Bounding Surface Plasticity. III: Application to Anisotropic Cohesive Soils

Abstract

A rate‐independent elasto‐plastic bounding surface constitutive model applicable to anisotropic cohesive soils is presented. It is shown that the theory is capable of realistically accounting for the initial anisotropy and its subsequent evolution in a manner consistent with our current understanding of anisotropy. While retaining the capabilities of the bounding surface theory developed for isotropic cohesive soils, a more general hardening behavior, which includes rotational and shape‐hardening features, is introduced in this anisotropic theory in order to simulate the evolution of material anisotropy. By comparing the predictions with experimental data, the anisotropic theory is shown to provide satisfactory results under stress paths involving strong development of anisotropy.