ELATO-PLASTIC STRAIN HARDENING-SOFTENING SOIL MODEL WITH

SHEAR BANDING
Tadatsugu Tanaka
1

ABSTRACT
The solutions of boundary value problems involving strain-softening material property are full of
serious difficulties from both modeling of strain-localization and a viewpoint of numerical procedure.
Mesh size-dependent hardening modulus is considered to alleviate the mesh size -dependency of the
solution. The elasto-plastic soil model is applied to direct shear test and embankment dam. The soil
model is based on experimental findings about inherent and induced anisotropies involved in sand.
The results of finite element analysis are compared with those from the physical experiments.
Keyword: constitutive relation, shear band, direct shear test, embankment dam

INTRODUCTION
The straightforward use of a strain softening model in the framework of classical contin-
uum generally does not result in a well-posed problem. It is well known in a finite element
procedure that a strain softening material yields mesh-sensitive solutions. There are several
techniques (Needleman, 1988; Garikipati and Hughes 1998), employed to obtain mesh size
independent shear banding.
Mesh size-dependent hardening modulus procedure appears to have been proposed by
Pietruszcak and Mroz (1981), and has been employed by a number of authors (e.g., Willam et
al., 1984). This method employs a mesh size-dependent hardening modulus so as to obtain
mesh-independent objective solutions. Similar model is also used for the mode-I fracture by
Bazant and Oh (1983). The model is based on the assumption that the area under the strain
softening regime can be regarded as a material parameter. In order to guarantee a
mesh-objective consumption of energy, the strain softening modulus is made a function of
element size. This kind of shear banding model can incorporate a characteristics length of
shear band in the material modeling based on physical experimental observations of strain lo-
calization with a finite size. The width of localization zone w
s
is determined experimentally,
for instance for concrete
a s
d w 7 . 2 in which d
a
is the maximum aggregate size(Bazant and
Pijaudier-Cabot, 1989) and for sands,
g g s
d d w 20 10 , in which d
g
is the mean grain size
diameter (Muhlhaus and Vardoulakis, 1987; Yoshida et al.,1995).
An entirely different approach is the inclusion of rate-dependence in the constitutive equa-
tions (Wu and Freund 1984; Needleman 1988; Loret and Prevost 1990). Extra higher order
time derivative terms prevent the field equations from becoming elliptic and keep the problem
well-posed. Dispersive waves and an implicit length scale enable the rate-dependent contin-
uum modeling to capture localization of deformation. However, a physical link between the
rate dependency and the characteristic length of a material (i.e., shear band width) is not cer

1
Dept. of Biological & Environmental Eng., University of Tokyo, Tokyo, E-mail: atanak@mail.ecc.u-tokyp.ac.jp
tain.
In non-local constitutive model, the internal plastic variable is averaged over a representa-
tive volume by introducing a localization limiter so that the softening band is restricted to a
zone of certain minimum size as a material property. This concept, originally introduced on the
basis of statistical analysis of heterogeneous materials, has been widely employed in studies of
elasticity (Eringen and Edelen, 1972). Application of the nonlocal concept to strain softening
materials was proposed by Bazant, Belytschko and Chang (1984). It was later simplified by the
concept of nonlocal damage (Bazant and Lin, 1988). In this approach, the main idea is that
only those variables which cause strain softening are subjected to nonlocal formulation.
In gradient plasticity model, the continuum description (either stress or strain) is enriched by
higher order gradient terms. This approach defines a dependence of the yield function on the
second order gradient of the equivalent plastic strain (Muhlhaus and Aifantis, 1991).
The Cosserat continuum models are based on the idea of a micro-structure subdivided into
micro elements with rotational degrees of freedom ( Gunther 1958; Muhlhaus and Vardoulakis
1987). This model is closely linked to the heterogeneous character of softening materials as
sands, rock and concrete. A length scale is introduced by a finite size of the micro-elements.
The regularization effect comes from the introduction of couple-stresses and micro-rotations so
that extra rotational degrees-of-freedoms are defined.
The non-local constitutive model, gradient plasticity model and Cosseret continuum model
are expected to resolve the detailed profile within the shear band but prohibitively expensive
for application to the practical boundary value problems. One that departs from these models is
the analysis in terms of strong discontinuities (Simo.et al., 1993).

