not in elastic perfectly

plastic models

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 Linear Elastic
Elastic Hardening
Perfectly
Plastic
Plastic
Modelsmodels

Consistency condition
The expression of the flow rule is unchanged:

g g
dε =  dσ = D dε  D
p
so:
σ σ

Introducing a chain rule derivative on the consistency condition:

f f c g
T T

df = dσ   = 0
σ c ε σ
p

With a more compact notation:

T
f c g
H =  p
c ε σ

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Linear Elastic
Elastic Hardening
Perfectly
Plastic
Plastic
Modelsmodels

Elastic plastic constitutive matrix

• Combining (1) with (2) it follows :

 
T
g f
 D  D 
σ σ
dσ = D  dε = D d ε
ep
T
 f g 
D  H
 σ σ 

H = 0 perfect plasticity

H ≠ 0 hardening plasticity

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 Linear Elastic
Elastic Hardening
Perfectly
Plastic
Plastic
Modelsmodels

Extended Mohr Coulomb model

A version of Mohr Coulomb where the yielding surface evolves non linearly
with plastic strains can help better reproduction - in the described version
hardening is related to distorsional strain

(1) Elastic domain

From a phenomenological point of view in granular materials one could think
of linking the shear modulus to the square root of the mean stress

G  p’ 1/2
(this would make this model non - ILE)

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Linear Elastic
Extended Mohr Perfectly
Coulomb Plastic
Modelmodels

Yield function

f = f (σ , c ) = f ( p ' , q ,  y )= 0

f =q – yp’

y : hardening parameter
It is not a constant but it depends on the
deviatoric plastic strain

Failure and yield are different concepts

Transition between yield y and failure p
involves plastic strains

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 Linear Elastic
Extended Mohr Perfectly
Coulomb Plastic
Modelmodels

Extended Mohr Coulomb model

(3) Flow rule

de
p
p
Associate flow conditions would be =  y
de
p
q

Although easier to implement, the associated

flow condition would imply that the dilatancy
increases with stress obliquity – not realistic,
non physical

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Linear Elastic
Extended Mohr Perfectly
Coulomb Plastic
Modelmodels

Extended Mohr Coulomb model

(3) Flow rule

de
p
p q
e.g. direct shear tests on sands would suggest = M  = M  y
de
p
q
p'

i.e. volume decrease at low stress ratios, volume increase at high stress ratios

In terms of strain components: In terms of plastic potential g(s)

 g   p 'r 
 de p
   p '  M  y  g ( p ' , q ) = q  Mp ' ln   = 0
 p
 =   =    
 de p  g  p' 
 q     1 
 q  p’r – arbitrary constant allowing for a general
member of the plastic potential curve to pass
through the current stress

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 Linear Elastic
Extended Mohr Perfectly
Coulomb Plastic
Modelmodels

Flow rule

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Linear Elastic
Extended Mohr Perfectly
Coulomb Plastic
Modelmodels

Hardening rule

The current size of the yield locus is expressed as a function of deviatoric strains

 eq
p
y
= p –limiting value of the yield locus - failure
 a  eq
p
p

It is an hyperbolic law such that the failure is approached asymptotically by

increasing the yield parameter y to p

  y 
   0 
p
e p   

=  (   y)
2


  y 
p

   a p 
  
eq 
p
 

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 Linear Elastic
Extended Mohr Perfectly
Coulomb Plastic
Modelmodels

Elastic plastic stiffness

   K 2  y (M   y ) 3 GK ( M   y )  
   
  3 GK  y
2 
 dp'  K 0  
9G
   de p 
  =     
   de
p ' ( p   y )

 dq 
2


0 3G 
3 G  K  y (M   y )  
q 
 ( p ) 
 
Elastic
Plastic
- plastic terms in the stiffness matrix are not constants, since y varies with ep
- for high values of eqp y  p

If M is chosen such that M= p and M- p = - M* the elastic-plastic stiffness

matrix of the extended Mohr Coulomb model and of the perfectly plastic MC
model are coincident.

