01 - Introduction to the HS model 20/04/2020

Introduction to the Hardening Soil model

1 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Soil behaviour

• Mohr-Coulomb model features

– Linear elastic behaviour until failure criterion is reached
– Shear stresses create plastic shear strains and may create plastic volumetric strains too (dilatancy)
– One stiffness for all soil behaviour
– Dilatancy only mobilised at failure

• Hardening Soil model features

– Plasticity occurs before failure criterion is reached.
– Mean stresses create plastic volumetric strains
– Shear stresses create plastic shear strains and may create plastic volumetric strains too (dilatancy)
– Primary loading and unloading/reloading stiffness in shear and compression
– Stress dependent stiffness
– Dilatancy is mobilised before failure is reached

2 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 1

01 - Introduction to the HS model 20/04/2020

Soil behaviour vs. Model behaviour

q' [kN/m2] q' [kN/m2]
250 250

Primary loading
200
200

150 150

100 100

Un/re-loading
50 50

0 0 0
0 5e-3 0.01 0.015 0.02 0.025 0.03 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
eps-1 eps-1

Triaxial test with unloading/reloading using MC Triaxial test with unloading/reloading using HS

Stress-strain relation under triaxial loading is modelled

with a hyperbolic curve (according to Duncan and Chang)

3 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Soil behaviour vs. Model behaviour

 3  x 3 x 3 x
E50 E50 E50
q' [kN/m2]
250

200

150

Triaxial test stiffness E50 is

100 stress dependent with σ3
σ3

50

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
ε1

4 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 2

01 - Introduction to the HS model 20/04/2020

Soil behaviour vs. Model behaviour

 1 350kPa
Eoed
-500

 1100kPa
-400 Eoed
σ '1 [kN/m²]

-300

Oedometer stiffness Eoed is

-200 stress dependent with σ1

-100

0
0 -0.005 -0.01 -0.015 -0.02
1

5 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Soil behaviour vs. Model behaviour

Non-linear unloading/reloading
stiffness Eur is stress
dependent with σ3

6 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 3

01 - Introduction to the HS model 20/04/2020

Soil behaviour vs. model behaviour

v

v
0

1 1
Mohr-Coulomb model Hardening Soil model

Mohr-Coulomb: No dilantancy until failure, then fully mobilised

Hardening Soil : Dilatancy mobilised when approaching failure
7 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Hardening Soil – Stiffness moduli

– E50 is a secant modulus depending on 3

– Eoed is a tangent modulus depending on 1
– Eur is according to Hooke’s Law (depending on 3)
– Change of stiffness with confining stress is a function of cohesion, and more important, the power m.
– All moduli are referenced to conditions at 100 stress units by default (pref).

– E50 and Eoed are NOT elastic stiffness parameters, but PLASTIC stiffness parameters
– Eur , on the other hand, indeed is an elastic stiffness parameter

8 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 4

01 - Introduction to the HS model 20/04/2020

Hardening Soil – Stiffness moduli

E50 : σ3
Eoed : σ3/K0nc  σ1
Reference stiffness Eur : σ3

m Power of stress dependency

ref  c cos    ' sin  Sand: m  0.5
EE   Silt: m  0.5 - 0.7
 c cos   pref sin  Clay : m  1.0

Reference stress

E = Eref when σ’=pref

9 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Hardening Soil – Stiffness moduli

• E50, measured in a triaxial test, includes:

– Elastic soil behaviour
– Plasticity due to shear hardening
– Plasticity due to compression hardening

250
Elasticity
1p,c
Elasticity + Compression
200 Plasticity
e p,s
 1  1
Elasticity + Total Plasticity

150

100 In an undrained test the generation

, ,
drained triaxial test of and is correlated
50

0
0 -0.01 -0.02 -0.03 -0.04 -0.05 -0.06

10 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

10

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 5

01 - Introduction to the HS model 20/04/2020

Hardening Soil – Stiffness moduli

• Eoed, measured from an oedometer test, includes:

– Elastic soil behaviour
– Plasticity due to compression hardening
– Plasticity due to shear hardening

0 -100 -200 -300 -400 -500

0 σyy

-0.002
Elasticity
Elasticity + Shear Plasticity
-0.004
Elasticity + Total Plasticity

-0.006

-0.008

-0.01

-0.012
yy
11 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

11

Hardening Soil – Stiffness moduli

• E50 and Eoed

• Easy to determine
• Elasto-plastic parameters, thus less practical for a constitutive model

• HS model has different internal parameters that represent elasticity, shear plasticity and
compression plasticity.

• User specifies E50 and Eoed and others ⇒ internal parameters automatically determined

• Conversion comes with limitations on ratios of E50, Eoed and Eur that can be used.