MATERIAL MODEL FOR SHEAR BAND
A simplified version of mesh size-dependent hardening modulus method (Tanaka et al.,
1988) is used in this study. A material model for a real granular material (i.e., Toyoura sand)
with a very high angle of internal friction was used with the features of non-linear pre-peak,
pressure-sensitivity of the deformation and strength characteristics of sand, non-associated
flow characteristics, post-peak strain softening, and strain-localization into a shear band with a
specific width (Siddiquee, 1991; Tatsuoka et al., 1991; Yoshida et al., 1995). The material
model will be briefly described in this section.
The yield function ( f ) and the plastic potential function ( ) are given by:
( )
0
1
+
L
g
I f

(1) 0
1
+ I (2)
where
) sin (
sin

3 3
2
(3)
) sin (
sin

3 3
2
(4)
where
1
I is the first invariant (positive in tension) of deviatoric stresses and is the sec-
ond invariant of deviatoric stress. With the Mohr-Coulomb model, ) ( g
L
takes the fol-
lowing form:
( )

sin sin cos

sin
g
L L
L
2 3 2
3

(5)
is the mobilized friction angle and
L
is the Lode angle. The frictional hardening-softening
functions expressed as follows were used:
p
m
f
f
) (

,
_

2
) (
f
: hardening-regime (6)

'

,
_

+
2
exp ) ( ) (
r
f
r p r


) (
f
: softening-regime (7)
where m,
f
and
r
are the material constants and
p
and
r
are the values of at
the peak and residual states
The residual friction angle (
r
) and Poissons ratio ( ) were chosen based on the data
from the test of air-dried dense Toyoura sand. The elastic moduli are estimated using the
following equations.
) 98 (
1
) 17 . 2 (
900
4 . 0
2
kPa p p
p
p
e
e
G
a a
a

,
_

(8) G
) (
) (
K

2 1 3
1 2

+
(9)
The peak friction angle (
P
) was estimated from the following empirical relations based on
the plane strain compression test on dense Toyoura sand.
) (
) (
log ) 1 ( 10 ) 5 . 1 ( 47 . 59 (deg)
0 3
3

R p
g e e

'

'

(10)
) 98 ( ) 1 ( 4 ) (
0 3
kPa p p e
a a
(11)
The peak friction angle is a function of confining pressure, initial void ratio e and angle
of the direction of
1
relative to the horizontal bedding plane. The dilatancy angle ( )
was estimated from Rowes stress-dilatancy relation. The material constants of Toyoura sand
used for calculation are as follow: 66 . 0 e ,= 0.3,
r
= 34 (deg) ,
r
= 0.6, shear band
thickness = 0.3 cm. The parameters
f
and m can be determined by performing nonlin-
ear regression analysis of relevant plane strain compression tests.
The introduction of shear banding in the numerical analysis was achieved by introducing a
strain localization parameter s in the following additive decomposition of total strain in-
crement as follows:
p
ij
e
ij ij
sd d d + ,
e b
F F s /
where
b
F is the area of a single shear band in each element; and
e
F is the area of the
element

ANALYSIS OF DIRECT SHEAR BOX TEST (Tanaka et al 2001)
The finite element mesh used for analyzing the direct shear box test is shown Fig.1.
It contains 360 elements. The dimensions of the box are 60 mm long by 25 mm deep.





The analysis is performed for plane strain, with the following boundary conditions. Both the
x and y displacements of nodes along the bottom were fixed. Nodes along the upper box side
were given a prescribed displacement in the x direction. The center of an element row in the
sample represents the gap between the upper box and the lower box. The upper box was free
to move relative to the lower box in the vertical direction. Table 1 presents the boundary
conditions of the shear box.

