Consistent thermodynamic modelling of wire-reinforced geomaterials

Abstract

The TexSol is a composite geomaterial: a sand matrix with a wire network reinforcement. For small strains a thermodynamic continuous model of the TexSol including the unilaterality of the wire network is postulated. This model is described by two potentials which depend on some internal variables and a state variable either strain or stress tensor (the choice of this last one gives two different ways of identification). The TexSol continuous model is implemented in a finite element code to retrieve the mechanical behaviour given by discrete element numerical experiments. © 2007 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.