[pt] Durante a gelificação por parafina, a rede de cristais de parafina modifica o comportamento do óleo cru. Ele muda de um material newtoniano de baixa viscosidade para um material com dependência temporal e de alta viscosidade com tensão limite do escoamento. Com isto, é totalmente desafiador descobrir a pressão minima de início do fluxo de petróleo gelificado com uma microestrutura tão complexa. Através da minha dissertação de mestrado, investigamos dois materiais viscoplásticos: um gel de cabelo com uma tixotropia desprezível e uma suspensão aquosa tixotrópica 2 por cento de laponita para imitar o início de fluxo de óleos gelificados. Para ambos os materiais, o gradiente de pressão axial mínimo necessário para o início do fluxo foi medido e os valores medidos estavam de acordo com a previsão do balanço de força convencional. Por outro lado, os casos da indústria exibiram que o balanço de força mencionado acima leva a uma superestimação da pressão mínima inicial. Em alguns estudos, uma explicação elicitada é o comportamento tixotrópico do petróleo gelificado, mas nossos resultados acima mencionados serviram para refutá-lo. Durante a primeira parte da minha tese de doutorado, buscamos verificar por laboratório porque o balanço de força não se aplica ao petróleo gelificado, em seguida, buscamos uma explicação fisicamente adequada para essa discrepância e também uma maneira confiável de prever a pressão mínima de início do escoamento. Nesta linha, mostramos o efeito do encolhimento do petróleo gelificado na discordância entre a tensão limite estática de escoamento e o gradiente de pressão mínimo necessário para iniciar o fluxo, através da reometria e do fluxo de fluido em um tubo. Em seguida, introduzimos uma equação de balanço de força modificada com o efeito de encolhimento incluído para obter o melhor estimação da pressão minima de início de escoamento. Outro elemento essencial sobre o início de escoamento de petróleo gelificado é descobrir uma estratégia confiável para modelar matematicamente a reologia do material. Na maioria dos modelos que visam prever o comportamento reológico de petróleo gelificado, as mudanças da microestrutura durante o fluxo são consideradas tixotrópicas; dependência temporal reversível. Porém, observamos em nossos experimentos com histórias de fluxo e térmicas bem controladas que o caráter irreversível da dependência temporal é bastante evidente. Assim, na segunda parte da tese, propomos um modelo baseado no desenvolvimentos anteriores de Souza Mendes e colaboradores que considera a dependência temporal irreversível observada experimentalmente para petróleo gelificado. A capacidade preditiva do modelo proposto é então avaliada através de comparações com dados experimentais. / [en] Throughout the wax gelation, the network of parafinn crystals modifies the behavior of waxy crude oil. It changes from a low viscosity Newtonian to a high viscosity time-dependent material with yield strength. Now, it is totally challenging to find out the restart pressure for gelled crude oil ow with such a complex microstructure. Through my Master s dissertation, we investigated two viscoplastic materials, namely a hair gel with a negligible thixotropy and a quite thixotropic 2 percent aqueous suspension of Laponite to mimic the startup flow of waxy crude oils. For both materials, the minimum axial pressure gradient required for the onset of flow was measured, and the measured values were in good agreement with the prediction of a conventional force balance. On the other hand, industry cases have exhibited that the just mentioned force balance leads to an overestimation of the minimum startup pressure gradient. In some studies, an elicited explanation is the thixotropic behavior of the gelled crude, but our results above-mentioned served to falsify it. Over the first part of my PhD thesis, we aimed to verify in the laboratory that why the force balance does not hold for gelled crude oil and then we sought a physically proper explanation for this discrepancy and also a reliable way to predict the minimum startup pressure gradient. Along these lines, we show the role of gelled crude oil s shrinkage in the discordance between static yield strength and required minimum pressure gradient to onset the flow, through rheometry and fluid flow in a tube. Then, we introduce a modified force balance equation with the role of shrinkage included to best estimate the minimum restart pressure gradient. Another essential element through the restart flow of gelled waxy crude is to find out a reliable strategy to mathematically model the material s rheology. In most models that aim at predicting the rheological behavior of gelled waxy crude oil, the microstructure changes during ow are assumed to be thixotropic (reversible time dependent). But, we observed in our experiments with well-controlled flow and thermal histories that the irreversible character of time dependence is quite evident. Thus, in the second part of thesis we propose a model based on previous developments by Souza Mendes and co-workers that accounts for the irreversible time dependence observed experimentally in a waxy crude oil. The predictive capability of the proposed model is then assessed via comparisons with experimental data.

