Olsson Paper
Olsson Paper
Olsson Paper
Abstract: In this paper a elastic-viscoplastic Constant Rate of Strain oedometer tests (CRS)
(creep) model is implemented in COMSOL and K0-Consolidated Undrained triaxial tests
v.4.2a and v.4.3 and benchmarked against (K0CU).
another commercial finite element software
package with a very similar material model. It is 2. The isotropic elastic-viscoplastic model
also validated against commonly performed
laboratory tests such as Constant Rate of Strain The implemented material model in COMSOL is
oedometer tests (CRS) and K0-Consolidated based on a material model presented by [1].
Undrained triaxial tests (K0CU). The Some basic characteristics of the EVP model
implementation in COMSOL is conducted by are:
using a fully coupled analysis between the Solid
Mechanics node, Darcy´s Law node and a Stress-dependent stiffness (logarithmic
distributed ODE node. The ODE node is used to compression behaviour)
simulate the creep contribution. The model Distinction between primary loading and
implemented provides a material model that unloading-reloading
works as anticipated and can capture many Creep behaviour
important features of soft soil behaviour. Memory of preconsolidation pressure
Failure behaviour according to Matsuoka-
Keywords: Soft soil, creep, elastic-viscoplastic Nakai (EMN) criterion
model, implementation, benchmark.
The EVP model is, like the SSC model, based on
1. Introduction the modified cam-clay type ellipses. The well-
known stress invariants for the mean effective
Time-dependent behaviour in clay constitutes an stress, p', and deviatoric stress, q, are adopted,
engineering challenge in road design and [2]. These stress invariants are used to define the
construction in areas with deep deposits of soft size of the ellipse and stress-strain relation, see
clay. Soil improvement and construction of eq. (1)-(4) below.
building foundations or embankments can be The EVP model is an elastic-viscoplastic
quite complicated and expensive in such areas. model, formulated as a relationship between
Construction costs need to be balanced against stress rates and total strain rates. Total strain
high maintenance costs. In order to do this rates are decomposed into elastic strain rates and
optimally, there is a need to predict long-term creep strain rates as formulated in eq. (1).
settlement with a higher degree of accuracy. To
be able to predict long-term settlements of
r * *
building foundations or embankments 1 1 p eq s p eq
e c D 1 (1)
constructed on soft soils it is necessary to include rs p eq
the effect of creep. p
In this paper a elastic-viscoplastic (EVP)
model is implemented in COMSOL. The In eq. (1) D 1 is Hooke´s law of isotropic
implemented material model EVP is elasticity with a linear stress-dependent stiffness
benchmarked against another commercial finite where the Youngs modulus for
element software package, Plaxis BV, with a unloading/reloading, Eur, is defined as:
very similar material model called the Soft Soil
Creep model (SSC). It is also validated against p
commonly performed laboratory tests such as Eur 3 1 2 ur (2)
*
vc
p p p 0 exp
eq
p eq (6)
* *
Where
r * *
1 p eq s
vc (7)
rs p eq
eq p
Figure 1. Diagram of p ellipse in a p-q plane, [4].
3. Implementation in COMSOL
4. Benchmark
1
K0CU = K0-Consolidated triaxial test with specified
vertical and horisontal stress and then sheared
undrained. Figure 4. Stress-strain plot comparison between EVP-
model in COMSOL and SSC model in Plaxis.
5. Validation of model