Coupling Hyperelasticity with Bounding Surface Plasticity for Constitutive Modeling of Fiber-Reinforced Soils

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4. Coupling Hyperelasticity with Bounding Surface Plasticity for Constitutive Modeling of Fiber-Reinforced Soils

A promising approach to simulating root-reinforced soils involves first developing a constitutive model for fiber-reinforced soils, which can later be extended to account for suction effects. However, most existing models for fiber-reinforced soils are not formulated within a thermodynamically consistent framework. As a result, they may predict non-recoverable energy and stress responses under closed strain cycles and cyclic loading. Root reinforcement is widely employed in slope stability applications, where slopes are frequently subjected to repeated loading/unloading due to seismic activity, intense rainfall, and traffic-induced vibrations. Accurately capturing the cyclic behavior of these soils is essential, as such loading can progressively degrade soil structure, leading to cumulative deformations, reductions in shear strength, and potential triggering of liquefaction. In response to these challenges, this study introduces a novel hyperelastic-plastic constitutive model for fiber-reinforced soils. The elastic frame is formulated using a free energy function, thereby ensuring energy conservation. The resultant hyperelasticity is then coupled with a bounding surface plasticity to predict irreversible response in a hyperelastic-plastic frame. Furthermore, a new state parameter is proposed to account for the influence of fiber inclusion on the stress-dilatancy behavior of soils. The model is validated at the element level through comparisons with experimental data.

3rd International Workshop on Soil-Vegetation-Atmosphere Interaction (RootS2025)

2c. Numerical modelling of the behaviour of rooted soils and boundary value problems under static and dynamic loading conditions