Modelling small-strain stiffness with the multilaminate framework

Based on the multilaminate framework, a first step towards modelling high elastic stiffness at small-strain level is presented. The basic feature of multilaminate models, namely the consideration of various integration planes to formulate the stress-strain relationship, is used in combination with a micromechanical approach for the determination of the elastic stiffness matrix. The employed extension of the model also includes the degradation of the elastic stiffness according to the material's strain history. In this paper only a non-linear elastic formulation for the micromechanical contact model is shown. The consequences and possibilities of improvement will be discussed on the basis of numerically simulated triaxial tests.