Les chaînes d'avant pays et les prismes d'accrétion sont des accumulations sédimentaires décollées de la croûte sous-jacente, dans un contexte compressif. En raison de basses températures, la déformation y est frictionnelle et sismogène. Dans la première partie on étudie des échantillons de grès prélevés à proximité de la faille active de Chelungpu, front de déformation du prisme d'accrétion de Taiwan. On montre que l'orientation préférentielle des micro-fractures intra-granulaires existantes ne coïncide pas toujours avec l'orientation des nouvelles micro-fractures produites lors d'essais mécaniques, contredisant des résultats de travaux similaires.La deuxième partie présente l'étude d'une modélisation numérique utilisant l'analyse limite séquentielle d'un prisme frictionnel homogène. On développe cette approche 2D comme une généralisation semi-analytique de la théorie du prisme critique pour suivre la déformation, en intégrant accrétion frontale, adoucissement frictionnel et érosion. Une étude paramétrique systématique révèle le comportement chaotique de la déformation, très sensible aux détails topographiques, mais aussi une organisation statistiquement prévisible des longueurs d'activation du décollement. On distingue par ailleurs une organisation temporelle complexe contrôlée par l'adoucissement frictionnel et les quantités accrétées : par exemple une périodicité d'activation des grandes failles hors-séquence. L'introduction d'une loi d'érosion simple produit un florilège de géométries proches de structures géologiques courantes --- vergence et épaisseur des écailles, duplexes, éventails imbriqués, exhumation. Enfin, une application de la méthode à des expériences de déformation de sables montre la possibilité d'estimer les paramètres de friction in-situ, via des mesures de force. / Chains foreland and accretionary prisms are sedimentary accumulations detached from the underlying crust in a compressive context. Due to low temperatures, deformation is frictional and seismogenic.In the first part we studied sandstone samples collected near the active fault of Chelungpu, deformation front of the Taiwanese accretionary prism. We show that the current preferred orientation of intra-granular microfractures does not always coincide with the orientation of new micro-fractures produced during mechanical testing, contradicting the results of similar work.The second part presents the analysis of numerical modeling using sequential limit analysis of frictional homogeneous prism. We develop this 2D approach as a semi-analytic generalization of the critical prism theory to monitor deformation, including frontal accretion, frictional softening and erosion. A systematic parametric study reveals the chaotic behavior of the deformation --- very sensitive to topographic details --- but also a statistically predictable organization of activation lengths of the décollement. We distinguish also a complex temporal organization controlled by frictional softening and accreted amounts : for example periodicity of activation of large out of sequence faults. The introduction of a simple erosion law produced a plethora of common geological structures --- vergence and thickness of thrusts, duplexes, imbricate fans, exhumation. Finally, an application of the method to sand deformation experiments shows the possibility of estimating in-situ frictional parameters, through force measurements.

[pt] Este trabalho apresenta uma formulação puramente baseada em plasticidade para ser aplicada à otimização topológica. A principal ideia da otimização topológica em mecânica dos sólidos é encontrar a distribuição de material dentro do domínio de forma a otimizar uma medida de performance e satisfazer um conjunto de restrições. Uma possibilidade é minimizar a flexibilidade da estrutura satisfazendo que o volume seja menor do que um determinado valor. Essa é a formulação clássica da otimização topológica, que é vastamente utilizada na literatura. Não obstante fornecer resultados interessantes, condições adicionais devem ser levadas em consideração para viabilizar sua aplicação prática. O projeto estrutural aborda dois aspectos principais: (i) a estrutura não deve colapsar, suportando os carregamentos aplicados (critério de segurança); e (ii) deverá se sujeitar a um valor máximo aceitável de deformação (critério de aceitabilidade). Consequentemente, a otimização topológica clássica deve ser modificada de forma a encontrar a distribuição de material correspondente ao menor volume possível tal que o critério de segurança seja verificado. O referido critério de segurança pode ser definido como limitar as tensões elásticas ao critério de plastificação em todo o domínio. Esta definição resultou em um novo ramo de pesquisa: a otimização topológica com restrições de tensões. Por outro lado, entende-se que o projeto estrutural plástico é preferível quando um projeto ótimo é almejado, uma vez que permite um maior aproveitamento da resistência do material. Dessa forma, este trabalho aborda a incorporação do projeto estrutural plástico à otimização topológica como método mais vantajoso do que a otimização topológica clássica e a com restrições de tensões. A formulação proposta é uma extensão da análise limite, que fornece uma estimativa da carga de colapso de uma estrutura diretamente por meio da programação matemática, assegurando a eficiência computacional