Micromechanically inspired, finite deformation hyperplasticity for crushable, cemented granular materials

Abstract

The work is focused on the formulation of a thermodynamically--based constitutive theory for granular, cemented geomaterials, often characterized by a open structure with high porosity and voids of large diameter. Upon mechanical degradation processes such as bond rupture and grain crushing, these material undergo large volumetric and shear strains, and in some cases the deformations are so large that the usual assumption of linearized kinematics may be not applicable.

In the first part of this work, the theory of hyperplasticity is extended to the finite deformation regime by adopting a multiplicative split of the deformation gradient into an elastic and a plastic part, under the assumption of material isotropy. Grain breakage and bond damage processes are accounted for through two micromechanically--inspired internal variables. A specific constitutive model for carbonatic cemented sands and calcarenites is proposed as a relevant example of application.

In the second part, an implicit stress--point algorithm has been developed which is amenable to closed form linearization, for the implementation of the model into standard FE platforms. A series of numerical tests have demonstrated the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed algorithm. The simulation of plane strain biaxial tests, modeled as boundary--value problems, has highlighted the role played by geometric non--linearity in determining the evolution of the specimen deformation upon reaching a bifurcation condition.