• Refine Query
  • Source
  • Publication year
  • to
  • Language
  • 231
  • 92
  • 57
  • 47
  • 11
  • 7
  • 6
  • 6
  • 5
  • 5
  • 4
  • 3
  • 3
  • 2
  • 2
  • Tagged with
  • 575
  • 153
  • 118
  • 95
  • 91
  • 89
  • 82
  • 77
  • 73
  • 60
  • 55
  • 55
  • 51
  • 50
  • 48
  • About
  • The Global ETD Search service is a free service for researchers to find electronic theses and dissertations. This service is provided by the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.
    Our metadata is collected from universities around the world. If you manage a university/consortium/country archive and want to be added, details can be found on the NDLTD website.
291

Estudo do comportamento de túneis: análise numérica tridimensional com modelos elasto-plásticos. / Study of the behaviour of tunnels: elasto-plastic constitutive model three-dimensional numerical analyses.

França, Pedro Teodoro 15 August 2006 (has links)
O presente trabalho aborda o estudo do comportamento de túneis em maciços de solo. É dada ênfase na aplicação de análises numéricas com emprego de diferentes modelos constitutivos elasto-plásticos para solos. São apresentadas análises numéricas tridimensionais de um túnel amplamente instrumentado pertencente à Companhia do Metropolitano de São Paulo. As análises são realizadas com auxílio de um programa computacional de elementos finitos. O comportamento do maciço em pontos situados ao redor da escavação é minuciosamente estudado e a capacidade dos modelos em representar adequadamente o comportamento verificado na obra pelas instrumentações é avaliada. Além das análises numéricas o trabalho aborda os principais conceitos relacionados com escavações de túneis em maciços de solo. Conceitos relacionados com a engenharia prática de túneis são apresentados de maneira qualitativa, sem formulações teóricas e matemáticas. Uma revisão bibliográfica com publicações recentes das principais revistas e periódicos que tratam do tema de análise numérica aplicada a túneis é apresentada. O trabalho também apresenta uma revisão dos principais conceitos relacionados com os modelos constitutivos comumente utilizados para análise de problemas de geotecnia. Além do modelo elástico são apresentados os modelos elasto-plásticos de Tresca, von Misses, Drucker-Prager e Mohr-Coulomb. Uma breve introdução aos conceitos básicos de estado crítico, juntamente com as equações do modelo Cam-Clay original e Cam-Clay modificado são apresentadas. Antes da apresentação das equações desses modelos constitutivos, são introduzidos os conceitos básicos relacionados com o comportamento dos materiais elasto-plásticos. Os conceitos de material elástico perfeitamente plástico e de material com endurecimento (ou hardening) e amolecimento (ou softening) são apresentados. Os conceitos de superfície de plastificação e de superfície de potencial plástico também são apresentados. Por fim, são sintetizados os pontos mais relevantes da pesquisa realizada, apontando as limitações do trabalho com sugestões de novos estudos a serem realizados nessa mesma linha de pesquisa. / The present research approaches the study of the behaviour of tunnels in soil. It is given emphasis in the application of numerical analyses using different elasto-plastic constitutive models for soils. Three-dimensional numerical analyses of a widely instrumented tunnel belonging to the Company of the Metropolitan of São Paulo are presented. The analyses are carried through with aid of a computational program of finite elements. The behaviour of the soil mass in points located around the excavation is thoroughly studied and the capacity of the models in adequately representing the field behavior verified by the instrumentations is evaluated. Furthermore, the work approaches the main concepts related to tunneling in soils. Concepts related to practical engineering of tunnels are presented in a qualitative way, without theoretical and mathematical formulations. A literature review of recent publications of the most important periodic magazines and that deal with the subject of numerical analysis applied to tunnels is presented. The work also presents a revision of the main concepts related to the constitutive models normally used for analysis of geotechnical problems. Beyond the elastic model the elasto-plastics models of Tresca, von Misses, Drucker-Prager and Mohr-Coulomb are presented. Brief introductions to the basic concepts of critical state, together with the equations of the (original) Cam-Clay original and (modified) Cam-Clay modified models are presented. Before the presentation of the equations of these constitutive models, the basic concepts of the behaviour of the elasto-plastics materials are introduced. The concepts of perfectly plastic elastic material and material with hardening and softening are presented. The concepts of plastic surface and plastic potencial surface are also presented. Finally, the most relevant points of the research are synthesized, pointing the limitations of the developed work along with suggestions for new studies to be carried through in this line of research.
292