da metodologia proposta. De forma a verificar a otimização topológica plástica e comparar a topologia final com as obtidas através da otimização topológica clássica e da com restrição de tensões, são apresentados exemplos numéricos. / [en] This work presents a full plastic formulation to be applied within topology optimization. The main idea of topology optimization in solid mechanics is to find the material distribution within the domain so that it optimizes a performance measure and satisfies a set of constraints. One might seek to minimize the compliance satisfying that the volume is less than a given value. The aforementioned formulation is the standard topology optimization which has been used widely in literature. Although it provides interesting results, additional requirements must be taken into account when practical application is concerned. Structures are designed considering two main aspects: (i) the structure must not collapse, supporting the applied loads (safety criterion); and (ii) its displacements must be lower than a prescribed bound (serviceability criterion). Consequently, the standard formulation shall be modified, finding the material distribution corresponding to the minimum volume such that the safety criterion is met. Said safety criterion may be defined as restraining the elastic stresses to the yield criterion in the entire domain. This definition has resulted in a new branch in this research field: the stress constrained topology optimization. On the other hand, it is understood that the plastic design criterion is preferable when optimization is intended, since it fully exploits the material strength. Therefore, this work addresses the incorporation of the plastic design criterion into topology optimization as a more advantageous method than standard and stress constrained topology optimization methods. The proposed formulation is an extension of limit analysis, which provides an estimative of the collapse load of a structure directly through mathematical programming, ensuring computational efficiency to the proposed methodology. Lastly, numerical examples are shown to verify plastic topology optimization and the final topology is compared with those provided by standard and stress constrained topology optimization methods.

[pt] O presente trabalho trata da aplicação da análise limite numérica (ALN) a problemas geotécnicos. Os meios (solo ou rocha) são considerados como contínuos convencionais e como contínuos de Cosserat. Da aplicação da formulação mista da análise limite e da discretização do meio por uma malha de elementos finitos é obtido um problema de programação matemática (PM). A aplicação desta metodologia nos contínuos de Cosserat (2D) fornece problemas de programação linear (PL) e nos contínuos convencionais (2D e 3D), problemas de programação não-linear (PNL). A solução do problema de PM foi através dos programas de otimização: LINDO (PL), LINGO (PNL), MINOS (PNL) e LANCELOT (PNL). Também foram implementados os algoritmos não lineares -Quase Newton com deflexão- e -Han-Powell-. A formulação é validada em problemas cuja solução analítica é conhecida ou em dados experimentais. Estes exemplos mostram a rapidez e a eficácia da ALN para a determinação da carga de colapso e do mecanismo de ruptura do problema. / [en] The present work treats of the application of the numerical limit analysis (NLA)to geomechanics problems. The soil or rock mass is considered as conventional continuous and Cosserat continuous. A mathematical programming (MP) problem is obtained through the application of the mixed formulation of limit analysis and the finite elements mesh. The application of this methodology in the Cosserat continuous (2D) supplies linear programming (LP) problems and in the conventional continuous (2D and 3D) nonlinear programming (NLP) problems. The solution of the problem of MP was through the LINDO (LP), LINGO (NLP), MINOS (NLP) and LANCELOT (NLP) programs. It was also implemented nonlinear algorithms -Quasi-Newton feasible point method- and -Han-Powell-.The formulation is validated in problems whose analytic solution is known or in experimental data. These examples show the speed and the effectiveness of NLA for the determination of the collapse load and of the mechanism of rupture of the problem. / [es] EL presente trabajo trata de la aplicación del análisis límite numérica (ALN) a problemas geotécnicos. Los medios (suelo o roca) son considerados como contínuos convencionales y como contínuos de Coserat. De la aplicación de la formulación mixta del análisis límite y de la discretización del medio por una malla de elementos finitos se obtiene un problema de programación matemática (PM). La aplicación de esta metodología en los contínuos de Coserat (2D) nos lleva a problemas de programación lineal (PL) y en los contínuos convencionales (2D y 3D), problemas de programación no lineal (PNL). La solución del problema de PM fue a través de los programas de optimización: LINDO (PL), LINGO (PNL), MINOS (PNL) y LANCELOT (PNL). También fueron implementados los algoritmos no lineares quase- Newton con deflexión y Han Powell . Se evalúa la formulación propuesta en problemas donde se conoce la solución analítica o en datos experimentales. Estos ejemplos muestran la rapidez y la eficacia de la ALN para la determinación de la carga de colapso y del mecanismo de ruptura del problema.

