Elastoplastic constitutive modelling of soil–structure interfaces under monotonic and cyclic loading

This paper is dedicated to the non-linear numerical modelling of the soil–structure interface. Thus, in a first part, after the presentation of the constitutive model, the soil–structure interface interaction is treated in terms of direct shear test simulations. A strategy for the interface model parameters’ identification is also presented. This strategy is linked to the similitude of soil–structure interface behavior and the soil behavior, regarding the interface surface roughness. In a second part, the performance of the numerical simulations are verified numerically against published results for soil–structure experimental shear tests. Finally, as an application, interface stress paths are studied in axially loaded pile–soil systems and load transfer mechanisms are identified.