A (re)escrita no processo de criação: um estudo enunciativo de rascunhos em oficina literária

Grespan, Viviane Maria da Silva 22 April 2010 (has links)
Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-05T18:12:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 22 / Nenhuma / Nesta dissertação de mestrado, estudamos o processo de produção da escrita em oficina literária. As teorias da enunciação de Émile Benveniste e de Jacqueline Authier-Revuz fundamentam nosso estudo. Em Benveniste, tomamos as reflexões sobre a dupla significância da linguagem para daí derivar uma forma de compreender o uso artístico da linguagem. Em Authier-Revuz, ancoramo-nos na teoria das heterogeneidades constitutivas / não-coincidências do dizer, para fundamentar a compreensão do ato enunciativo como palco de uma negociação constante e obrigatória do sujeito-autor com o(s) outros(s)/Outro que o atravessa(m) no ato de produção da escrita literária. Tomamos como objeto de estudo oito rascunhos e a versão final de um conto elaborado a partir de exercício proposto em uma Oficina de Criação Literária. Com o auxílio de classificações formuladas pela crítica genética – supressão, inserção e substituição -, acrescidas de categorias propostas por Endruweit (2006), observamos as alterações ocorridas de uma para outra / This master’s dissertation studies the process of writing production on a literary workshop. Émile Benveniste’s and Jacqueline Authier-Revuz’s enunciation theories are the basis for our study. From Benveniste, we borrow the reflection about the double meaning of language in order to derive a way to understand the artistic use of language. From Authier-Revuz, we take the theory of constitutive heterogeneity / non-coincidence of speech, to fundament the understanding of the act of enunciation as the stage for a constant and mandatory negotiation between subject-author and the other(s)/Other that cross him/her in the act of production of literary writing. Our object of study is comprised of eight drafts and a final version of a short story elaborated from an exercise suggested at a Workshop of Literary Creation. With the aid of classifications formulated by genetic criticism – suppression, insertion and substitution -, added of categories proposed by Endruweit (2006), we observed the changes that took place from
293

Modeling and identification of the constitutive behaviour of magneto-rheological elastomers / Modelisation et identification de la loi de comportement des elastomeres magneto-rheologiques