[pt] O presente trabalho tem como objetivo a implementação e avaliação de um modelo constitutivo para solos reforçados com fibra (compósito). A principal característica do modelo constitutivo implementado é que cada material (matriz de solo e fibra) segue sua própria lei constitutiva e ao mesmo tempo interagem entre si. Utilizando um algoritmo explícito, são implementados os modelos Cam Clay Modificado e Lade-Kim para a matriz de solo, cuja verificação é feita mediante o programa PLAXIS 2D e curvas tensão-deformação obtidas da literatura, respectivamente. Posteriormente, é adicionado o comportamento da fibra no desenvolvimento das tensões no compósito e verificado mediante a comparação das curvas tensão-deformação com as apresentadas por Diambra et al. (2013). As linguagens de programação utilizadas neste trabalho foram duas, a primeira é a utilizada no programa MATLAB, onde os códigos dos modelos são verificados e validados em relação à um conjunto de ensaios triaxiais de areia reforçada com fibra. Posteriormente foi usada a linguagem de programação FORTRAN para incluir o modelo constitutivo para solo reforçado com fibras no programa de elementos finitos ABAQUS, através da sub-rotina UMAT. Porém, para a implementação na sub-rotina UMAT os códigos dos modelos implementados no MATLAB sofrem algumas modificações com a finalidade de que o ABAQUS consiga compilar e representar adequadamento o comportamento do modelo constitutivo, mediante a correta utilização de vetores e propriedades desta. Finalmente, são modelados ensaios triaxiais drenados para verificar que a implementação mediante a sub-rotina UMAT é satisfatória. / [en] The present work aims to implement and evaluate a constitutive model for fiber-reinforced soils (composite). The main characteristic of the constitutive model implemented is that each material (soil and fiber matrix) follows its own constitutive law and at the same time interact with each other. Using an explicit algorithm, the Cam Clay Modified and Lade-Kim models are implemented for the soil matrix, verified by the PLAXIS 2D software and stress-strain curves obtained from the literature, respectively. Later, it is included the behavior of the fiber in the development of the stresses in the composite and verified by the comparison of the stress-strain curves with those presented by Diambra et al. (2013). The programming languages used in this work were two, the first one is the one used in the MATLAB program, where the codes of the models are verified and validated in relation to a set of triaxial tests of fiber-reinforced sands. Later the programming language was converted into FORTRAN to include the constitutive model for fiber reinforced soil in the ABAQUS finite element software, through the UMAT subroutine. However, for the implementation in the UMAT subroutine the codes of the models implemented in MATLAB undergo some modifications in order that ABAQUS can compile and represent adequately the behavior of the constitutive model through the correct use of vectors and its properties. Finally, drained triaxial tests are modeled to verify that the implementation through the UMAT subroutine is satisfactory.