12 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

12

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 6

01 - Introduction to the HS model 20/04/2020

Hardening Soil – Stiffness moduli

Eur E50
E0

Eur
Eoed E50
E0

13 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

13

Hardening Soil – Undrained behaviour

• Hardening Soil model

• Defined in effective stresses ⇒ can not be used in a total stress analysis.
• Best used with effective strength parameters φ’ and c’.
• When used with undrained shear strength (φu=0 and cu) model is limited:

• There will be NO stress dependent stiffness: stiffnesses are constant.

• There will be NO compression hardening, only shear hardening

14 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

14

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 7

01 - Introduction to the HS model 20/04/2020

Hardening Soil – Usage

• Hardening Soil uses Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion.

• Only drained failure important?
Hardening Soil model has little advantage over the Mohr-Coulomb model
• Hardening Soil is an elastoplastic model before failure is reached
• Better prediction of displacements then Mohr-Coulomb (an elastic model), especially when:
• Shear is dominant
• Unloading/reloading behaviour is important
• For excavation and tunnel problems HS model is highly recommended over the MC model

• Parameter determination difficult?

• Good estimation possible based on limited data
• Estimated data generally gives better results than using the Mohr-Coulomb model.

15 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

15

Choice of soil model

For best settlement and deformation prediction

Soft soils Hard soils

(NC-clay, peat) (OC-clay, sand, gravel)
Primary loading Soft Soil (Creep) Hardening Soil
(surcharge) Hardening Soil HSsmall
HSsmall
Unloading with deviatoric loading Hardening Soil Hardening Soil
(excavations, tunnels) HSsmall HSsmall

Deviatoric loading Soft Soil (Creep) Hardening Soil

Hardening Soil HSsmall
HSsmall

Secundary compression Soft Soil Creep -

(Creep) Creep-SCLAY1S

16 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

16

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 8

01 - Introduction to the HS model 20/04/2020

17 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

17

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 9

02 - Determination of HS Parameters for Sand 4/20/2020

Determination of HS Parameters for Sand

1 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Input parameters - Hardening Soil / HSsmall model

Parameter Description

Reference secant stiffness from drained triaxial test

Reference tangent stiffness from oedometer test

Reference unloading/reloading stiffness from drained triaxial test

Reference stress level for which = , = and =

m Power for stress-dependent stiffness

Unloading/reloading Poisson’s ratio

c' Effective cohesion

′ Effective friction angle

Dilatancy angle at failure

Ratio between horizontal and vertical stresses at normally consolidated state

Reference Small-strain shear stiffness (HSsmall only)

. Shear strain level where shear stiffness G has reduced to 70% of (HSsmall only)

, OCR, POP Initial stress state parameters (initial stress ratio, overconsolidation)

2 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 1

02 - Determination of HS Parameters for Sand 4/20/2020

Input parameters - Hardening Soil / HSsmall model

• Hardening Soil model

• Defined in effective stresses ⇒ can not be used in a total stress analysis.
• Best used with effective strength parameters φ’ and c’.
• When used with undrained shear strength (φu=0 and cu) model is limited:

• There will be NO stress dependent stiffness: stiffnesses are constant.

• There will be NO compression hardening, only shear hardening

3 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Stiffness parameters - Hardening Soil model

• Stress dependent stiffness for primary shear, primary compression and

unloading/reloading behaviour

Shear hardening ′+ − sin

secant modulus: = ⇒ =
+ + sin

Compression hardening ′+ − sin

tangent modulus: = ⇒ =
+ + sin

Unloading/reloading ′+ − sin
tangent modulus: = ⇒ =
+ + sin

a  c cot( )

4 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 2

02 - Determination of HS Parameters for Sand 4/20/2020

Stiffness of Sand

5 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Stiffness of sand in drained triaxial testing

sy - sx sy - sx sy - sx
E50
Dsy’
E50
E50

Dsx’ ey ey ey

Test 1: Test 2: Test 3:

σ’x= 50kPa σ’x= 100kPa σ’x= 200kPa

E50 ′
=
ref
E 50
Loose sands:  15 MPa
sx’
pref = 100kPa Dense sands:  50 MPa
6 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 3

02 - Determination of HS Parameters for Sand 4/20/2020

Stiffness of sand in (drained) oedometer testing

sy’ Eoed

pref = 100kPa sy’

Eoed

Eoed
ey
′
=

Loose sands:  15 MPa

Dense sands:  50 MPa

7 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Stiffness of sand - correlations

Correlation Remark Author

−
≈ ⋅ 60 =
− Lengkeek (for p = 100 kPa)

