A simple model for the small-strain behaviour of soils

TL;DR

This paper introduces a simplified constitutive model for small-strain soil behavior that improves upon linear elasticity by capturing volume changes and differing bulk moduli, aligning well with experimental data.

Contribution

It presents a new, simple constitutive equation that better models small-strain soil behavior, including volume changes and variable bulk modulus, improving upon previous linear elasticity models.

Findings

Model accurately predicts initial stress-strain behavior.

Captures volume changes in pure shear.

Allows different bulk moduli in compression and expansion.

Abstract

The constitutive equation discussed in this note eliminates some defects of linear elasticity in the description of the small-strain behaviour of soils. It is capable of representing volume changes in pure shear and different values of bulk modulus in compression and expansion. The new equation provides a simple description of soil behaviour at small strains in that it produces linear stress-strain relations that can approximate the initial part of experimental stress-strain curves.