Dynamic Analysis of Unsaturated Soils Subjected to Large Deformations

This paper deals with the large deformation analysis of partially saturated soils subjected to dynamic loading. The so-called ‘mixture’ theory is employed to consider the hydro-mechanical coupling involved in this kind of problem. The finite element method is used to discretise the problem domain and the generalized-α algorithm is employed to integrate the governing equations over time. Some of the most challenging aspects of dynamic analysis of partially saturated soils will be discussed. One of the key challenges is selecting a consistent constitutive model within the theory of mixtures that can incorporate the pore suction forces into the description of stress. The necessity of such incorporation has frequently been reported in experimental studies of unsaturated soils. To tackle this problem, a unique strategy for integrating the constitutive model for unsaturated soils is adopted. Moreover, an absorbing boundary condition, which prevents wave reflection from rigid boundaries, is introduced and implemented into the numerical algorithm. Finally, a solution for the problem of dynamic compaction of soil in a partially saturated condition is presented.