Capacity analysis is a common preliminary step in the design of offshore foundations. Inaccuracies in traditional capacity analysis methods, and the advancement of numerical modelling capabilities, have increasingly led designers to optimise foundations using more complex methods. In this thesis, the ultimate limit state capacity of a range of foundation types is investigated using finite element limit analysis. Novel three-dimensional finite element limit analysis software is benchmarked against analytical solutions and conventional displacement finite element analysis. It is then used to find lower and upper bounds of foundation capacity, with adaptive mesh refinement used to reduce the bound gap over successive iterations of the solution. Rigid foundations subjected to short term loading on clay soil are analysed. The undrained soil is modelled as a rigid--plastic von Mises material, and attention is given to modelling any normal and/or shear stress limits at the foundation/soil interface. Shallow foundations, suction anchor foundations, and hybrid mudmat/pile foundations are considered. Realistic six degree-of-freedom load combinations are applied and results are reported in the form of normalised design charts, and tables, that are suitable for use in preliminary design. Relationships between loading combinations and failure mechanisms are also explored. A number of case studies based on authentic foundation designs are analysed. The results suggest that finite element limit analysis could provide an attractive alternative to displacement finite element analysis for preliminary foundation design calculations.

Limit analysis is a very powerful tool to find accurate solutions of several geotechnical stability problems. This analysis is based on the theory of the plasticity and it provides two limiting solutions within lower and upper bounds. With the advancement of the finite elements and different robust optimization techniques, the numerical limit analysis approach in association with finite elements is becoming quite popular to assess the stability of various complicated structures. The present thesis deals with the formulations and the implementation of the finite element limit analysis to obtain the solutions of different geotechnical axisymmetric stability problems. The objectives of the present thesis are twofold: (a) developing limit analysis formulations in conjunction with linear and nonlinear optimizations for solving axisymmetric stability problems related with soil and rock mechanics, and then (b) implementing these axisymmetric formulations for solving various important axisymmetric stability problems in geomechanics. Three noded linear triangular elements have been used throughout the thesis. In order to solve the different problems, the associated computer programs have been written in MATLAB. With reference to the first objective of the thesis, the existing finite element lower bound axisymmetric formulation with linear programming has been presented. A new technique has also been proposed for solving an axisymmetric geomechanics stability problem by employing an upper bound limit analysis in combination with finite elements and linear programming. The method is based on the application of the von-Karman hypothesis to fix the constraints associated with the magnitude of the circumferential stress (), and finally the method involves only the nodal velocities as the basic unknown variables. The required computational effort becomes only marginally greater than that needed for an equivalent plane strain problem. The proposed methodology has been found to be computationally quite efficient. A new lower bound axisymmetric limit analysis formulation, by using two dimensional finite elements, the three dimensional Mohr-Coulomb (MC) yield criterion, and nonlinear optimization has also been presented for solving different axisymmetric stability problems in geomechanics. The nonlinear optimization was carried out by employing an interior point method based on the logarithmic barrier function. The yield surface was smoothened (i) by removing the tip singularity at the apex of the pyramid in the meridian plane, and (ii) by eliminating the stress discontinuities at the corners of the yield hexagon in the plane. No inherent assumption concerning with the hoop stress needs to be made in this formulation. The Drucker-Prager (DP) yield criterion was also used for computing the lower bound axisymmetric collapse load. The advantage of using the DP yield criterion is that it does not exhibit any singularity in the plane. A new proposal has also been given to simulate the DP yield cone with the MC hexagonal yield pyramid. The generalized Hoek-Brown (HB) yield criterion has also been used. This criterion has been smoothened both in the meridian and  planes and a new formulation is prescribed for obtaining the lower bound axisymmetric problems in rock media in combination with finite elements and nonlinear optimization. With reference to the second objective, a few important axisymmetric stability problems in soil mechanics associated with footings and excavations have been solved in the present thesis. In all these problems, except that of a flat circular footing