Implementation of a hydromechanical elastoplastic constitutive model for fully coupled dynamic analysis of unsaturated soils and its validation using centrifuge test results

Abstract

Prediction of unsaturated soil behavior during earthquake loading has received increasing attention in geotechnical engineering research and practice in recent years. Development of a fully coupled analysis procedure incorporating a coupled hydromechanical elastoplastic constitutive model for dynamic analysis of unsaturated soils has, however, been limited. This paper presents the implementation of a coupled hydromechanical elastoplastic constitutive model into a fully coupled dynamic analysis procedure and its validation using a centrifuge test. First, the fully coupled finite element equations governing the dynamic behavior of unsaturated soils with the solid skeleton displacement, pore water pressure, and pore air pressure as nodal unknowns are briefly presented. The closest point projection method is then utilized to implement the coupled hydromechanical elastoplastic constitutive model into the finite element equations. The constitutive model includes hysteresis in soil–water characteristic curves, cyclic elastoplasticity of the solid skeleton, and the coupling mechanisms between the SWCCs and the solid skeleton. Finally, the analysis procedure is validated using the results from a dynamic centrifuge test on an embankment constructed of compacted unsaturated silt subjected to base shaking. Reasonable comparisons between the predicted and measured accelerations, settlements, and deformed shapes are obtained.