Stress–dilatancy relationships of sand in the simulation of volumetric behavior during cyclic torsional shear loadings

In order to describe the volumetric behavior of soil subjected to shearing, a relationship that deals with the ratio of plastic strain increments to stress ratio (i.e. a stress–dilatancy relationship) is required in addition to the stress–shear strain relationship. In view of the above, stress–dilatancy relationships during cyclic torsional shear loadings were experimentally investigated in the current study. Based on the experimental results, a bilinear non-unique stress–dilatancy model was proposed for stress controlled drained cyclic torsional shear loading. The stress–dilatancy relationships during virgin loading and subsequent cyclic loading were modeled separately by considering the effects of stress history (over-consolidation or normal consolidation). Then the volume change of Toyoura sand specimens subjected to cyclic torsional shear loading was simulated by combining the simulation of stress–shear strain relationship with the proposed stress–dilatancy relationships. It was observed from the comparison of the experiment results with the simulation of volumetric strain that, after combining with accurate modeling of stress–shear strain relationship, the proposed stress–dilatancy relationship can reasonably simulate the volumetric behavior of sand subjected to various drained cyclic torsional shear loadings.