Small Strains in Soil Constitutive Modeling

Abstract

This paper reviews the state of the art of soil behavior in the range of small strains and its constitutive modeling, which is an important issue when predicting displacements under serviceability conditions. The factors that control nonlinear, hysteretic and dependent on recent history soil behavior are described. Likewise, concepts of soil constitutive modeling are explored in detail and two criteria are explained and used to classify the analyzed models: (1) a first criterion based on the concept of tensorial zones; and (2) a second criterion based on the elements that defines the hysteretic soil behavior, including reversal criteria, memory rules and the effects of reversals on soil degradation and on soil stiffness recovery. The fundamentals of the formulation of the analyzed models are provided, as well as their scope of application, advantages and disadvantages.