A micromechanics-based elastoplastic damage model for granular materials at low confining pressure

This paper is devoted to the formulation of a micromechanics-based constitutive model for granular materials under relatively low confining pressure. The constitutive formulation is performed within the general framework of homogenization for granular materials. However, new rigorous stress localization laws are proposed. Some local constitutive relations are established under the consideration of irreversible thermodynamics. Macroscopic plastic deformation is obtained by considering local plastic sliding in a limit number of families of contact planes. The plastic sliding at each contact plane is described by a non-associated plastic flow rule, taking into account pressure sensitivity and normal dilatancy. Nonlinear elastic deformation related to progressive compaction of contacts is also taken into account. Material softening is described by involving damage process related to degradation of microstructure fabric. The proposed model is applied to some typical granular materials (sands). The numerical predictions are compared with experimental data. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.