A simple plasticity theory for frictional cohesionless soils

Abstract

A simple elastic-plastic constitutive model for cohesionless soils is proposed. The model retains the extreme versatility and accuracy of the simple multi-surface J₂-theory in describing observed shear nonlinear hysteretic behaviour, shear stress-induced anisotropy; and reflects the strong dilatancy dependency on the effective stress ratio. The theory is applicable to general three-dimensional stress-strain conditions, but its parameters can be derived entirely from the results of conventional laboratory soil tests. A number of examples are presented including an analysis of seismically induced liquefaction behind a retaining structure.