On the influence of the flow rule on earth pressures in confined excavations
On the influence of the flow rule on earth pressures in confined excavations
Confined excavations are often encountered in dense urban areas. Estimation of earth pressures on retaining structures is one of the design concerns in such cases. This contribution presents a numerical investigation into the influence of the flow rule on active/passive earth pressures exerted onto structures supporting confined excavations. Extensive comparisons, in terms of failure mechanisms and earth pressures, between the Mohr-Coulomb (MC) model and the Hardening Soil Small (HSS) model with associated and non-associated flow rules, are made for drained and undrained conditions. The results from displacement finite element analysis (FEA) and finite element limit analysis (FELA) are compared, which in turn gives confidence in FEA results. The results clearly indicate that for certain conditions the influence of the constitutive model and the flow rule may become significant.
Fengwen Lai; F. Chen; Dechun Lu; Franz Tschuchnigg; F. Helmut Schweiger
21st International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (Vienna)
TC103
https://doi.org/10.53243/ICSMGE2026-294
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