Voropaieff, Jean-Pierre 14 September 2018 (has links)
Ce travail de thèse porte sur une catégorie de matériaux actifs dénommés Elastomères Magnéto-Rhéologiques (EMR). Ces derniers sont composés de particules micrométriques et magnétisables imprégnées dans une matrice élastomère isolante. Il est possible de modifier les propriétés mécaniques de tels matériaux en les soumettant à un champ magnétique externe. Avec pour objectif d’aboutir à une caractérisation couplée (magnéto-mécanique) du comportement des EMRs en grandes déformations et en présence de champs magnétiques élevés, ce travail propose une approche à la fois expérimentale, théorique et numérique.La première partie de ce travail s’intéresse à des aspects expérimentaux où l’influence de la microstructure (isotrope et transverse isotrope) et l’influence de la fraction volumique de particules sont étudiées. Un échantillon dédié est développé afin d’obtenir simultanément des champs mécaniques et magnétiques les plus homogènes possibles dans celui-ci lors d’une caractérisation couplée. La question de l’adhésion interfaciale entre les particules de fer doux et la matrice en silicone est également traitée et il est montré qu’un traitement chimique des particules est nécessaire afin d’éviter toute décohésion avec la matrice lorsque le matériau est soumis à un champ magnétique externe. Avant d’analyser les données obtenues, le dispositif expérimental permettant d’obtenir de manière simultanée une mesure du champ de déformation en trois dimensions et une mesure des champs magnétiques internes, est décrit. Malgré l’ensemble des difficultés expérimentales en grande partie dûes à des phénomènes d’instabilité qui sont omniprésents chez les EMRs, de nombreuses données sont collectées et serviront à la calibration des lois de comportement.La seconde partie de cette thèse couvre la modélisation couplée magnéto-mécanique des EMRs en s’appuyant sur le cadre théorique général des solides magnéto-élastiques proposé par Kankanala, Triantafyllidis et Danas (2004, 2012, 2014). En particulier, la méthode énergétique (qui s’appuie sur l’utilisation d’une fonction d’énergie libre) est préférée et des formulations variationnelles équivalentes (qui diffèrent entre elles simplement par le choix de la variable magnétique indépendante utilisée pour décrire le problème : B, H ou M) sont proposées et implémentées dans des codes numériques 3D s’appuyant sur la méthode des éléments finis. Ces outils numériques sont combinés à la méthode de minimisation des moindres carrés afin d’obtenir l’ensemble des paramètres matériaux du modèle de comportement des EMRs. L’utilisation de simulations numériques est nécessaire car une approche purement analytique ne permettrait pas de modéliser « l’effet de forme » observé expérimentalement. En effet, il est primordial de modéliser ce dernier car dans le cas contraire les paramètres identifiés dépendraient de la forme de l’échantillon expérimental et ne décriraient pas uniquement le matériau.La troisième partie de cette étude décrit en détail l’implémentation numérique des différentes formulations variationnelles proposées précédemment. Dans chacun des cas, il est prouvé que l’utilisation d’éléments isoparamétriques est bien adaptée. De nombreuses difficultés numériques ont été observées dans le cas des formulations variationnelles utilisant le champ de déplacement et le potentiel vecteur magnétique comme variables indépendantes. L’ensemble de ces difficultés (comme par exemple la minimisation de l’énergie potentielle sous la contrainte imposée par la jauge de Coulomb) est surmonté dans ce travail. Avant de décrire les différents problèmes tests utilisés pour s’assurer de la validité et de la précision des codes numériques, les différentes étapes nécessaires à la simulation d’un problème aux limites sont expliquées. Plus précisément, les questions liées aux spécificités des conditions aux limites à appliquer sur le potentiel vecteur magnétique ou encore aux conditions de symétries, sont traitées. / In this thesis, we study a class of “active materials” called Magnetorheological elastomers (MRE) which are ferromagnetic impregnated rubbers whose mechanical properties are altered by the application of external magnetic fields. With the purpose of characterizing the behavior of MREs up to large strains and high magnetic fields, this work brings a completely novel experimental, theoretical and numerical approach.The first part of this study focuses on an experimental investigation of MRE where multiple microstructures (isotropic and transversely isotropic materials) and multiple particles’ volume fraction are tested. A special sample geometry is designed in order to increase the uniformity of internal magnetic and mechanical fields measured during coupled-field experiments. The interfacial adhesion between the iron fillers and the silicone matrix is investigated and we show that when specimens are subjected to external magnetic fields, a silane primer treatment of the particles is needed to prevent debonding at the interface particle/matrix. Then, we present the magneto-mechanical testing setup that allows simultaneous 3D mechanical and magnetic measurements before discussing the results. Even if is found that instabilities are ubiquitous in MREs, lots of useful data are collected and will be used to compute the parameters proposed in the material model.The second part of the thesis is dedicated to the modeling of isotropic MREs. The continuum description proposed by Kankanala, Triantafyllidis and Danas (2004, 2012, 2014) to derive constitutive laws that account for finite strains is used and, in particular, the energetic approach (that requires an energy density function) is chosen. Multiple equivalent variational formulation alternatives (based on different choices of the independent magnetic variable used in the energy function: B, H or M) are given and implemented into 3D finite element (FEM) codes. Based on the use of FEM simulation in combination with least square optimization methods, the previously collected experimental data are fitted and all three energy functions ψB , ψH and ψM are computed. The obtained material model proves to have excellent predictive capabilities when compared to other experiments not used in the fitting process. The use of numerical tools is necessary to make sure that the calculated material parameters are not influenced by the shape of experimental specimens.The last part of this work details the numerical implementation of the different variational formulations. For each one of them, it is found that isoparametric elements are well suited to simulate coupled magneto-mechanical boundary value problems. We show that special care is needed when implementing variational formulations using the displacement vector and the magnetic vector potential as independent variables. Indeed, ensuring the uniqueness of the vector potential requires to numerically enforce the Coulomb gauge, which leads to numerical complications that are addressed in this thesis. Before describing the different patch tests that have been considered to validate the numerical codes, we show which are the valid boundary conditions for the magnetic vector potential and how to use the symmetry properties of a given boundary value problem to reduce its complexity and the computational resources needed to solve it.
294