Este trabalho apresenta uma estratégia numérica desenvolvida usando o método dos elementos finitos para simular o processo de falha de compósitos cimentícios reforçados com fibras de aço. O material é descrito como um compósito composto por três fases: matriz cimentícia (pasta, argamassa ou concreto), fibras descontínuas discretas, e interface fibra-matriz. Um novo esquema de acoplamento para malhas de elementos finitos não-conformes foi desenvolvido para acoplar as malhas geradas independentes, da matriz cimentícia e de uma nuvem de fibras de aço, baseado na utilização de novos elementos finitos desenvolvidos, denominados elementos finitos de acoplamento. Utilizando este esquema de acoplamento, um procedimento não-rígido é proposto para a modelagem do complexo comportamento não linear da interface fibra-matriz, utilizando um modelo constitutivo de dano apropriado para descrever a relação entre a tensão de cisalhamento (tensão de aderência) e deslizamento relativo entre a matriz e cada fibra de aço individualmente. Este esquema também foi adotado para considerar a presença de barras de aço para as análises de estruturas de concreto armado. As fibras de aço são modeladas usando elementos finitos lineares com dois nós (elementos de treliça) com modelo material elastoplástico. As fibras são posicionadas usando uma distribuição randômica uniforme isotrópica, considerando o efeito parede. Uma abordagem contínua e outra descontínua são investigadas para a modelagem do comportamento frágil da matriz cimentícia. Para a primeira, é utilizado um modelo de dano isotrópico com duas variáveis de dano para descrever o comportamento de dano à tração e à compressão. A segunda emprega uma técnica de fragmentação de malha que utiliza elementos finitos degenerados, posicionados entre todos os elementos finitos que formam a matriz cimentícia. Para esta técnica é proposto um modelo constitutivo à tração, compatível com a abordagem descontínua forte contínua, para prever a propagação de fissura. Para acelerar o cálculo e aumentar a robustez dos modelos de dano contínuos para simular o processamento de falhas, um esquema de integração implícito-explícito é utilizado. Exemplos numéricos são apresentados ao longo do desenvolvimento desta tese. Inicialmente, exemplos numéricos com um único reforço são apresentados para validar a técnica desenvolvida e para investigar à influência das propriedades geométricas 7 das fibras e sua posição em relação à superfície de falha. Posteriormente, exemplos mais complexos são considerados envolvendo uma nuvem de fibras. Nestes casos, atenção especial é dada à influência da distribuição das fibras no comportamento do compósito relacionado ao processo de fissuração. Comparações com resultados experimentais demonstram que a aplicação da ferramenta numérica para modelar o comportamento de compósitos cimentícios reforçados com fibras de aço é muito promissora e pode ser utilizada como uma importante ferramenta para melhor entender os efeitos dos diferentes aspectos envolvidos no processo de falha deste material. / This work presents a numerical strategy developed using the Finite Element Method (FEM) to simulate the failure process of Steel Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Composites (SFRCCs). The material is described as a composite made up by three phases: a cementitious matrix (paste, mortar or concrete), discrete discontinuous fibers, and a fiber-matrix interface. A novel coupling scheme for non-matching finite element meshes has been developed to couple the independent generated meshes of the bulk cementitious matrix and a cloud of discrete discontinuous fibers based on the use of special finite elements developed, termed Coupling Finite Elements (CFEs). Using this approach, a nonrigid coupling procedure is proposed for modeling the complex nonlinear behavior of the fiber-matrix interface by adopting an appropriate constitutive damage model to describe the relation between the shear stress (adherence stress) and the relative sliding between the matrix and each fiber individually. This scheme has also been adopted to account for the presence of regular reinforcing bars in the analysis of reinforced concrete structural elements. The steel fibers are modeled using two-node finite elements (truss elements) with a one-dimensional elastoplastic constitutive model. They are positioned using an isotropic uniform random distribution, considering the wall effect of the mold. Continuous and discontinuous approaches are developed to model the brittle behavior of the bulk cementitious matrix. For the former, an isotropic damage model including two independent scalar damage variables for describing the composite behavior under tension and compression is considered. The discontinuous approach is based on a mesh fragmentation technique that employs degenerated solid finite elements in between all regular (bulk) elements. In this case, a tensile damage constitutive model, compatible with the Continuum Strong Discontinuity Approach (CSDA), is proposed to predict crack propagation. To increase the computability and robustness of the continuum damage models used to simulate the failure processes in both of the strategies, an implicit-explicit integration scheme is used. Numerical analyses are performed throughout the presentation of the work. Initially, numerical examples with a single reinforcement are presented to validate the technique and to investigate the influence of the fibers geometrical properties and its position relative to the crack surface. Then, more complex examples involving a cloud of steel fibers are considered. In these cases, special attention is given to the analysis of the influence of the fiber distribution on the composite behavior relative to the cracking process. Comparisons with experimental results demonstrate that the application of the numerical tool for modeling the behavior of SFRCCs is very promising and may constitute an important tool for better understanding the effects of the different aspects involved in the failure process of this material.

