Application of taguchi method and genetic algorithm for calibration of soil constitutive models

Abstract

A special inverse analysis method is established in order to calibrate soil constitutive models. Taguchi method as a systematic sensitivity analysis is conducted to determine the real values of mechanical parameters. This technique was applied on the hardening soil (as an elastoplastic constitutive model) which is calibrated using the results from pressuremeter test performed on "Le Rheu" clayey sand. Meanwhile, a genetic algorithm (GA) as a well-known optimization technique is used to fit the computed numerical results and observed data of the soil model. This study indicates that the Taguchi method can reasonably calibrate the soil parameters with minimum number of numerical analyses in comparison with GA which needs plenty of analyses. In addition, the contribution of each parameter on mechanical behavior of soil during the test can be determined through the Taguchi method. © 2013 M. Yazdani et al.