=4 < 10 Mpa
Lunne & Christophersen (1983)
= 2 + 20 MPa 10 MPa < < 50 Mpa
= 120 MPa > 50 MPa
For stress level where qc is measured

≈
Schanz

8 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 4

02 - Determination of HS Parameters for Sand 4/20/2020

Stiffness of sand – unloading/reloading from triaxial test

Triaxial tests:

Unloading is purely elastic in HS model

9 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Stiffness of sand – unloading/reloading from oedometer test

Elastic behaviour with low Poisson’s Ratio: sy’

(1 − )
, = , ≈ 1.1 ⋅ ,
(1 − 2 )(1 + )

Alternatively:
Eur

≈ 3⋅ and ≈ 1.1 ⋅ : ey
, ,

′+ ′+
1.1 ⋅ =3⋅ ⇒
′+ ′+
Sand (m=0.5):
3 ′+ 2.7 , ≈3⋅
= ⋅ = ⋅ ≈ (3 5) ⋅
1.1 ′+

10 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

10

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 5

02 - Determination of HS Parameters for Sand 4/20/2020

EXAMPLE: Triaxial test results, Shaoli (2004)

• Dense Hokksund sand at 40 kPa, n = 35,9% (initial) – 39,6% (end of test)

+
=
′ +

= 20000 =

− 185
sin ′ = =
+ 225 + 40

= 44

Hence,
≈ 1 − sin = 0.31

11 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

11

EXAMPLE: Triaxial test results, Shaoli (2004)

• Dense Hokksund sand at 40 kPa, n = 35,9% (initial) – 39,6% (end of test)

1-sin y
1 − sin 5
= = 1,2
2sin y 2sin 4,2

sin = 0,29

= 17°

12 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

12

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 6

02 - Determination of HS Parameters for Sand 4/20/2020

EXAMPLE: Triaxial test results, Shaoli (2004)

• Dense Hokksund sand at 40 kPa, n = 35,9% (initial) – 39,6% (end of test)

Loading:
0
′+ ′+
Vertical strain [%]

-0,2
Test data = ⇒ =
-0,4 ′+ ′+
-0,6
-0,8
850 100
= =
-1 0,008 400
-1,2
-1,4
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 Unloading:
Vertical effective stress [kPa]

′+ 850 100
, =⋅   = = 273
′+ 0.0028 0.31 ⋅ 400

≈ 0.9 ⋅ , =

13 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

13

HS Material parameters

• Dense Hokksund sand at 40 kPa, n = 35,9% (initial) – 39,6% (end of test)

• Fitting PLAXIS results to experimental data – start from estimated parameters

E50ref = 35 MPa (estimated 32 MPa)

Eoedref = 45 MPa (estimated 53 MPa)
Eurref = 180 MPa (estimated 248 MPa)
m = 0,6
c’ = 1 kPa
=0
′ = 440
pw = 0
′ = 180 (estimated 170)
= 0.31
= 0.2

Axis of Triaxial tests by Shaoli

symmetry (2004)

14 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

14

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 7

02 - Determination of HS Parameters for Sand 4/20/2020

Triaxial test results and PLAXIS simulation

Axial strain [%]

200 -4
180 -3,5
Deviatoric stress, q [kPa]

Volumetric strain, [%]

160 -3
140 -2,5
120 -2 from PLAXIS 40
Dense 40
100 -1,5
80 -1
60 -0,50,00 1,00 2,00 3,00 4,00 5,00
40 0
20 0,5
0 1
0,00 1,00 2,00 3,00 4,00 5,00
Axial strain [%]

15 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

15

Oedometer test results and PLAXIS simulation

0
Test data
-0,2
Vertical strain [%]

-0,4 Plaxis
-0,6
-0,8
-1
-1,2
-1,4
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
Vertical effective stress [kPa]

16 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

16

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 8

02 - Determination of HS Parameters for Sand 4/20/2020

Recommended procedure for application

• Model choice
– MC model: for simple estimates and for safety factors (drained stability)
– Advanced soil models: for more accurate deformation predictions

• Parameters for Hardening Soil and HSsmall model:

• Use previous experience from lab, field and case records for strength and stiffness (E50 etc)
• Simulate an oedometer or/and a triaxial test to calibrate your soil parameter set
• Run your design problem
• Check the results and compare to hand calculations or other estimates / experience

17 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

17

18 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

18

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 9

03 - Introduction to SoilTest

Introduction to SoilTest

1 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Introduction
Soil testing
(in situ, lab)

Experience

Parameter
determination

Plaxis
Modelling
2 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 1

03 - Introduction to SoilTest

Soil parameters and Model parameters

• Soil parameter
• A parameter determined from the behaviour of real soil in some real test

• Model parameter
• A parameter required by a constitutive model that approximates the
behaviour of real soil as good as possible.