Although it offers a wide variety of interesting properties such as fire resistance or durability, stainless steel has been used in limited amount in structures. It is a known fact that the design rules don't properly account for the additional benefits of stainless steel properties and are largely based on the specifications for carbon steel. Indeed, a number of similarities exist between stainless steel and ordinary carbon steel but there is sufficient differences to afford a specific treatment in design standards. And since stainless steel is an expensive material, it is important to accurately predict the resistance of structural members. The present research work is dedicated to the study of cold-formed stainless steel profiles. It actually follows the life of a stainless steel construction element and falls on three fundamental topics: the material behavior, the through-thickness residual stress distribution and mechanical enhancement due to the cold-forming process and, last, the strength of concentrically compressed thin-walled columns. Firstly, several constitutive models are characterized such as Teodosiu-Hu's micro-structural based hardening model, capable of predicting the behavior of the studied stainless steel grade submitted to biaxial loading causing plastic strain. This model accounts for the nonlinear hardening behavior, the anisotropy, the Bauschinger effect and more complex behavior such as the observed work-hardening stagnation under reversed deformation at large strains. For this purpose, a collection of tests is carried out including multiaxial tests such as tensile-shear tests and successive simple shear tests and plane-strain tests. Secondly, the effects of the forming process on the mechanical properties are studied. To begin with, on the basis of the constitutive models developed previously, an analytical method that calculates the biaxial residual stress distribution in the walls and in the corners of cold-formed profiles is established. Based on the conclusions drawn from this theoretical analysis, a new formula for the evaluation of the actual mechanical properties is established. This formula is not restricted to a single alloy or type of cross-section. Current design standards are then used to calculate the strength of lipped-channel section columns failing by combined distortional and overall flexural-torsional buckling and the results are compared to tests. Indeed, full-scale tests on cold-formed stainless steel lipped channel section columns were achieved in the Structures Laboratory of the University of Liège. And, once verified against the test results, finite element models were used to generate additional results when necessary. The author then presents a new Direct Strength Method taking into account this phenomenon. Finally, a wide amount of reference results are gathered from the literature, without limiting oneself to any kind of cross-section or stainless steel grade. This database is used to propose an improved formulation for the design of stainless steel thin-walled section columns failing by distortion, local or combination of local and overall buckling in the low slenderness range.

En el trabajo se definen modelos constitutivos que permiten reproducir el proceso de fallo de estructuras de materiales compuestos en distintas escalas bajo cargas estáticas. Se define un modelo constitutivo para determinar la respuesta de estructuras de materiales compuestos mediante la teoría de laminados. El modelo es validado mediante un programa de ensayos experimentales con probetas con un agujero central geométricamente similares. Se muestra la capacidad del modelo de detectar el efecto tamaño.Se define un modelo constitutivo para materiales transversalmente isótropos bajo estados tridimensionales de tensión. El modelo se valida analizando numéricamente el proceso de agrietamiento de la matriz. Finalmente se desarrolla un modelo analítico para determinar el agrietamiento de la matriz y la delaminación entre las capas. / In this contribution a set of constitutive models are defined to reproduce the damage processes that takes place in laminated composites until failure at different scales under static loads.A damage model is defined to determine the structural response of composite structures by means of laminated theory. The validation of this model is done by comparing the numerical results with an experimental program on open hole test specimens. The ability of the model to reproduce the size effect in laminated composite is demostrated.A damage model for a transversely isotropic material under tridimentional stress states is defined. It is numerically validated analysing the process of matrix cracking in multidirectional composites.Finally an analytical model is defined that describes the onset and evolution of matrix cracking and delamination .

