A bounding surface plasticity model for sands exhibiting particle crushing

A new bounding surface constitutive model for sands is presented and is suited to a wide range of stresses, including those sufficient to cause particle crushing. The basic concepts of critical state soil mechanics are shown to be valid, and a uniquely shaped critical state line is defined to capture the three modes of plastic deformation observed across a wide range of stresses, including particle rearrangement, particle crushing, and pseudoelastic deformation. A limiting isotropic compression line is separated from the critical state line in the υ – In p′ plane by a constant shift along an elastic unload–reload line. In the deviator stress – mean effective stress (q–p′) plane, the loading and bounding surfaces are homologous about the origin and defined by a simple and versatile function. Isotropic hardening and softening of the loading and bounding surfaces are controlled by plastic volumetric strains. A commonly used non associative flow rule is adopted. Experimental results of monotonically loaded drained and undrained triaxial tests, isotropic compression tests, and oedometric compression tests are presented for a quartz sand and used to calibrate the model. Membrane penetration is accounted for in the model simulations of the test results. A single set of material parameters is introduced enabling rigorous and accurate predictions of stress–strain behaviour in sands.Key words: sand, bounding surface, plasticity, particle crushing.