Kinematically exact elastoplastic analysis of steelo rods with compact cross sections. / Análise elastoplástica cinematicamente exata de barras de aço com seção transversal compacta.

Sousa, Yuri Teixeira e 19 September 2017 (has links)
In this work, we present the formulation and implementation of two elastoplastic constitutive equations for kinematically exact thin-walled rod models. The first uses the fact that first order strains due to cross sectional shear stresses and warping are considered to formulate a small strains three-dimensional elastoplastic constitutive model. Given the kinematical hypothesis of non-deformability of the cross section in the projection of its plane, we may also assume that plastic deformations may occur due only to the cross sectional normal stresses, thereby allowing us to formulate a second, simple one-dimensional framework. Our approach adopts a standard additive decomposition of the strains together with a linear elastic relation for the elastic part of the deformation. Both ideal plasticity and plasticity with (linear) isotropic hardening are considered. The models have a computational implementation within a finite element thin-walled rod model and, following the kinematics adopted, we implement this equation on models with consideration of the warping of the cross sections, having 7 degrees of freedom. The formulation and implementation presented is validated by the analysis of problems known in the literature and comparison of the results. We believe that simple elastoplastic models combined with robust thin-walled rod finite element may be a useful tool for the analysis of thin-walled rod structures, such as, e.g., steel structures. / Neste trabalho, apresentamos a formulação e implementação de duas equações constitutivas elastoplásticas simples para modelos de barra de parede fina cinematicamente exatos. O primeiro usa o fato de deformações de primeira ordem devido a esforço cortante na seção transversal e empenamento serem considerados para formular um modelo constitutivo elastoplástico tridimensional para pequenas deformações. Dada a hipótese cinemática de não deformabilidade da seção transversal da barra na projeção de seu plano, podemos também assumir que deformações plásticas ocorrem devido apenas às tensões normais à seção transversal, nos permitindo formular um segundo modelo unidimensional simples. Nossa abordagem adota uma decomposição aditiva padrão das deformações com uma relação elástica linear para a parte elástica das deformações. Tanto plasticidade ideal quanto plasticidade com encruamento isótropo (linear) são considerados. Os modelos resultantes têm uma implementação computacional com elementos finitos de barras e, de acordo com a cinemática adotada, implementamos esta equação com consideração do empenamento das seções transversais, possuindo 7 graus de liberdade. A formulação e implementação apresentadas são validadas pela análise de problemas conhecidos na literatura e comparação dos resultados. Acreditamos que modelos elastoplásticos simples combinados com um elemento finito de barras robusto podem ser uma ferramenta útil para a análise de estruturas reticuladas como, por exemplo, estruturas de aço.
295

Vers la notion d'agent énactif virtuel : Application à l'approche dynamique évolutionnaire