Este trabalho apresenta uma estratégia numérica desenvolvida usando o método dos elementos finitos para simular o processo de falha de compósitos cimentícios reforçados com fibras de aço. O material é descrito como um compósito composto por três fases: matriz cimentícia (pasta, argamassa ou concreto), fibras descontínuas discretas, e interface fibra-matriz. Um novo esquema de acoplamento para malhas de elementos finitos não-conformes foi desenvolvido para acoplar as malhas geradas independentes, da matriz cimentícia e de uma nuvem de fibras de aço, baseado na utilização de novos elementos finitos desenvolvidos, denominados elementos finitos de acoplamento. Utilizando este esquema de acoplamento, um procedimento não-rígido é proposto para a modelagem do complexo comportamento não linear da interface fibra-matriz, utilizando um modelo constitutivo de dano apropriado para descrever a relação entre a tensão de cisalhamento (tensão de aderência) e deslizamento relativo entre a matriz e cada fibra de aço individualmente. Este esquema também foi adotado para considerar a presença de barras de aço para as análises de estruturas de concreto armado. As fibras de aço são modeladas usando elementos finitos lineares com dois nós (elementos de treliça) com modelo material elastoplástico. As fibras são posicionadas usando uma distribuição randômica uniforme isotrópica, considerando o efeito parede. Uma abordagem contínua e outra descontínua são investigadas para a modelagem do comportamento frágil da matriz cimentícia. Para a primeira, é utilizado um modelo de dano isotrópico com duas variáveis de dano para descrever o comportamento de dano à tração e à compressão. A segunda emprega uma técnica de fragmentação de malha que utiliza elementos finitos degenerados, posicionados entre todos os elementos finitos que formam a matriz cimentícia. Para esta técnica é proposto um modelo constitutivo à tração, compatível com a abordagem descontínua forte contínua, para prever a propagação de fissura. Para acelerar o cálculo e aumentar a robustez dos modelos de dano contínuos para simular o processamento de falhas, um esquema de integração implícito-explícito é utilizado. Exemplos numéricos são apresentados ao longo do desenvolvimento desta tese. Inicialmente, exemplos numéricos com um único reforço são apresentados para validar a técnica desenvolvida e para investigar à influência das propriedades geométricas 7 das fibras e sua posição em relação à superfície de falha. Posteriormente, exemplos mais complexos são considerados envolvendo uma nuvem de fibras. Nestes casos, atenção especial é dada à influência da distribuição das fibras no comportamento do compósito relacionado ao processo de fissuração. Comparações com resultados experimentais demonstram que a aplicação da ferramenta numérica para modelar o comportamento de compósitos cimentícios reforçados com fibras de aço é muito promissora e pode ser utilizada como uma importante ferramenta para melhor entender os efeitos dos diferentes aspectos envolvidos no processo de falha deste material. / This work presents a numerical strategy developed using the Finite Element Method (FEM) to simulate the failure process of Steel Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Composites (SFRCCs). The material is described as a composite made up by three phases: a cementitious matrix (paste, mortar or concrete), discrete discontinuous fibers, and a fiber-matrix interface. A novel coupling scheme for non-matching finite element meshes has been developed to couple the independent generated meshes of the bulk cementitious matrix and a cloud of discrete discontinuous fibers based on the use of special finite elements developed, termed Coupling Finite Elements (CFEs). Using this approach, a nonrigid coupling procedure is proposed for modeling the complex nonlinear behavior of the fiber-matrix interface by adopting an appropriate constitutive damage model to describe the relation between the shear stress (adherence stress) and the relative sliding between the matrix and each fiber individually. This scheme has also been adopted to account for the presence of regular reinforcing bars in the analysis of reinforced concrete structural elements. The steel fibers are modeled using two-node finite elements (truss elements) with a one-dimensional elastoplastic constitutive model. They are positioned using an isotropic uniform random distribution, considering the wall effect of the mold. Continuous and discontinuous approaches are developed to model the brittle behavior of the bulk cementitious matrix. For the former, an isotropic damage model including two independent scalar damage variables for describing the composite behavior under tension and compression is considered. The discontinuous approach is based on a mesh fragmentation technique that employs degenerated solid finite elements in between all regular (bulk) elements. In this case, a tensile damage constitutive model, compatible with the Continuum Strong Discontinuity Approach (CSDA), is proposed to predict crack propagation. To increase the computability and robustness of the continuum damage models used to simulate the failure processes in both of the strategies, an implicit-explicit integration scheme is used. Numerical analyses are performed throughout the presentation of the work. Initially, numerical examples with a single reinforcement are presented to validate the technique and to investigate the influence of the fibers geometrical properties and its position relative to the crack surface. Then, more complex examples involving a cloud of steel fibers are considered. In these cases, special attention is given to the analysis of the influence of the fiber distribution on the composite behavior relative to the cracking process. Comparisons with experimental results demonstrate that the application of the numerical tool for modeling the behavior of SFRCCs is very promising and may constitute an important tool for better understanding the effects of the different aspects involved in the failure process of this material.