lying over either homogeneous soil or rock media, it is assumed that the medium is governed by the MC failure criterion and it follows an associated flow rule. For determining the collapse loads for a circular footing over homogenous soil and rock media, the problem has been solved with the usage of Drucker-Prager, Mohr-Coulomb and Hoek-Brown criteria. The bearing capacity of a circular footing lying over fully cohesive strata, with an inclusion of a sand layer is evaluated. The effects of the thickness and internal friction angle of the sand layer () on the bearing capacity have been examined for different combinations of cu/(b) and q; where (i) cu defines the undrained shear strength, (ii)  is the unit weight of sand, (iii) b corresponds to the footing radius, and (iv) q is the surcharge pressure. The results have been presented in the form of a ratio () of the bearing capacities with an insertion of the sand layer to that for a footing lying directly over clayey strata. It is noted that an introduction of a layer of medium dense to dense sand over soft clay improves considerably the bearing capacity of the foundation. The improvement in the bearing capacity increases continuously (i) with decreases in cu/(b), and (ii) increases in  and q/(b). The bearing capacity factors, Nc, Nq and N, for a conical footing are obtained in a bound form for a wide range of the values of cone apex angle () and with  = 0, 0.5 and . The bearing capacity factors for a perfectly rough ( = conical footing generally increase with a decrease in . On contrary for  = 0, the factors Nc and Nq reduce gradually with a decrease in . For  = 0, the factor N for  ≥ 35o becomes minimum for  approximately equal to 90o. For  = 0, the factor N for  ≤ 30o, like in the case of  = , generally reduces with an increase in . It has also been intended to compute the bearing capacity factors Nc, Nq and N, for smooth and rough ring footing for different combinations of ri/ro and ; where ri and ro refer to inner and outer radii of the ring, respectively. It is observed that for a smooth footing, with a given value of ro, the magnitude of the collapse load decreases continuously with an increase in ri. On the other hand, for a rough base, for a given value of ro, hardly any reduction occurs in the magnitude of collapse load up to ri/ro ≈ 0.2, whereas beyond this ri/ro, the magnitude of the collapse load, similar to that of a smooth footing, decreases continuously with an increase in ri/ro. An attempt has also been made to determine the ultimate bearing capacity of a circular footing, placed over a soil mass which is reinforced with horizontal layers of circular reinforcement sheets. For performing the analysis, three different soil media have been separately considered, namely, (i) fully granular, (ii) cohesive frictional, and (iii) fully cohesive with an additional provision to account for an increase of cohesion with depth. The reinforcement sheets are assumed to be structurally strong to resist axial tension but without having any resistance to bending; such an approximation usually holds good for geogrid sheets. The shear failure between the reinforcement sheet and adjoining soil mass has been considered. The increase in the magnitudes of the bearing capacity factors (Nc and N) with an inclusion of the reinforcement has been computed in terms of the efficiency factors c and . The critical positions and corresponding optimum diameter of the reinforcement sheets, for achieving the maximum bearing capacity, have also been established. The increase in the bearing capacity with an employment of the reinforcement increases continuously with an increase in . The improvement in the bearing capacity becomes quite extensive for two layers of the reinforcements as compared to the single layer of the reinforcement. The stability of an unsupported vertical cylindrical excavation has been assessed. For the purpose of design, stability numbers (Sn) have been generated for both (i) cohesive frictional soils, and (ii) pure cohesive soils with an additional provision to account for linearly increasing cohesion with depth by using a non-dimensional factor m. The variation of Sn with H/b has been established for different values of m and ; where H and b refer to height and radius of the cylindrical excavation. A number of useful observations have been drawn about the variation of the stability number and nodal velocity patterns with changes in H/b,  and m. In the last, by using the smoothened generalized HB yield criterion, the ultimate bearing capacity of a circular footing placed over a rock mass is evaluated in a non-dimensional form for different values of GSI, mi, ci/(b) and q/ci. For validating the results, computations were exclusively performed for a strip footing as well. For the various problems selected in the present thesis, the failure and nodal velocity patterns have been examined. The results obtained from the analysis have been thoroughly compared with that reported from literature. It is expected that the various design charts presented here will be useful for the practicing engineers. The formulations given in the thesis can also be further used for solving various axisymmetric stability problems in geomechanics.

