BI-AXIAL TEST WITH MOHR-COULOMB MODEL

BI-AXIAL TEST WITH MOHR-COULOMB MODEL

This document describes an example that has been used to verify the elasto-plastic
deformation capabilities according to the linear-elastic perfectly-plastic Mohr-Coulomb
model of PLAXIS. The problem involves axial loading under biaxial test conditions.
Used version:
PLAXIS 2D - Version 2011
PLAXIS 3D - Version 2012
Input: A bi-axial test is conducted on a geometry displayed in Figure 1 for PLAXIS 2D
and PLAXIS 3D.

1
1

2
x
x
y
y
z
PLAXIS 2D PLAXIS 3D
Figure 1 Bi-axial test - loading conditions
Material: The material behaviour is modelled by means of the Mohr-Coulomb model.
The lateral pressure
2
is represented by a distributed load on the right boundary. The
density is set to zero. The model parameters are:
Mohr-Coulomb model E' = 1000 kN/m
2
= 0.25
c'
ref
= 1 kN/m
2
' = 30

Meshing: The Coarse option is used for the Element distribution to generate the mesh.
Calculations: The active prescribed displacements and loads for each phase of the test
are given in Table 1 and Table 2. The axial load
1
is represented by a distributed load on
the top of the geometry.
Bi-axial loading of
1
=
2
= -1 kPa
Axial loading of
1
= -10 kPa
Output: The soil fails at an axial stress
1
= 6.4640 kN/m
2
and
1
= 6.4651 kN/m
2
in PLAXIS 2D and PLAXIS 3D respectively. The plot of the principal effective stress
1
versus strain
1
is shown in Figure 2.
Verication: The theoretical solution to the failure of the sample is given by the Mohr -
Coulomb criterion:
PLAXIS 2012 | Validation & Verication 1
VALIDATION & VERIFICATION
Table 1 Boundary and loading conditions (Phase 1)
Location Points Disp
x
Disp
y
Disp
z
Load
x
Load
y
Load
z
Front (0; 0; 0) (1; 0; 0)
(1; 0; 1) (0; 0; 1)
Free Fixed Free - - -
Rear (0; 1; 0) (1; 1; 0)
(1; 1; 1) (0; 1; 1)
Free Fixed Free - - -
Left (0; 0; 0) (0; 1; 0)
(0; 1; 1) (0; 0; 1)
Fixed Fixed Free - - -
Right (1; 0; 0) (1; 1; 0)
(1; 1; 1) (1; 0; 1)
Free Free Free -1.0 - -
Bottom (0; 0; 0) (1; 0; 0)
(1; 1; 0) (0; 1; 0)
Free Free Fixed - - -
Top (0; 0; 1) (1; 0; 1)
(1; 1; 1) (0; 1; 1)
- - - - - -1.0
Table 2 Boundary and loading conditions (Phase 2)
Location Points Disp
x
Disp
y
Disp
z
Load
x
Load
y
Load
z
Front (0; 0; 0) (1; 0; 0)
(1; 0; 1) (0; 0; 1)
Free Fixed Free - - -
Rear (0; 1; 0) (1; 1; 0)
(1; 1; 1) (0; 1; 1)
Free Fixed Free - - -
Left (0; 0; 0) (0; 1; 0)
(0; 1; 1) (0; 0; 1)
Fixed Fixed Free - - -
Right (1; 0; 0) (1; 1; 0)
(1; 1; 1) (1; 0; 1)
Free Free Free -1.0 - -
Bottom (0; 0; 0) (1; 0; 0)
(1; 1; 0) (0; 1; 0)
Free Free Fixed - - -
Top (0; 0; 1) (1; 0; 1)
(1; 1; 1) (0; 1; 1)
- - - - - -10.0
0
0
0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
PLAXIS 2D solution
PLAXIS 3D solution

1
[
k
N
/
m
2
]

1
[ ]
Figure 2 Results of the bi-axial loading test with the Mohr-Coulomb model
f =
|
1

2
|
2
+

1
+
2
2
sin c cos = 0
Failure occurs in compression at:
2 Validation & Verication | PLAXIS 2012
BI-AXIAL TEST WITH MOHR-COULOMB MODEL

1
=
2

1 + sin
1 sin
2c
cos
1 sin
= 6.4641kN/m
2
The error in the numerical solutions is therefore 0.001% and 0.015% for PLAXIS 2D and
PLAXIS 3D respectively.
PLAXIS 2012 | Validation & Verication 3
VALIDATION & VERIFICATION
4 Validation & Verication | PLAXIS 2012