The introductions of large digital computers in the field of engineering have rendered possible the solution of a wide variety of problems without the need to violate the equilibrium and compatibility. The major requirement for such analysis is a good constitutive model that represents the stress strain behaviour of the materials in an accurate way. Nowadays for most of the geotechnical engineering applications the elastoplastic models like Mohr Coulomb model are widely used. All the existing constitutive models which represent the plastic behaviour of soil are developed from the fundamentals of classical theory of plasticity. The classical theory of plasticity is always associated with the concept of yield surface and potential surface to represent the plastic behaviour. The definition of yield surface depends on the location of the yield point. But in practical sense it is very difficult to find out the exact yield point for a material. The expression for yield and potential surfaces are simply mathematical expressions formulated for computational efficiency. Experimentally it is very difficult to find out the yield surface in the case of three dimensional stress spaces. The classical theory of plasticity is developed based on the mechanical process. It is believed that a theory which violates the thermodynamic principle is not able to represent the material behaviour accurately. the initial stage and combined to give the final state of stress. It was proved that the equation proposed by Wu and Wang (1983) can be used to represent the triaxial behaviour of sand very well. The dilation and densification behaviour can be predicted very well with the endochronic constitutive equations. The principal aim of this work is to implement the endochronic constitutive equation in the FLAC3D model library like any other constitutive model and validate it with the triaxial test data. After implementation and validation, the application of the particular constitutive model is extended to some practical geotechnical engineering problems like the stresses and displacements around an underground opening such as tunnels, surface settlement due to shallow tunneling, stress distribution below the footing, settlement analysis of footing on various foundation beds such as sand, clay and sand overlying clay bed, lateral displacement of the secant pile wall due to excavation and the force developed in the horizontal support etc. All the three problems validate the model with the analytical, experimental and field data respectively. The equation proposed by Wu and Wang (1983) is used for the present study. In order to validate the equation proposed by Wu and Wang (1983), MatLab programming is used. The hydrostatic, deviatoric and volumetric behaviour is obtained separately using the concerned equations. The equation is coded in the MatLab and analysis is done for a triaxial element test. Both drained and undrained analyses were done in order to study the behaviour. The pore pressure developed is captured separately with the equation proposed by Geoffrey et al (1975). The results obtained from the analysis of the MatLab were compared with that of the experimental results. The analysis shows that the equation captures the least plastic behaviour well for the triaxial element test. The dilation and densification behaviour obtained using the respective equation shows that it matches well with the experimental results. A parametric study is also conducted in MatLab to see how the parameters affect the stress strain and volumetric behaviour of the sand. The parametric study conducted with the MatLab shows that most of the parameters involved in the equation affect the plastic part of the stress strain curve rather than the initial elastic part. User defined constitutive model was written in visual C++ and compiled as DLL (Dynamic Link Library) files that will be loaded whenever it is needed in FLAC3D. In visual C++, header and source files were written by incorporating the constitutive equation proposed by Wu and Wang (1983), defining the variables and other functions etc, and a dynamic link library is created, which is then integrated into the 3D finite difference code FLAC3D using the CPPUDM module to simulate the stress strain behaviour of the materials. CPPUDM module is an additional option in FLAC3D to implement the user defined constitutive models. The visual C++ code was written in the form of incremental stress strain relationship. The model acts like any other constitutive model in the FLAC3D model library and can be loaded whenever it is required. For the validation of the model in FLAC3D, the data for the MatLab simulation were used. Both drained and undrained tests were simulated with the model. The results obtained from the analysis shows that by suitably selecting the parameters the model can simulate the stress strain behaviour of sand very well. The volumetric and deviatoric behaviour were observed and is matching well with the experimental data. In the case of the undrained test the pore pressure generation is well captured by the equation proposed by Geoffrey et al (1975). In urban areas the construction of shallow tunnels results in excessive settlements of the ground surface and thereby causes damage to the existing above ground structures. In order to minimize the settlements and to reduce the impact due to that, a prior analysis of the displacements and stresses around the opening is very important. Nowadays numerical analysis is widely used for the analysis