The role of cementation in the behaviour of cemented soils

The behaviour of cemented soil and the role of cementation are reviewed based on experimental results. The review is presented in terms of geomechanics concepts in which the cemented soil may be modelled by elasticity and hardening plasticity concepts. No modelling equations are given, but the observed behaviour is analysed in view of the components entering into an elastoplastic model. These consist of an elastic range in stress space in which energy is not created or expended, a cementation yield surface, a 3D failure surface, a plastic potential, a yield surface and the associated plastic hardening law.