Shear modulus degradation model for cohesive soils

One of the key issues in cyclic behaviour of soft clays is gradual degradation of shear modulus. In most of the cyclic soil models such degrdation of shear modulus of soil with the progression of loading cycle was incorporated, addition to the standard non-linear backbone curves. Such cyclic degradation was usually represented by a parameter, degradation index, which is a function of loading cycles and cyclic shear strain amplitude. However it is well understood from the past experimental studies that the degradation index depends on various other factors as well. The present paper aims to develop a simple empirical model involving degradation index as a function of number of loading cycles, plasticity index, cyclic shear strain, overconsolidation ratio, loading frequency based on the experimental results. It is then fitted with the hyperbolic hysteretic model to estimate the modulus degradation for different cycles. Finally the damping ratio is calculated based on Masing rule with correction factors and validated through experimental results.