Implementation of a sub-loading constitutive model for structured soils

ABSTRACT

Computational modelling has been widely used in the geotechnical field to represent soil behaviour in real problems. Most commercial programmes use the Finite Element Method (FEM) to compute stresses and deformations distributions in soils, as observed in Plaxis software. In this method, choosing an appropriate constitutive model is fundamental to obtaining accurate results. However, most models built in commercial software do not consider effects such as overconsolidation and structure, observed for natural soils with structure. The Structured Sub-Loading Cam Clay (SSLCC) model is recommended to represent this behaviour. This article aims to describe a practical methodology to code the SSLCC model to represent the behaviour of structured soils. The model was implemented in Plaxis by the User-Defined Soil Model feature and validated with experimental data of consolidation and drained and undrained triaxial tests performed for different soils. The model implemented presents good performance and can be used in the FEM interface. The methodology described can also be used to introduce any constitutive model in Plaxis.

KEYWORDS:

• Structured sub-loading cam-clay model
• structured soil
• Fortran language
• Plaxis
• user-defined soil model

Acknowledgments

This research is financed by a R&D Project from ANEEL - National Agency, “Otimização do modelo meteorológico BRAMS, com validação experimental, para subsidiar aperfeiçoamentos de modelagens em sistemas eólicos” – PD-0394-1709/2017, supported by Eletrobras Furnas with University of Brasília (UnB). The authors also acknowledge the support of the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education (CAPES), the FAPDF - Federal District Research Support Foundation “Edital 04/2021, processo 00193-00001138/2021-11”, and the Infrastructure Laboratory (InfraLab, UnB).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article and its supplementary materials.

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/19386362.2024.2345458.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior Fundação de Empreendimentos Científicos e Tecnológicos .