Some developments in constitutive modelling of soft clays

Abstract

The paper summarises recent developments in constitutive modelling of soft clays achieved by members of the SCMEP Research Training Network. The work has focused on the modelling of anisotropy of large strain behaviour, destructuration and creep/time-dependency. Two alternative approaches have been used for representing anisotropy of plastic behaviour : elasto- plastic models with a rotational component of hardening and the multilaminate framework. These two approaches have both been used in models which also incorporate the influence of inter- particle bonding and destructuration. Elasto-viscoplasticity has been used for the modelling of creep and time-dependency, including a multilaminate model which also represents anisotropy of large strain behaviour. The constitutive models provide improved modelling of the stress-strain behaviour of natural soft clays, leading to enhanced capabilities for numerical analysis of construction activities in soft clays.