Manac'H, Kristen 10 January 2011 (has links) (PDF)
Cette thèse s'appuie sur le paradigme de l'énaction pour aborder la modélisation de l'autonomie d'entités artificielles. Dans un contexte d'interaction entre des humains et des entités autonomes en réalité virtuelle, les propriétés comportementales résultantes d'une autonomie constitutive pourraient favoriser la créativité et l'engagement en proposant à l'utilisateur un compromis entre surprise et régularité. La première partie de cette thèse est une proposition théorique qui mène à une définition d'agents virtuels situés dits énactifs, à travers des propriétés internes, liées au fonctionnement de l'agent, et des propriétés externes, liées au comportement de l'agent. Nous nous inscrivons dans une approche dynamique évolutionnaire, qui utilise conjointement des CTRNN et des méthodes évolutionnaires. Nous considérons, parmi les propriétés externes, la capacité à enrichir un comportement par l'interaction comme un point dur. Nous proposons une démarche pour obtenir un apprentissage à l'échelle ontogénétique qui reflète l'histoire particulière des interactions de l'agent avec l'environnement en utilisant un guidage. La deuxième partie est une tentative d'implémentation issue de cette réflexion à travers trois expériences. La conclusion de ce mémoire présente un bilan critique des résultats et de notre démarche, qui illustre la difficulté de la manipulation d'un système autonome. Nous avons montré des limites de l'approche évolutionnaire dans un tel contexte. Les perspectives tiennent compte de la nécessité à faire des compromis entre complexité comportementale et autonomie constitutive. Nous discutons également de l'exploitation potentielle de ce travail en réalité virtuelle.
296

Viscoelastic Mobility Problem Using A Boundary Element Method

Nhan, Phan-Thien, Fan, Xi-Jun 01 1900 (has links)
In this paper, the complete double layer boundary integral equation formulation for Stokes flows is extended to viscoelastic fluids to solve the mobility problem for a system of particles, where the non-linearity is handled by particular solutions of the Stokes inhomogeneous equation. Some techniques of the meshless method are employed and a point-wise solver is used to solve the viscoelastic constitutive equation. Hence volume meshing is avoided. The method is tested against the numerical solution for a sphere settling in the Odroyd-B fluid and some results on a prolate motion in shear flow of the Oldroyd-B fluid are reported and compared with some theoretical and experimental results. / Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA)
297

Comportement hydromécanique des sols fins : de l'état saturé à l'état non saturé

Li, Xiang-Ling 17 June 1999 (has links)
Les sols non saturés jouent un rôle important dans de nombreux domaines. En Génie Civil (stabilité des talus, fondations superficielles), en Ingénierie de l'environnement (transport de polluants par les eaux souterraines, enfouissement de déchets radioactifs), en Ingénierie des Réservoirs (subsidence suite aux pompages dans les champs pétroliers ou dans les nappes aquifères), etc. L'objet de la thèse est l'étude du comportement hydromécanique des sols fin non saturés, tels les limons et les argiles. Les phénomènes typiques du comportement de ces sols sont d'abord présentés avant d'aborder l'étude de leurs lois constitutives. Divers modèles sont passés en revue et un modèle unifié original est développé. Ensuite, une vaste gamme d'essais de laboratoire est analysée. Ils portent sur des sols saturés, quasi saturés et non saturés et concernent quatre matériaux: l'argile de Kruibeke, le limon de Gembloux, l'argile de Boom et la bentonite d'Almeria. Cette partie de la recherche conduit à une critique détaillée des procédures classiques d'essais de laboratoires sur les sols supposés saturés. Elle fournit également une base de données importante pour la calibration de la loi constitutive unifiée développée plus haut. Enfin, des simulations numériques, réalisées en aveugle, d'expériences n'ayant pas servi à la calibration permettent de valider ce modèle.
298

