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Micromechanical analysis of the behavior of stiff clay

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Abstract

Cementations formed in geological timescale are observed in various stiff clays. A micromechanical stress strain model is developed for modeling the effect of cementation on the deformation behavior of stiff clay. The proposed approach considers explicitly cementations at intercluster contacts, which is different from conventional model. The concept of inter-cluster bonding is introduced to account for an additional cohesion in shear sliding and a higher yield stress in normal compression. A damage law for inter-cluster bonding is proposed at cluster contacts for the debonding process during mechanical loading. The model is used to simulate numerous stress-path tests on Vallericca stiff clay. The applicability of the present model is evaluated through comparisons between the predicted and the measured results. In order to explain the stress-induced anisotropy arising from externally applied load, the evolution of local stresses and local strains at inter-cluster planes are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China

    Zhen-Yu Yin & Jian-Hua Wang

  2. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01002, USA

    Ching S. Chang

  3. Research Institute in Civil and Mechanical Engineering, UMR CNRS 6183, Ecole Centrale de Nantes, BP 92101, 44321, Nantes, France

    Pierre-Yves Hicher

Authors
  1. Zhen-Yu Yin
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  2. Ching S. Chang
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  3. Pierre-Yves Hicher
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  4. Jian-Hua Wang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhen-Yu Yin.

Additional information

The project was supported by the Shanghai Pujiang Talent People Project (11PJ1405700), and the National Science Funds for Distinguished Young Scholars (51025932).

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Yin, ZY., Chang, C.S., Hicher, PY. et al. Micromechanical analysis of the behavior of stiff clay. Acta Mech Sin 27, 1013–1022 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10409-011-0507-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10409-011-0507-z

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