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Linear Elastic
Extended Mohr Perfectly
Coulomb Plastic
Modelmodels

Extended Mohr Coulomb Model – functions and parameters

Yield function: Yield parameters:
f(q, p’) = q – yp’ Yield is reached when q/p’ =y

Plastic potential function: Parameter of the plastic potential function

 p 'r 
g ( q , p ' ) = q  Mp ' ln   M, p’r
 p' 
p The plastic flow is non associated and the
de q
p
p
= M  = M  y direction of plastic strains is given by M - y
de q
p'

Hardening function:
y eq
p Increase in size of the yield function is related
= to distorsional strains through an hyperbolic

p
p a  eq law (parameter a)
The ultimate condition is failure, with y = p

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 Linear Elastic
Extended Mohr Perfectly
Coulomb Plastic
Modelmodels

Extended Mohr Coulomb Model – examples of simulated behavior

Triaxial test at constant p’ Three conditions are explored:

- M = 1.2, p = 1.0
- M = 1.0, p = 1.0
- M = 0.8, p = 1.0
q, depq
p > M q= Mp’
K= 5000 kPa, n = 0.25

p < M a = 0.005, p’= 100 kPa

p’r p’, dep p

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Linear Elastic
Extended Mohr Perfectly
Coulomb Plastic
Modelmodels

Extended Mohr Coulomb model – examples of simulated behavior

The difference between p and M controls the direction of plastic volume strains upon
shearin approaching failure

- p < M - compression
- p = M - critical state (constant volume)
- p > M - expansion

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 Linear Elastic
Extended Mohr Perfectly
Coulomb Plastic
Modelmodels

Worked example (modified from Muir Wood, 2004)

A sample of Mohr Coulomb soil with hyperbolic hardening rule and properties

j‘p= 40 ° (angle of peak strength) a=0.01 G=3MPa

has not been presheared  the initial y = 0

Subjected to initial mean effective stress p’ = 100 kPa, q = 0
Tested then at constant mean effective stress: dp’=0

1. Calculate the shear strain to bring the soil to the stress ratios:

 = 0, 0.25 p, 0.50 p, 0.75 p, 0.90 p, 0

2. Draw the stress strain curve

3. Draw the variation of the secant shear modulus with strain

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Linear Elastic
Extended Mohr Perfectly
Coulomb Plastic
Modelmodels

Worked example (modified from Muir Wood, 2004)

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 Linear Elastic
Extended Mohr Perfectly
Coulomb Plastic
Modelmodels

Worked example (modified from Muir Wood, 2004)

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LinearCoulomb
Mohr Elastic Perfectly
with postPlastic
peak softening
models

The extended Mohr Coulomb allows modelling conditions where the element
gets ‘more resistent’ while it deforms: e.g. shearing loose sands or of clays
having low OCRs.
It is completely inadequate when increase of shear strains imply loss of strength
–rocks with a fragile behavior, densely packed sands, stiff clays

Direct Shear Tests on intact blocks

of a marly stiff clay from Monastero Bormida.
Data from Musso, Romero, Chighini, 2008

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 LinearCoulomb
Mohr Elastic Perfectly
with postPlastic
peak softening
models
Mohr Coulomb with post peak softening
A trilinear hardening rule links y to eqp
q 1) While  < p the soil behaves elastically and the
p yield locus is kept fixed:

< p  y = p  deqp=0
M
2) Once peak strength is reached softening starts
and the yield locus reduces

P’ (  ) eq
p
p y
= For 0 < eqp < b
( p
 M ) b

3) After a certain value of deviatoric strain the yield

function reaches a minimum and then remains
constant

For eqp > b , y = M

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LinearCoulomb
Mohr Elastic Perfectly
with postPlastic
peak softening
models

MC with post peak softening

Flow rule and elastic stiffness are unchanged with respect to the previous case, the
only difference is due to the term H in the Elastic Plastic stiffness matrix

f d y g   p
 M 
H =  =  (  p ' )  
 
 q
p
y
dεq  b 

   K  y (M   ) 3 GK ( M   ) 
2

  y y

  3 GK  y
2   de
 d p '  K 0  
9G
  p 
  =   
  
 dq   0
 p ' (  M )   de 
3G 
3G  K  y
(M  y
) p

b

q 
 
 

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 LinearCoulomb
Mohr Elastic Perfectly
with postPlastic
peak softening
models
Mohr Coulomb with post peak softening
With respect to the Extended Mohr Coulomb

Yield function: The same: f(q, p’) = q – yp’

 p 'r 
Plastic potential function: The same: g ( q , p ' ) = q  Mp ' ln  
 p' 
Non associated plastic flow
Direction of plastic strains M - y

Hardening function: Different: it accounts

for loss of strength

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LinearCoulomb
Mohr Elastic Perfectly
with postPlastic
peak softening
models

MC with post peak softening

Simulation of triaxial compression of three specimens

K= 120 MPa
G = 40 MPa
b = 0.02
j’p= 39°.17 (p= 1.60)
j’cv = 30° (M= 1.20)

1. p’= 300 kPa q=0 kPa

2. p’= 600 kPa q=0 kPa
3. p’= 900 kPa q=0 kPa

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 LinearCoulomb
Mohr Elastic Perfectly
with postPlastic
peak softening
models

MC with post peak softening

Simulation of triaxial compression of three specimens

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