Finite Element Modelling in Structural and Petroleum Geology

Barnichon, Jean-Dominique 07 January 1998 (has links)
This thesis is dedicated to the study of structural and petroleum geology problems. To this purpose, a frictional elastoplastic law based on the Van Eekelen criterion is formulated, which avoids the classical drawbacks of the Drücker Prager criterion. Also, a 2D automatic adaptive re-meshing algorithm is developed for complex multidomains configurations, in order to overcome the limitation of the Lagrangian mesh. Details of the hydromechanical formulation implemented in the LAGAMINE FE code in a large strain context are presented. Application cases (reproduction of sandbox simulation, study of a hydrocarbon trap) concentrate on the study of the strain localisation and potential fracturation using different criteria. In the first case, re-meshing technique allowed to reproduce successfully analogue experiment of thrusting propagation. In the second case, a detailed study based on different initial conditions has brought new insight to the reactivated origin of some faults and has allowed to obtain information on the potential fracturing of the hydrocarbon reservoir unit. As an academic case, the study of anorthosite diapirism is carried out, which confirms the validity of the petrological model of diapirism. Eventually, the hydromechanical coupling effects between a layered porous medium and a fault are illustrated on a simple case.
299

Experimental and Modelling Studies on the Spreading of Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids in Heterogeneous Media / Spridning av flerfasföroreningar i heterogen mark : Studier med experiment och modellering

Fagerlund, Fritjof January 2006 (has links)
Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids (NAPLs) include commonly occurring organic contaminants such as gasoline, diesel fuel and chlorinated solvents. When released to subsurface environments their spreading is a complex process of multi-component, multi-phase flow. This work has strived to develop new models and methods to describe the spreading of NAPLs in heterogeneous geological media. For two-phase systems, infiltration and immobilisation of NAPL in stochastically heterogeneous, water-saturated media were investigated. First, a methodology to continuously measure NAPL saturations in space and time in a two-dimensional experiment setup, using multiple-energy x-ray-attenuation techniques, was developed. Second, a set of experiments on NAPL infiltration in carefully designed structures of well-known stochastic heterogeneity were conducted. Three detailed data-sets were generated and the importance of heterogeneity for both flow and the immobilised NAPL architecture was demonstrated. Third, the laboratory experiments were modelled with a continuum- and Darcy’s-law-based multi-phase flow model. Different models for the capillary pressure (Pc) – fluid saturation (S) – relative permeability (kr) constitutive relations were compared and tested against experimental observations. A method to account for NAPL immobility in dead-end pore-spaces during drainage was introduced and the importance of accounting for hysteresis and NAPL entrapment in the constitutive relations was demonstrated. NAPL migration in three-phase, water-NAPL-air systems was also studied. Different constitutive relations used in modelling of three-phase flow were analysed and compared to existing laboratory data. To improve model performance, a new formulation for the saturation dependence of tortuosity was introduced and different scaling options for the Pc-S relations were investigated. Finally, a method to model the spreading of multi-constituent contaminants using a single-component multi-phase model was developed. With the method, the migration behaviour of individual constituents in a mixture, e.g. benzene in gasoline, could be studied, which was demonstrated in a modelling study of a gasoline spill in connection with a transport accident. / Flerfasföroreningar innefattar vanligt förekommande organiska vätskor som bensin, dieselolja och klorerade lösningsmedel. Spridningen av dessa föroreningar i mark är komplicerad och styrs av det samtidiga flödet av organisk vätska, vatten och markluft samt utbytet av komponenter (föroreningar) mellan de olika faserna. Detta arbete syftade till att utveckla nya metoder och modeller för att studera spridningen av flerfasföroreningar i mark: (i) En metodik utvecklades för att i laboratorium noggrant och kontinuerligt mäta hur en organisk vätska är rumsligt fördelad i en tvådimensionell experimentuppställning. Metoden baserades på röntgenutsläckning för olika energinivåer. (ii) Infiltration av organisk vätska i vattenmättade medier studerades för olika konfigurationer av geologisk heterogenitet. I experimentuppställningen packades olika sandmaterial noggrant för att konstruera en välkänd, stokastiskt heterogen struktur. Spridningsprocessen dokumenterades i tre detaljerade mätserier och heterogenitetens påverkan på flöde och kvarhållning av den organiska vätskan påvisades. (iii) Experimenten simulerades med en numerisk modell. Olika modeller prövades för att beskriva de grundläggande relationerna mellan kapillärtryck (Pc) vätskehalt (S) och relativ permeabilitet (kr) för detta tvåfassystem av vatten och organisk vätska. En relation infördes för att beskriva partiell orörlighet hos den organiska vätskan i porer vars halsar tillfälligt blockeras av vatten då mediet avvattnas. Vikten av att i de grundläggande relationerna ta hänsyn till hysteresis och kvarhållning av organisk fas visades. (iv) Olika Pc-S-kr relationer för trefassystem av vatten, organisk vätska och markluft testades mot befintliga experimentella data. En ny relation för hur slingrigheten (eng. tortuosity) beror av vätskehalten infördes i kr-S relationen och olika möjligheter för att skala Pc-S relationen analyserades. (v) En modelleringsmetodik utvecklades för att studera spridningen av flerkomponentsföroreningar. Med metoden kunde spridningsbeteendet hos enskilda, särskilt skadliga komponenter som t.ex. bensen särskiljas då ett bensinutsläpp i samband med en transportolycka simulerades.
300

