Collapse Upon Wetting

This chapter presents the modeling of the phenomenon of collapse upon wetting using the effective stress equation and the elastoplastic framework proposed in the previous chapter. The probabilistic porous-solid model is used to obtain Bishop’s parameter X and then compute the current effective stress. The proposed framework includes the hysteresis of the SWRC and to some extent the hydro-mechanical coupling of unsaturated soils. This model is able to reproduce some particularities of the phenomenon of collapse upon wetting that other models cannot simulate.

Keywords: Collapse upon wetting, unsaturated soils, effective stress, elastoplastic framework, yield surface, suction hardening, soil-water retention curve, hysteresis, hydro-mechanical coupling, porous-solid model, Bishop’s effective stress equation, compacted soils, neutral loading, suction controlled tests, preconsolidation stress.