TABLE 1 Boundary conditions in analyses
NO. I II III IV V
Constitution A A+B A+C A+B+C A+B*2
Bottom Fix Fix Fix Fix Fix
Upper side Smooth Smooth Rough Rough Smooth
Lower side Smooth Smooth Rough Rough Smooth
Top cap Non Solid Non Solid Solid *2

Mesh type I is assumed to be a lubricated side and a water-filled rubber bag top, mesh
type II a lubr icated side and a solid top, mesh type III a rough side and a water-filled rubber
bag top and mesh type IV a rough side and a solid top. The bottom conditions are fixed. The
wall side conditions are smooth or rough. Smooth was assumed to be a lubricated wall, us-
FIG. 1. Finite element mesh for analyses
ing grease on a rubber sheet, with no friction. Rough was assumed to be a sample attached
steel wall with angle of wall friction of a maximum of 6 degrees. The top element row was
assumed to be a cap for transmitting the normal stress. Non was assumed to be a wa-
ter-filled rubber bag top. Solid top was assumed to be a free solid material top. The top row
and side box of elements model a solid material, with linear elastic properties, Youngs
modulus of E=1.96*10
4
MPa and Poissons ratio of =0.3. In the analysis for mesh type IV,
the solid top cap is free to rotate and to move in the vertical direction. In the analysis for
mesh type II and V, the solid top cap is not prevented from rotating and is free to move in the
vertical direction.











0.00 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50 4.00 4.50 5.00 5.50 6.00
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
FIG 3. Contours of maximum shear strain within the direct shear test for
analysis used Mesh type I( a: just after peak, b: displacement = 2mm)
0.00 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50 4.00 4.50 5.00 5.50 6.00
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
-0.2
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3
Horizontal displacem ent(cm )
S
h
e
a
r

s
t
r
e
s
s

r
a
t
i
o

x
y
/

y
y
-6.0%
-5.0%
-4.0%
-3.0%
-2.0%
-1.0%
0.0%
1.0%
V
e
r
t
i
c
a
l

d
i
s
p
l
a
c
e
m
e
n
t

/

S
a
m
p
l
e

h
i
g
h
t
Analysis I Analysis II Analysis III Analysis IV Analysis V
FIG. 2. Relations between horizontal displacement and shear stress
ratio
(a)
(b)


Figure 2 shows the relations between shear stress ratio and horizontal displacement.
All results show that the shear stress decreases after the peak value appeared. There
were little differences in the peak shear stresses depending on whether wall friction
existed or not and the conditions of the top cap. Fig. 3 shows the contours of maximum
shear strain in the sample. It shows that at sample failure, the maximum shear strain is
0.10. Progressive failure involves the formation of a narrow zone of failure. The inter-
nal friction angle from finite element analysis is very similar to experiment.

Dynamic Progressive Failure of Embankment Dam
The horizontal acceleration of the dam crest from an experiment and an analysis are shown in
Fig. 4. The position of the acceleration measuring point of a model dam and the node number of
finite element mesh coincide. The acceleration obtained by the analysis after the excitation start
increases more rapidly than that of the shaking table test. The sectional view of a model dam
near the A section after test is shown in Fig. 5. The dashed line in the figure shows the slip
bands. The slip bands were circularly generated on both upstream and downstream slopes.
Moreover, comparing slip bands on either side, sliding mass of upstream slope was rather larger.
The maximum shear strain contour is shown in Fig. 6. From the finite element computation, the
circular zones of concentrated maximum shear strain are observed as well as an experiment.









-3000
-2000
-1000
0
1000
2000
3000
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
Tim e (s)
H
o
r
i
z
o
n
t
a
l

a
c
c
e
l
e
r
a
t
i
o
n
(
g
a
l
)
-3000
-2000
-1000
0
1000
2000
3000
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
Tim e(s)
H
o
r
i
z
o
n
t
a
l

a
c
c
e
l
e
r
a
t
i
o
n
(
g
a
l
)
FIG 4. Observed and computed accelerations at the crest of the model
dam
FIG 5. Observed slip bands of model dam
Observed

Computed









CONCLUSIONS
The constitutive model used for the finite element analysis of direct shear test reflects strain
softening as in a real test. There are little differences in the peak shear stresses depending on
whether wall friction existed or not and the conditions of the top cap.
The computed acceleration at crest of a model dam showed almost same acceleration as
for a model experiment. Moreover, from the dynamic analys is, the circular zones of concen-
trated maximum shear strain were observed as well as an experiment. It is demonstrated that
the finite element analysis is also able to predict the dynamic collapse condition of em-
bankment dam

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