Elaborated subloading surface model for accurate description of cyclic mobility in granular materials

The description of the cyclic mobility observed prior to the liquefaction in geomaterials requires the sophisticated constitutive formulation to describe the plastic deformation induced during the cyclic loading with the small stress amplitude inside the yield surface. This requirement is realized in the subloading surface model, in which the surface enclosing a purely elastic domain is not assumed, while a purely elastic domain is assumed in other elastoplasticity models. The subloading surface model has been applied widely to the monotonic/cyclic loading behaviors of metals, soils, rocks, concrete, etc., and the sufficient predictions have been attained to some extent. The subloading surface model will be elaborated so as to predict also the cyclic mobility accurately in this article. First, the rigorous translation rule of the similarity center of the normal yield and the subloading surfaces, i.e., elastic core, is formulated. Further, the mixed hardening rule in terms of volumetric and deviatoric plastic strain rates and the rotational hardening rule are formulated to describe the induced anisotropy of granular materials. In addition, the material functions for the elastic modulus, the yield function and the isotropic hardening/softening will be modified for the accurate description of the cyclic mobility. Then, the validity of the present formulation will be verified through comparisons with various test data of cyclic mobility.

Automated summary

The article discusses the use of the subloading surface model to accurately predict cyclic mobility in geomaterials prior to liquefaction, by formulating translation rules for the similarity center of normal yield and subloading surfaces, as well as mixed hardening rules to describe induced anisotropy. The modification of material functions for elastic modulus, yield function, and isotropic hardening/softening is also emphasized to improve the accuracy of predictions. The validity of the formulation is verified through comparisons with various test data of cyclic mobility.