This thesis presents the implementation of the upper bound limit analysis in combination with finite elements and linear optimization for solving different stability problems in geomechanics under plane strain conditions. Although the nonlinear optimization techniques are becoming quite popular, the linear optimization has been adopted due to its simplicity in implementation and ease in attaining the convergence while performing the analysis. The objectives of the present research work are (i) to reduce the computational effort while using an upper bound finite element limit analysis with linear programming in dealing with geotechnical stability problems, and (ii) to obtain solutions for a few important geotechnical stability problems associated with reinforced earth, unsupported tunnels and a group of anchors. It is also intended to examine the developments of the failure patterns in all the cases. For carrying out the analysis for different stability problems, three noded triangular elements have been used throughout the thesis. The nodal velocities are treated as basic unknown variables and the velocity discontinuities are employed along the interfaces of all the elements. The soil mass is assumed to obey the Mohr-Coulomb’s failure criterion and an associated flow rule. The Mohr-Coulomb yield surface is linearized by means of an exterior regular polygon circumscribing the actual yield circle so that the finite element formulation leads to a linear programming problem. A simple technique has been proposed for reducing the computational effort while solving any geotechnical stability problem by using the upper bound finite element limit analysis and linear optimization. In the proposed method, the problem domain has been discretized into a number of different regions in which a particular order (number of sides) of the polygon has been specified to linearize the Mohr-Coulomb yield criterion. A greater order of the polygon needs to be chosen only in that part of the domain wherein the rate of the plastic strains becomes higher. The computational effort required to solve the problem with this implementation reduces considerably. By using the proposed method, the bearing capacity has been computed for smooth as well as rough strip footings and the results obtained are found to be quite satisfactory. The ultimate bearing capacity of a rigid strip footing placed over granular, cohesive-frictional and purely cohesive soils, reinforced with single and a group of two horizontal layers of reinforcements has been determined. The necessary formulation has been introduced to incorporate the inclusion of reinforcement in the analysis. The efficiency factors, and , to be multiplied with Nc and Nγ for finding the bearing capacity of reinforced foundations, have been established. The results have been obtained (i) for different values of soil friction angles in case of granular and cohesive-frictional soils, and (ii) for different rates at which the cohesion increases with depth for purely cohesive soil under undrained condition. The optimum positions of the reinforcements' layers corresponding to which and becomes maximum, have been established. The effect of the length of the reinforcements on the results has also been analyzed. As compared to cohesive soil, the granular soils, especially with greater values of frictional angle, cause much more predominant increase in the bearing capacity. The stability of a long open vertical trench laid in a fully cohesive and cohesive-frictional soil has been determined with an inclusion of single and a group of two layers of horizontal reinforcements. For different positions of the reinforcement layers, the efficiency factor (ηs), has been determined for several combinations of H/B, m and where H and B refer to height and width of the trench, respectively, and m accounts for the rate at which the cohesion increases linearly with depth for a fully cohesive soil with = 0. The effect of height to width of the long vertical trench on the stability number has been examined for both unreinforced and reinforced soils. The optimal positions of the reinforcements layers, corresponding to which becomes maximum, have been established. The required length of reinforcements to achieve maximum efficiency factor corresponding to optimum depth of reinforcement has also been determined. The magnitude of the maximum efficiency factor increases continuously with an increase in both m and . The effect of pseudo-static horizontal earthquake body forces on the stability of a long unsupported circular tunnel (opening) formed in a cohesive frictional soil has been determined. The stability numbers have been obtained for various values of H/D (H = tunnel cover, D = diameter of the tunnel), internal friction angle of soil, and the horizontal earthquake acceleration coefficient The computations revealed that the values of the stability numbers (i) decreases quite significantly with an increase in , and (ii) become continuously higher for greater values of H/D and . The failure patterns have also been drawn for different combinations of H/D, and . The geometry of the failure zone around the periphery of the tunnel becomes always asymmetrical with an inclusion of horizontal seismic body forces. The