A coupled solid-fluid FE-model for partially saturated soils, characterized by modeling the soil as a three-phase material consisting of a deformable soil skeleton and the fluid phases water and air, is reviewed briefly. As a constitutive model for the soil skeleton, the well-known Barcelona Basic model (BBM) is employed, which is formulated in terms of net stress and matric suction. For the BBM, a computationally efficient return mapping algorithm is proposed, which only requires the solution of a scalar nonlinear equation at the integration point level. The coupled FE-model is applied to the coupled transient numerical simulation of the water flow and the deformations and stresses in an embankment dam.
A numerical model for coupled solid-fluid FE-analyses of geotechnical problems involving partially saturated soils is described. As constitutive model for partially saturated soil serves the Barcelona Basic Model, which is formulated in terms of net stress and capillary pressure. Different stress update algorithms are compared for this model regarding the accuracy and efficiency. The application of the numerical model is demonstrated by numerical simulations of the impoundment of an earth dam and of the injection of compressed air into water saturated soil.
Summary. The paper deals with a numeric model for coupled solid-fluid FE analyses of geotechnical problems involving partially saturated soils. The Barcelona Basic Model serves as a constitutive model for the soil skeleton. Different stress update algorithms are compared for this model regarding robustness, accuracy, and efficiency. The application of the numerical model is demonstrated by numerical simulations of the impoundment of an earth dam and of the injection of compressed air into water saturated soil.
A short introduction to the governing equations and the corresponding FE-formulation of a three phase model for partially saturated soils is given and a constitutive law of the soil skeleton and its numerical integration is discussed briefly. Finally, the application of the numerical model is presented.
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