The mechanical behaviour of unsaturated soils has been the topic of numerous investigations over the past few decades. These investigations aimed to define proper stress variables which can be used for soil behaviour modelling. A new approach (“Monash-Peradeniya-Kodikara”; MPK) has been introduced recently by Kodikara. This method uses void ratio, net stress and moisture ratio as main constitutive variables.
The main objectives of the PhD research program are:
- Establish a model to describe stress-strain state of unsaturated soils under monotonic shearing loads, based on classical Cam clay plasticity theory, yield function, plastic potential and hardening rule, using moisture ratio, net stress, deviatoric stress as main variables and suction as a dependent variable which relates to moisture ratio through soil water characteristic curve.
- Develop a model to simulate stress-strain relationship of unsaturated soils subjected to cyclic shear loading adopted MPK framework and incorporated with Bounding surface plasticity model for cyclic loading.