A NONLINEAR LAW OF THE DEFORMATION OF SOFT SOILS

Using a model of an elastic and viscoelastic (standard-linear) solid, a non-linear equation of state is constructed to model the volume defo rmation of soft soils. The moduli of bulk compression are assumed to b e non-linear functions of a parameter which characterizes the structur al failure of the soil. It is shown that this law describes observed e ffects of the bulk compression of soil. The results of a parametric an alysis of the equation of state are given. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science L td. All rights reserved.