A volume-mass constitutive model for unsaturated soils

Pham, Hung Quang 22 July 2005
<p>Many geotechnical engineering problems involve combining two or more independent physical processes as a coupled solution of seepage, volume change and shear strength. For any physical process being modeled, it is desirous to be able to compute any of the volume-mass soil properties. When the volume-mass soil properties are combined with the stress state of the soil, the result is a volume-mass constitutive relationship. Three volume-mass constitutive relationships (i.e., void ratio, water content and degree of saturation) are generally viewed as being the most fundamental; however, only two of the relations are independent. The unsaturated soil properties associated with seepage, volume change and shear strength problems are also related to the volume-mass soil properties. While the unsaturated soil properties are often estimated as simply being a function of the soil-water characteristic curve, it is more accurate to define the properties in a more rigorous manner in terms of the volume-mass soil properties. The advancement of computing capabilities means that it is quite easy to formulate constitutive relations for shear strength and permeability, for example, in terms of all volume-mass properties of the unsaturated soil.</p><p>The objectives of this dissertation include: i) the development of volume-mass constitutive models for unsaturated soils; ii) the further study and verification of the volume-mass constitutive behavior of unsaturated soils; and iii) the development of techniques for visualization of volume-mass constitutive surfaces for unsaturated soils. To achieve these objectives, the present research study was conducted from both theoretical and experimental bases.</p><p>The theoretical program commenced with a comprehensive literature review of the volume-mass constitutive relationships for unsaturated soils. A new, more rigorous volume-mass constitutive model was then proposed. Appropriate terminology was introduced for the development of the model, followed by an outline of the assumptions used and the mathematical derivation. The proposed model requires conventionally obtainable soil properties for its calibration. The model is capable of predicting both the void ratio and water content constitutive relationships for various unsaturated soils, taking into account elastic and plastic volume changes. Various stress paths can be simulated and hysteresis associated with the soil-water characteristic curve can be taken into account. </p><p>Two closed-form equations for the volume-mass constitutive relationships were derived. A computer software program was written based on the theory of the proposed volume-mass constitutive model. Techniques for the visualization of the volume-mass constitutive surfaces were then presented. An experimental program was conducted in the laboratory. The experimental program involved the verification of a new testing apparatus. Several soils were selected for testing purposes and appropriate testing procedures were established (i.e., soil specimens were initially slurry). The testing stress paths followed in the experimental program were different from most research programs conducted in the past and reported in the research literature. Conclusions regarding the compressibility, stress path dependency, and hysteretic nature of the soil-water characteristic curve of an unsaturated soil were presented.</p><p>A considerable number of test results (i.e., from both the experimental program and the research literature) were used in the verification of the new volume-mass constitutive model. This model has proven to be effective in predicting both collapse and expansion of a soil. The volume-mass constitutive model appears to predict behaviour in a satisfactory manner for a wide range of soils; however, the predictions appear to be superior for certain soils. In all cases the volume-mass predictions of the model appear to be satisfactory for geotechnical engineering practice.

Page generated in 0.0461 seconds