Collaborative Research: Constitutive and Numerical Modeling for Analysis of Permanent Deformations of Soil Structures

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The objective of this research program is to develop a computationally efficient mathematical model for analyzing the permanent deformation of saturated soil structures during and following an earthquake. This is a group research project involving principal investigators at the University of California-Davis and George Washington University.The model is based on a finite deformation two-phase mixture theory. It involves the improvement and implementation of an already-validated plasticity constitutive model into an existing finite element code. The goal is to enhance the capability of this code to accurately predict the behavior of saturated soils prior to and during liquefaction. The constitutive model is being extended to represent the behavior of granular soils, both at moderately high and at very low effective stresses, making it possible to simulate the behavior of soil prior to and during liquefaction. This is achieved by considering the change of soil fabric as the soil approaches very low effective stresses. The resulting finite-element model is used to study the mechanism of liquefaction-related large ground displacements, including the lateral spreading and settlement of saturated soil deposits.Advancing the ability to predict the lateral spreading of soil foundations following strong ground shaking will be a significant contribution to mitigating the effects of earthquakes.