CONTINUUM MECHANICS AND CONSTITUTIVE MODELS.

APPLICATION TO SOILS AND ROCKS

PRACTICAL CASE
 Continuum mechanics and constitutive models. Application to soils and rocks.

Practical case

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© Structuralia 2
 Continuum mechanics and constitutive models. Application to soils and rocks.

Practical case

INDEX

INDEX ............................................................................................................................................................................ 3

1. STRESSES AND STRAINS ....................................................................................................................................... 4

2. ELASTIC SOLUTIONS IN GEOTECHNICS .............................................................................................................. 5

3. PLASTICITY AND MOHR-COULOMB CRITERION ................................................................................................. 6

3 © Structuralia
 Continuum mechanics and constitutive models. Application to soils and rocks.

Practical case

1. STRESSES AND STRAINS

A clay has the following stress state (total stresses) at one of its points.
𝜎% 𝜏%' 𝜏%( 40 25 0
𝜏
𝜎" = $ '% 𝜎' 𝜏'( ) = $25 40 0 ) 𝑘𝑁/𝑚3
𝜏(% 𝜏(' 𝜎( 0 0 80

The pore water pressure at the point being considered is u = 30 kN/m2.

Young's undrained ("short-term") modulus is Eu = 50 MPa and the drained Poisson’s ratio is v’ =
0.3.

Using this data, the following must be done:

1) Determine the principal stresses and directions (in total stresses).

2) Calculate the invariants of the total stress tensor.

3) Determine the spherical and deviatoric component of the total stress tensor. For each of
them, it is asked to obtain their invariants and their principal stresses and directions.

4) Define the tensile pressure and effective stress tensors. Obtain for each one its invariants,
principal stresses and principal directions.

5) Considering a "short-term" (undrained) behavior of the clay, determine the strain tensor
considering an elastic behavior. Obtain the principal strains.

6) Considering a "long-term" (drained) behavior of the clay, determine the strain tensor
considering an elastic behavior. Obtain the principal strains.

© Structuralia 4
 Continuum mechanics and constitutive models. Application to soils and rocks.

Practical case

2. ELASTIC SOLUTIONS IN GEOTECHNICS

Problem 1:

A rectangular vertical load with a width of (B) 5 meters and length (L) 10 meters is applied to a
clay layer. The load is q = 150 kN/m2. Young's undrained ("short-term") modulus is Eu = 10 MPa

Using this data, the following must be done:

1) Calculate the increase in stress due to the application of the load at a point in the center
of the load 2.5 meters in depth from the surface.

2) Calculate the undrained ("short-term") surface settlement in the center of the load.

Problem 2:

A circular vertical load with a radius of (r) 4 meters is applied to a clay layer. The load is q = 100
kN/m2. Young's undrained ("short-term") modulus is Eu = 10 MPa

Using this data, the following must be done:

1) Calculate the increase in stress due to the application of the load at points in the center of
the load at 2.0 and 4.0 meters in depth from the surface.

2) Calculate the undrained ("short term") surface settlement in the center of the load.

5 © Structuralia
 Continuum mechanics and constitutive models. Application to soils and rocks.

Practical case

3. PLASTICITY AND MOHR-COULOMB CRITERION

For a sand, the effective internal friction angle is known to be φ’ = 30º. Considering a Mohr-
Coulomb yield criterion for the sand, determine if the following stress states of the sand are elastic,
plastic or impossible.

1) 𝜎4 = 𝜎3 = 𝜎5 = 200 𝑘𝑃𝑎

2) 𝜎4 = 450 𝑘𝑃𝑎 , 𝜎3 = 250 𝑘𝑃𝑎 , 𝜎5 = 150 𝑘𝑃𝑎

3) 𝜎4 = 400 𝑘𝑃𝑎 , 𝜎3 = 300 𝑘𝑃𝑎 , 𝜎5 = 200 𝑘𝑃𝑎

4) 𝜎4 = 500 𝑘𝑃𝑎 , 𝜎3 = 300 𝑘𝑃𝑎 , 𝜎5 = 100 𝑘𝑃𝑎

© Structuralia 6