of such structures. The most important requirement of such analysis is a constitutive model that can represent the unloading behaviour around the tunnel opening of sand very well. Here the endochronic constitutive model implemented in the FLAC3D model library is used to evaluate the stresses and displacements around the tunnel. In the analysis the tunnel is simulated as a cylindrical hole in an infinite medium with the in situ stress. The stresses at the springing line was observed and compared with the analytical solution. The results show that the results are matching well with the analytical results. The comparison of the results with that obtained using the Mohr Coulomb model is also done to see how the model differs from a widely used plastic model. By slightly adjusting the parameters the results obtained from both the models are in well agreement. The strain softening effect which is predominant around an underground opening due to the loosening of soil mass is well captured by the endochronic model compared to the Mohr Coulomb model. The settlement analysis shows that the model is almost in close agreement with the closed form solution proposed by Oteo & Sagaseta (1982) and the results obtained with the Mohr Coulomb model. The settlement trough formed for various shapes is wider and deeper than the Mohr Coulomb model. The vertical stress distribution around the opening of the tunnel is studied with varying the shape of the openings using the proposed constitutive model. The results obtained were compared with that of the Mohr Coulomb model. The slightly higher values in the case of endochronic model are basically due to its plastic nature. The displacement and stresses in the axial direction (along the excavation) is observed with the model. In the case of shallow tunnel the surface get influenced by the loosening of the soil mass which necessitates the use of the support system. The study shows that the model can be used for the simulation of underground opening like tunnel and will capture the behaviour well. Footings are structures used to support the buildings constructed above the ground. The settlement analysis of footings is very important when we consider the stability of the structures supported by it. The vertical stress distribution below the footing is studied using the endochronic constitutive model and compared with the analytical solution proposed by Boussinesq (1885). In the elastic range the model shows matching results with the Boussinesq’s solution. The settlement analysis of footing on various foundation beds such as sand, clay and sand overlying the clay bed were studied using the endochronic constitutive model implemented in the FLAC3D model library. The experimental data conducted in our lab (Sireesh (2006)) was used for the study. The results show that with the chosen parameters the results obtained with the endochronic model are in good agreement with the experimental data. The Mohr Coulomb model over predicts the results. This shows higher modulus value for the Mohr Coulomb model. By conducting the parametric study it was seen that by reducing the value of modulus for the Mohr Coulomb model, the results are in good agreement with the experimental value. The displacement and stress contours obtained for the two models were compared. By analyzing the displacement contours it is seen that the Mohr Coulomb model shows uniform settlement. In the case of endochronic model uniform settlement is observed for about 5% settlement that is in the elastic range. After a certain strain level the displacement contours are tilted more towards one side showing the rotational failure. Here the endochronic model captures the anisotropic behaviour associated with the materials like sand at higher strain level. This result is a concrete evidence that the model can capture the realistic behaviour very well compared to any other model. Even though the model developed is for sand its application can be extended to clay also. The size and shape of the footing is varied to study its effect on the pressure settlement curve. The analysis is done with square shape of 150mm side and circular shape of 150mm diameter. As there is not much variation in the area of influence, the shape has little influence on the pressure settlement curve. As the size of the footing increases the settlement increases for a given pressure. A parametric study is conducted by varying the modulus value used. The study shows that as the modulus value increases, the settlement reduces for a given bearing pressure. The endochronic model analysed with the lower modulus value shows that the model predicts the perfectly plastic behaviour, here the settlement increases for low value of bearing pressure. The application of endochronic model for the simulation of complex geotechnical engineering problems like footings is highly explored in the study. Nowadays most of the infrastructure facilities are concentrated towards the underground space. The excavation and construction of such structures in the urban areas results in damage to the existing above ground structures if the construction is done in close proximity to the structures. In the present study a staged excavation of an underground construction for the Bangalore metro project is simulated with the endochronic constitutive model. In the Bangalore metro project the excavation for the underground station is done at the cricket stadium site. At the site there are two major buildings such as the six storied Hindustan