Undrained shear strength of Lisbon Miocene clay: a reappraisal based on triaxial and pressuremeter test results

Undrained shear strength plays a fundamental role on the behaviour of clays. In overconsolidated clays, this parameter is largely influenced by test conditions, namely consolidation stress. “Prazeres Clay” is a Miocene overconsolidated formation, that can be found in a significant part of Lisbon area. Over the last decades a number of very relevant constructions have generated a large database for physical and mechanical properties of Miocene clays. Included in a broader study at the Faculty of Engineering of Porto University about Miocene clay’s physical and mechanical properties, existing data was gathered, treated and critically analysed, in order to establish a useful framework for geotechnical designers. This paper presents the results obtained for undrained shear strength, obtained from triaxial tests and Ménard Pressuremeter tests. It addresses the main difficulties associated with test’s interpretation and presents a discussion on how theoretical values relate to experimental ones. The paper proposes a range of variation for Prazeres Clay’ undrained shear strength based on a significant amount of test results, that is considered to be useful for geotechnical design. Article Highlights Undrained Shear strength is a relevant parameter for clays, and is usually derived from triaxial tests For overconsolidated clays, this parameter is highly dependent on preconsolidation stress, and on its relation to in situ stress. Based on a significant set of data, the paper presents a simple methodology for estimating this parameter

A simple hypoplastic model for overconsolidated clays

This paper presents a simple hypoplastic constitutive model for overconsolidated clays. The model needs five independent parameters and is as simple as the modified Cam Clay model but with better performance. A structure tensor is introduced to account for the history dependence. Simulations of various elementary tests show that the model is capable of capturing the salient behavior of overconsolidated clays.

Validation of a simple hypoplastic constitutive model for overconsolidated clays

Hypoplastic constitutive models are able to describe history dependence using a single nonlinear tensorial function with a set of parameters. A hypoplastic model including a structure tensor for consolidation history was introduced in our previous paper (Wang and Wu in Acta Geotechnica, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-020-01000-z). The present paper focuses mainly on the model validation with experiments. This model is as simple as the modified Cam Clay model but with better performance. The model requires five parameters, which are easy to calibrate from standard laboratory tests. In particular, the model is capable of capturing the unloading behavior without introducing loading criteria. Numerical simulations of element tests and comparison with experiments show that the proposed model is able to reproduce the salient features of normally consolidated and overconsolidated clays.

Extension of a basic hypoplastic model for overconsolidated clays

This paper presents a new rate-dependent hypoplastic constitutive model for overconsolidated clays. The model is developed based on a basic hypoplastic model proposed recently for sand. New density and stiffness factors are introduced to account for history dependence. The Matsuoka-Nakai failure surface is incorporated for the limit stress criterion. With six constitutive parameters, the model is capable of predicting the hardening/softening, shear dilation/contraction, and asymptotic state for overconsolidated clays. Comparison between numerical predictions and experimental results shows this model can properly describe the main features of both reconstituted and undisturbed clays with different overconsolidation ratios.

Validation of a simple hypoplastic constitutive model for overconsolidated clays

Hypoplastic constitutive models are able to describe history dependence using a single nonlinear tensorial function with a set of parameters. A hypoplastic model including a structure tensor for consolidation history was introduced in our previous paper (Wang and Wu in Acta Geotechnica, 2020, 10.1007/s11440-020-01000-z). The present paper focuses mainly on the model validation with experiments. This model is as simple as the modified Cam Clay model but with better performance. The model requires five parameters, which are easy to calibrate from standard laboratory tests. In particular, the model is capable of capturing the unloading behavior without introducing loading criteria. Numerical simulations of element tests and comparison with experiments show that the proposed model is able to reproduce the salient features of normally consolidated and overconsolidated clays.