Elasto-plastic long-term behavior of granular soils: Experimental investigation

The experimental and phenomenological investigation of the elasto-plastic long-term behavior of soils under dynamic loading is an important contribution for development of risk analysis tools and numerical models for settlement prediction due to dynamic long-term impacts. Thereby elastic soil properties as well as long-term accumulation characteristics of the soil are of major importance for correct description of the soil behavior. This paper delivers insight in the experimental investigation of strain accumulation in granular soils due to dynamic loading in the small strain region through combined bender element and cyclic triaxial testing. Test results are presented illustrating the evolution of elastic parameters during long-term cyclic loading and the influence parameters on strain accumulation. A subsequent discussion focuses on difficulties in adapting cognitions out of laboratory investigations on accumulation properties of soil to in situ conditions and draws conclusions out of achieved test results.