Numerical Simulation of a Laboratory-Scale Free Fall Cone Penetrometer Test in Marine Clay with the Material Point Method

Abstract

This paper shows a numerical replication of a laboratory-scale free fall cone penetrometer test of marine clay. The numerical simulation involves large deformations and considers the destructuration of clay, strain rate effects, and non-linear material behaviour. The numerical simulation well replicates the laboratory experiment captured on a high-speed camera. The penetration process is replicated accurately in time, and the depth of the penetration corresponds to that obtained in an experiment. The simulation results indicate that the numerical framework implemented in Uintah software, consisting of an advanced soil model and the Generalized Interpolation Material Point Method, is well-suited for replication of the dynamic penetration process in soft and sensitive marine clay.