Aeronautical Limited building and 100 years old BSNL masonry building. To minimize the impact on these structures were a major concern during the construction of the work. A robust support system consists of secant pile walls, soldier piles and horizontal struts are installed at the site. The OSV method known as the Onsite Visualization and monitoring is conducted to minimize the damage to the existing structures and the accidents at the construction site. Sensors are connected to LEDs which show change in color when the displacements and forces cross the triggered value. The field instrumentation is done with inclinometers, tilt meters and strain gauges connected to the sensors to observe the lateral deformation of the secant pile wall, tilt of the HAL building and the forces developed in the horizontal struts. The monitoring of field data is done for a period of five months from July to November. From the analysis of the field observed data it is clear that the support system provided were strong enough to resist the forces due to unloading. The lateral deformation of the secant pile wall and the forces developed in the strut were numerically analysed using the endochronic constitutive model and the results were compared with the field monitored data. The results show that the model captures the behaviour very close to the field data for a slightly higher modulus than that reported in the geotechnical report (BMRC report). This may be due to the fact that the value of modulus calculated experimentally might have some error. The analysis with the Mohr Coulomb model shows that the model over predicts the results very close to the surface of the excavation. This indicates that the influence of load is more on that particular depth for the Mohr Coulomb model. But the stiffness of the lateral support system is uniform throughout the depth; the endochronic model predicts the result more accurately than the Mohr Coulomb model. The strut forces developed in the horizontal support system is observed using the two models. The strut forces in the field is affected by so many factors such as the temperature variation, stages of excavation and other live loads acting on the site, so an exact comparison with the field data is quite difficult. The analysis shows that even though it is difficult to simulate the exact three dimensional nature of the problem in the present study the endochronic constitutive model captures the behaviour very well. The results obtained shows that the endochronic constitutive model implemented in the FLAC3D model library provides a very promising solution like any other constitutive model. As the theory is based on the irreversible law of thermodynamics and the formulation of the constitutive equation are based on the internal energy concept it can represent the material behaviour in accordance with the laws of continuum mechanics. The anisotropic behaviour of soil at higher strain level is well represented through the footing problem. The endochronic constitutive model is a very simple one to simulate the stress strain behaviour of the materials without the concept of yield surface; the parameters used in the equation can be obtained directly from a single triaxial stress strain plot. This study highlights the importance of a model without the concept of yield surface to capture the stress strain behaviour of any materials. Since the model is of completely plastic nature it has its own uniqueness in capturing the material behaviour due to loading and unloading.

This thesis presents validation and application of advanced soil constitutive models in cases of seismic loading conditions. Firstly, results of three advanced soil constitutive models are compared with examples of shear stack experimental data for free field response in dry sand for shear and compression wave propagation. Higher harmonic generation in acceleration records, observed in experimental works, is shown to be possibly the result of soil nonlinearity and fast elastic unloading waves. This finding is shown to have high importance on structural response, real earthquake records and reliability of conventionally employed numerical tools. Finally, short study of free field response in saturated soil reveals similar findings on higher harmonic generation. Secondly, two advanced soil constitutive models are used, and their performance is assessed based on examples of experimental data on piles in dry sand in order to validate the ability of the constitutive models to simulate seismic soil-structure interaction. The validation includes various experimental configurations and input motions. The discussion on the results focuses on constitutive and numerical modelling aspects. Some improvements in the formulations of the models are suggested based on the detailed investigation. Finally, the application of one of the advanced soil constitutive models is shown in regard to temporary natural frequency wandering observed in structures subjected to earthquakes. Results show that pore pressure generated during seismic events causes changes in soil stiffness, thus affecting the natural frequency of the structure during and just after the seismic event. Parametric studies present how soil permeability, soil density, input motion or a type of structure may affect the structural natural frequency and time for its return to the initial value. In addition, a time history with an aftershock is analysed to investigate the difference in structural response during the earthquake and the aftershock.