1.14.5 Finite deformation of an elastic-plastic granular material

Products: ABAQUS/Standard  ABAQUS/Explicit  

Problem description

This is a simple verification study in which we develop the homogeneous, finite-strain inelastic response of a granular material subject to uniform extension or compression in plane strain. Results given by Carter et al. (1977) for these cases are used for comparison.

The specimen is initially stress-free and is made of an elastic, perfectly plastic material. The elasticity is linear, with a Young's modulus of 30 MPa and a Poisson's ratio of 0.3. Carter et al. assume that the inelastic response is governed by a Mohr-Coulomb failure surface, defined by the friction angle of the Coulomb line ( 30°) and the material's cohesion (). They also assume that the cohesion is twice the Young's modulus for the extension test and 10% of the Young's modulus in the compression test. The above problem is solved using the Mohr-Coulomb plasticity model in ABAQUS/Standard with the friction angle and the dilation angle equal to 30°. However, note that this ABAQUS Mohr-Coulomb model is not identical to the classical Mohr-Coulomb model used by Carter because it uses a smooth flow potential.

An alternative solution is to use the associated linear Drucker-Prager surface in place of the Mohr-Coulomb surface. In this case it is necessary to relate and to the material constants and that are used in the Drucker-Prager model. Matching procedures are discussed in Extended Drucker-Prager models, Section 11.3.1 of the ABAQUS Analysis User's Manual. In this case we select a match appropriate for plane strain conditions:

The first equation gives  40°. Using the assumptions of Carter et al., the second equation gives as 86.47 MPa ( = 120 MPa) for the extension case and as 4.323 MPa ( = 6 MPa) for the compression case.

Uniform extension or compression of the soil sample is specified by displacement boundary conditions since the load-displacement response will be unstable for the extension case.

Results and discussion

The results are shown in Figure 1.14.5–1 for extension and in Figure 1.14.5–2 for compression. The Drucker-Prager solutions agree well with the results given by Carter et al.; this is to be expected since the Drucker-Prager parameters are matched to the classical Mohr-Coulomb parameters under plane strain conditions. The Drucker-Prager solutions for ABAQUS/Standard and ABAQUS/Explicit are the same. The differences between the ABAQUS/Standard Mohr-Coulomb solutions and Carter's solutions are due to the fact that the ABAQUS/Standard Mohr-Coulomb model uses a different flow potential. The ABAQUS/Standard Mohr-Coulomb model uses a smooth flow potential that matches the classical Mohr-Coulomb surface only at the triaxial extension and compression meridians (not in plane strain).

However, one can also obtain ABAQUS/Standard Mohr-Coulomb solutions that match Carter's plane strain solutions exactly. As discussed earlier, the classical Mohr-Coloumb model can be matched under plane strain conditions to an associated linear Drucker-Prager model with the flow potential

This match implies that under plane strain conditions the flow direction of the classical Mohr-Coulomb model can be alternatively calculated by the corresponding flow direction of the Drucker-Prager model with the dilation angle as computed before. Therefore, we can match the flow potential of the ABAQUS/Standard Mohr-Coulomb model to that of the Drucker-Prager model. Matching between these two forms of flow potential assumes  1 and results in

which gives  22° in the ABAQUS/Standard Mohr-Coulomb model. These ABAQUS/Standard Mohr-Coulomb solutions are shown in Figure 1.14.5–1 and Figure 1.14.5–2 and match Carter's solutions exactly.

Input files

deformgranularmat_mc3030.inp

ABAQUS/Standard extension case with the Mohr-Coulomb plasticity model ( 30° and  30°) and CPE4 elements.

deformgranularmat_dp.inp

ABAQUS/Standard extension and compression cases with the linear Drucker-Prager plasticity model and CPE4 elements.

deformgranularmat_cpe4i_dp.inp

ABAQUS/Standard extension case with the linear Drucker-Prager plasticity model and CPE4I incompatible mode elements.

deformgranularmat_mc3030_comp.inp

ABAQUS/Standard compression case with the Mohr-Coulomb plasticity model ( 30° and  30°) and CPE4 elements.

deformgranularmat_dp_comp.inp

ABAQUS/Standard compression case with the linear Drucker-Prager plasticity model and CPE4 elements.

deformgranularmat_mc3022.inp

ABAQUS/Standard extension case with the Mohr-Coulomb plasticity model ( 30° and  22°) and CPE4 elements.

deformgranularmat_mc3022_comp.inp

ABAQUS/Standard compression case with the Mohr-Coulomb plasticity model ( 30° and  22°) and CPE4 elements.

granular.inp

ABAQUS/Explicit extension and compression cases.

Reference

Figures

Figure 1.14.5–1 Load-displacement results for uniform extension.

Figure 1.14.5–2 Load-displacement results for uniform compression.