A plasticity-based constitutive model for the behavior of soil-structure interfaces under cyclic loading

In this study, a new plasticity-based constitutive model is proposed for the behavior of soil-structure interfaces under monotonic and cyclic loadings. The features of the interface including the strain-softening behavior, phase transformation, steady-state, and dilatancy behavior were described by the proposed model with satisfactory accuracy. The proposed model does not require additional concepts such as damage or disturbance, and the model parameters can be obtained easily using straight-forward analyses of the results obtained from constant normal stress tests. Moreover, the results of the proposed model showed its capability in predicting the experimental results obtained from various interface test devices (direct shear, simple shear, and cyclic multi-degree-of-freedom) at different test conditions (constant normal stress and constant normal stiffness) and loading conditions (monotonic and cyclic).