interference effect on the stability of two closely spaced parallel (twin) long unsupported circular tunnels formed in fully cohesive and cohesive-frictional soils has been evaluated. The variation of the stability number with S/D has been established for different combinations of H/D, m and ; where D refers to the diameter of each tunnel, S is the clear spacing between the tunnels, and is the internal friction angle of soil and m accounts for the rate at which the cohesion increases linearly with depth for a soil with = 0. On account of the interference of two tunnels, the stability number reduces continuously with a decrease in the spacing between the tunnels. The minimum spacing between the two tunnels required to eliminate the interference effect increases with (i) an increase in H/D and (ii) a decrease in the values of both m and . The failure patterns have also been generated for a few cases with different values of S/D. The size of the failure zone is found to become smaller for greater values of m and . The horizontal pullout capacity of a group of two vertical strip anchors embedded, along the same vertical plane in sand, at shallow depths has been determined. At collapse, it is assumed that the anchor plates are subjected to the same uniform horizontal velocity without any bending or tilt. The pullout resistance increases invariably with increases in the values of embedment ratio, friction angle of the sand mass and anchor-soil interface friction angle. The effect of spacing (S) between the anchors on their group collapse load is examined in detail. For a given embedment ratio, the total group failure load becomes maximum corresponding to a certain optimal spacing (Sopt). The values of Sopt increases with an increase in the value of , but the changes in the value of H/B and do not have any significant effect on Sopt. The vertical uplift capacity of a group of two horizontal strip plate anchors with the common vertical axis buried in purely cohesive as well as in cohesive frictional soil has been computed. The variation of the uplift factors Fc, Fq and F , due to the contributions of soil cohesion, surcharge pressure and unit weight, respectively, has been evaluated for different combinations of S/B and H/B. As compared to a single isolated anchor, the group of two anchors generates significantly greater magnitude of Fc. On the other hand, the factors Fq and F , for a group of two anchors are found to become almost equal to that of a single isolated anchor as long as the levels of the lower plate in the group and the single isolated anchor are kept the same. For the group of two horizontal strip plate anchors in purely cohesive soil, an increase of cohesion of soil mass with depth and the effect of self weight of the soil have been incorporated. The uplift factor Fcy both due to cohesion and unit weight of the soil has also been computed for the anchors embedded in clay under undrained condition. For given embedment ratios, the factor Fcy increases linearly with an increase in the normalized unit weight of soil mass upto a certain value before attaining a certain maximum magnitude. The computational results obtained for different research problems would be useful for design.

Incremental sheet forming (ISF) is a novel metal shaping technology that is economically viable for low-volume manufacturing, customisation and rapid-prototyping. It uses a small tool that is controlled by a computer-numerically controlled sequence and the path taken by this tool over the sheet defines the product geometry. Little is currently known about how to design the tool-path to minimise geometric errors in the formed part. The work here addresses this problem by developing a model based tool-path optimisation scheme for ISF. The key issue is how to generate an efficient model for ISF to use within a path optimisation routine, since current simulation methods are too slow. A proportion of this thesis is dedicated to evaluating the applicability of the rigid plastic assumption for this purpose. Three numerical models have been produced: one based on small strain deformation, one based on limit analysis theory and another that approximates the sheet to a network of rods. All three models are formulated and solved as second-order cone programs (SOCP) and the limit analysis based model is the first demonstration of an upper-bound shell finite element (FE) problem solved as an SOCP. The models are significantly faster than commercially available FE software and simulations are compared with experimental and numerical data, from which it is shown the rigid plastic assumption is suitable for modelling deformation in ISF. The numerical models are still too slow for the path optimisation scheme, so a novel linearised model based on the concept of spatial impulse responses is also formulated and used in an optimal control based tool-path optimisation scheme for producing axisymmetric products with ISF. Off-line and on-line versions of the scheme are implemented on an ISF machine and it is shown that geometric errors are significantly reduced when using the proposed method. This work provides a new structured framework for tool-path design in ISF and it is also a novel use of feedback to compensate for geometrical errors in ISF.

Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurde das Umformverhalten der gieß- und warmgewalzten Magnesiumlegierung des Mg-Al-Zn-Systems (AZ31) unter einachsiger Zugbeanspruchung in Abhängigkeit von Temperatur, Dehnrate und Entnahmerichtung untersucht. Weiterhin wurde das richtungsabhängige Grenzformänderungsverhalten im statischen sowie erstmalig im dynamischen Lastfall bei verschiedenen Temperaturen bewertet. Für die dynamischen Versuche wurde ein eigens konstruiertes Prüfmodul entwickelt und eingesetzt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass sich bei einer Variation der Beanspruchungsbedingungen die Ausprägung der Versetzungsbewegung, der mechanischen Zwillingsbildung sowie der Hochtemperaturmechanismen signifikant verändert. Die Verknüpfung der sich dadurch ändernden mechanischen Eigenschaften mit der Mikrostrukturentwicklung konnte mit der Licht- und Rasterelektronenmikroskopie sowie der Texturbestimmung mit der Röntgenbeugung (XRD) nachgewiesen werden.

The main work for Qiujing PAN’s PhD thesis is to develop the stability analysis for underground structures, which contains two parts, deterministic model and probabilistic analysis. During his 1st year of PhD research, he has mainly finished the deterministic model study. In the 2nd year, I developed a probabilistic model for high dimensional problems. / In the contemporary society, the utilization and exploitation of underground space has become an inevitable and necessary measure to solve the current urban congestion. One of the most important requirements for successful design and construction in tunnels and underground engineering is to maintain the stability of the surrounding soils of the engineering. But the stability analysis requires engineers to have a clear ideal of the earth pressure, the pore water pressure, the seismic effects and the soil variability. Therefore, the research aimed at employing an available theory to design tunnels and underground structures which would be a hot issue with high engineering significance. Among these approaches employed to address the above problem, limit analysis is a powerful tool to perform the stability analysis and has been widely used for real geotechnical works. This research subject will undertake further research on the application of upper bound theorem to the stability analysis of tunnels and underground engineering. Then this approach will be compared with three dimensional analysis and experimental available data. The final goal is to validate new simplified mechanisms using limit analysis to design the collapse and blow-out pressure at the tunnel face. These deterministic models will then be used in a probabilistic framework. The Collocation-based Stochastic Response Surface Methodology will be used, and generalized in order to make possible at a limited computational cost a complete parametric study on the probabilistic properties of the input variables. The uncertainty propagation through the models of stability and ground movements will be evaluated, and some methods of reliability-based design will be proposed. The spatial variability of the soil will be taken into account using the random field theory, and applied to the tunnel face collapse. This model will be developed in order to take into account this variability for much smaller computation times than numerical models, will be validated numerically and submitted to extensive random samplings. The effect of the spatial variability will be evaluated.

[pt] O objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar as formulações variações para o problema de análise limite e o desenvolvimento do processo de resolução, que envolve o método dos elementos finitos e as técnicas de programação matemática. As formulações variacionais são apresentadas em três versões: estática, cinemática e mista. Estas formulações são derivadas a partir da proposição das relações constitutivas na forma de pseudo-potenciais conjugados. Esses princípios são discretizados através do método dos elementos finitos. São propostos dois algoritmos iterativos de programação matemática para a solução do problema. Os algoritmos podem ser aplicados tanto para o comportamento plástico descrito por funções de escoamento lineares como não lineares. Nas aplicações numéricas são analisados corpos em estado plano de tensão, deformação e com simetria de revolução. / [en] The aim of this work is to present variational formulations for the limit analysis problem and solution procedures using the finite element method and mathematical programming techniques. The variational formulations are presented in three versions: static, kinematical and mixed. These formulations are derived from the proposition of the constitutive relationship in the form of conjugate pseudopotencials. Finite element discretizations are proposed for each of the three continuous problems. Two iterative mathematical programming algorithms are prosed to solve the problem. These algorithms can be applied to the plastic behavior described by a set of linear or non-linear yield functions. Limit analysis in plane strain, plane stress and axissymetric solids are considered in the numerical examples.