50 ELASTICITY AND PLASTICITY

L
CS M
1
q

Effective Stress
F 2 Path
1

Initial Yield
Surface

(a) p'2 p'1 (p'c)1 (p'c)2

1
2

κ
e

NCL

CSL

p'2 p'1 (p'c)1 (p'c)2

(b)
p'

FIGURE 2.17 Evolution of a Cam clay yield surface under CU triaxial stress conditions.

with a major axis (pc )2 . With the help of Figure 2.17, it can be shown that
 κ/(λ−κ)
p1
(pc )2 = (pc )1 (2.44)
p2

In column (2) of Table 2.2, calculate the updated yield surface for each load
increment using the general equation
  κ/(λ−κ)
pi−1
(pc )i = (pc )i−1 (2.45)
pi

where (pc )i is the preconsolidation pressure in the current increment, (pc )i−1
the preconsolidation pressure in the preceding increment, pi the mean effec-

tive stress in the current increment, and pi−1 the mean effective stress in the
 MODIFIED CAM CLAY MODEL 51

preceding increment. Because the soil is normally consolidated, use pc = p0
in the first row.
Step 3: In column (3), calculate q for each increment using (2.46):

 pc
q = Mp −1 (2.46)
p

This equation is obtained from the equation of the yield surface, (2.23).
Step 4: Calculate the elastic volumetric strain increment using (2.35):

κ dp
dεev = column (4)
1 + e p

Note that e in this equation is constant (= e0 ) because of the undrained con-

dition. Note also in Table 2.2 that the elastic volumetric strain increments
calculated are all negative because the change in the mean effective stress
is negative under undrained triaxial conditions.
Step 5: Calculate the plastic volumetric strain increment:

−κ dp
dεpv = −dεev = column (5)
1 + e p

Again, this is because of the undrained condition (no volume change), in which

dεv = dεev + dεpv = 0 → dεev = −dεpv

Step 6: Calculate the plastic shear strain increment using (2.38):

2η
dεps = dεpv column (6)
M 2 − η2

Step 7: Calculate the elastic shear strain increment using

q
dεes = column (7)
3G
where G is the shear modulus given by (2.28).
In the present example, use e0 = 0.889, κ = 0.026, and ν = 0.3 [see (2.28)].
Step 8: Calculate the shear strain increment using (2.33):

dεs = dεes + dεps column (8)

i=k
Step 9: Calculate the total shear strain (εs )k = i=1 (dεs )i , where k is the current
row. This is done in column (9).
52
TABLE 2.2
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (12)
p p
p (kPa) pc (kPa) q (kPa) dεev dεv dεs dεes dεs εs = dεs ε1 p (kPa)
u (kPa)
206.70 206.70 0.00 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000 206.70 0.00
199.70 207.95 40.47 −0.00047 0.00047 0.00020 0.00195 0.00215 0.00215 0.00215 220.19 20.49
192.70 209.26 56.31 −0.00049 0.00049 0.00032 0.00076 0.00108 0.00323 0.00323 225.47 32.77
185.70 210.63 67.81 −0.00051 0.00051 0.00043 0.00055 0.00099 0.00421 0.00421 229.30 43.60
178.70 212.05 76.95 −0.00053 0.00053 0.00056 0.00044 0.00100 0.00521 0.00521 232.35 53.65
171.70 213.55 84.49 −0.00055 0.00055 0.00072 0.00036 0.00108 0.00630 0.00630 234.86 63.16
164.70 215.11 90.82 −0.00057 0.00057 0.00092 0.00030 0.00122 0.00752 0.00752 236.97 72.27
157.70 216.76 96.19 −0.00060 0.00060 0.00117 0.00026 0.00143 0.00895 0.00895 238.76 81.06
150.70 218.50 100.75 −0.00062 0.00062 0.00153 0.00022 0.00175 0.01070 0.01070 240.28 89.58
143.70 220.33 104.59 −0.00065 0.00065 0.00206 0.00018 0.00224 0.01294 0.01294 241.56 97.86
136.70 222.27 107.80 −0.00069 0.00069 0.00292 0.00015 0.00307 0.01601 0.01601 242.63 105.93
129.70 224.34 110.42 −0.00072 0.00072 0.00459 0.00013 0.00471 0.02072 0.02072 243.51 113.81
122.70 226.53 112.50 −0.00076 0.00076 0.00917 0.00010 0.00927 0.02999 0.02999 244.20 121.50
115.70 228.88 114.06 −0.00081 0.00081 0.07374 0.00007 0.07381 0.10380 0.10380 244.72 129.02
 STRESS INVARIANTS 53

Step 10: Calculate the axial strain ε1 [column (10)]. Under undrained conditions
we have

εv = ε1 + 2ε3 = 0 → ε1 = −2ε3
But
εs = 23 (ε1 − ε3 )

Therefore, ε1 = εs .
Step 11: Calculate the current total mean stress using the equation of the total
stress path, (2.40):
q
p = p0 + column (11)
3

Step 12: Calculate the pore water pressure increment:
u = p − p [column (12)].

The deviator stress versus axial strain behavior predicted for the soil can be
plotted using data from columns (3) and (10), respectively. Also, the excess pore
water pressure versus axial strain can be plotted using data from columns (12)
and (10), respectively. Figure 2.18 shows the behavior predicted for this normally
consolidated clay when tested in consolidated undrained triaxial compression with
a confining pressure of 206.7 kPa. The figure also shows the behavior predicted
for the same soil when subjected to confining pressures of 68.9 and 137.8 kPa.

2.5.12 Comments on the Modified Cam Clay Model

The modified Cam clay model formulations are based on the triaxial stress condition
in which the intermediate and the minor principal stresses are equal (σ2 = σ3 ). It
is desirable, however, to express the modified Cam clay model in terms of stress
invariants, described below, so that one can use the model in a more generalized
manner. This is particularly useful for problems involving three-dimensional stress
conditions and plane strain conditions that are common in geotechnical engineering.
Here we present a summary of stress and strain invariants that are commonly used in
engineering mechanics and soil models. Then we present the extended (generalized)
Cam clay model.

2.6 STRESS INVARIANTS

In the following, all stresses are assumed to be effective stresses. This means that
the value of the excess pore water pressure is known and is subtracted from total
stresses to obtain the effective stresses. The stress characteristics equation is

σ3 − I1-stress σ2 + I2-stress σ − I3-stress = 0 (2.47)