• Real soil in a real test may show certain soil behaviour that is not included in the
constitutive model used to model that soil. Therefore, using a soil parameter directly as a
model parameter may give a different behaviour of the soil according to the model
compared to the real soil.

3 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Soil parameters and Model parameters

Why would I simulate a soil test?

• Constitutive models cannot include all possible behaviour of real soil (it is a model !).
• Check required:
• constitutive model + chosen parameter values behaves like the real soil in laboratory tests,
field tests etc.
• Important checks are on:
• Strength → overestimate / underestimate real strength
• Strain levels → overestimate / underestimate deformations

4 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 2

03 - Introduction to SoilTest

PLAXIS SoilTest

• Simulate laboratory tests for a certain material set

• Compare the results with the results of the same laboratory test performed on real soil:
1. Start with model parameters equal to the soil parameters determined from the test on the real soil.
2. Run the simulation of the test in PLAXIS SoilTest
3. Compare the results with the results from the real laboratory test
4. If necessary, adjust the model parameters

5. Check if the best fitting combination of model parameters is realistic

5 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Updated workflow in practice

Soil testing
(in situ, lab)

Experience

Parameter
determination

Simulate Adjust model

soil test parameters

no match

Compare Plaxis
results match Modelling
6 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 3

03 - Introduction to SoilTest

PLAXIS SoilTest

Accessible from the Material sets dialog box

7 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

PLAXIS SoilTest

Menu items / toolbars

Test switches

Editable material
properties Results area

8 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 4

03 - Introduction to SoilTest

PLAXIS SoilTest

• Open/save
– Enable saving current material properties along with test configurations and results
– File format is *.vlt
– Enable opening previous SoilTest results and configurations for comparison purposes

Current vlt file

(results in blue)
Previous vlt file
(results in green)

9 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

PLAXIS SoilTest

• Material sets
– Summarized editable properties of the considered material
– Changes can be easily performed to immediately see how it affects some characteristics lab test stress-
strain paths

• Soil test configurations

– Triaxial
– Oedometer
– CRS (Constant Rate-of-Strain)
– DSS (Direct Simple Shear)
– CDSS (Cyclic Direct Simple Shear)
– General

10 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

10

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 5

03 - Introduction to SoilTest

PLAXIS SoilTest
Triaxial test Oedometer test

11 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

11

PLAXIS SoilTest
CRS test DSS test

12 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

12

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 6

03 - Introduction to SoilTest

PLAXIS SoilTest
Cyclic Triaxial test Cyclic DSS test

13 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

13

PLAXIS SoilTest
General
• Soil cube
• Stress or strain controlled load
• Manually specify load increments on sides
• Multi-stage test (loadin/unloading/reloading)
• Initial OCR
• Initial mobilized shear strength
• Time dependent soil behaviour (creep)

14 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

14

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 7

03 - Introduction to SoilTest

PLAXIS SoilTest - Results

A set of predefined curves provided for each test

RMB context menu:

– Select curves to be displayed
– Create user-defined output curves
15 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

15

PLAXIS SoilTest - Results

Custom chart

Strain: Stress:
• ε1 • σ'1
• εv • σ‘2
• εxx • σ‘3
• εyy • |σ1-σ3|
• εzz • pw
• γxy • p'
• γyz • q
• γzx • σ'
• ε2 • τ
• ε3 • τxy
• τyz
• τzx
• (σ'1+σ’3)/2
• (σ'1-σ’3)/2
16 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

16

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 8

03 - Introduction to SoilTest

PLAXIS SoilTest - Results

• Double-clicking a chart provides further insight on result data

– Evaluation of tangent and secant modulus
– Export chart data

17 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

17

PLAXIS SoilTest - Remarks

• Compression is negative !
• Some tests can be run in both drained or undrained conditions
• Number of steps can be increased to improve curve smoothness
• Initial hardening yield loci can be defined through
– Vertical pre-consolidation stress (cap hardening)
– Mobilized relative shear strength (shear hardening)
• Triaxial test always starts with initial state parameters,
The effect of applying the cell pressure on the state parameters is NOT taken into account.
If the application of the cell pressure is important, use the General option to model the
complete test.

Example: creep, debonding and anisotropy effects during the consolidation phase of a CU
test.

18 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

18

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 9

03 - Introduction to SoilTest

19 | WWW.BENTLEY.COM | © 2020 Bentley Systems, Incorporated

19

Online Introduction Course PLAXIS - May 2020 10

 Simulation of a triaxial test

SIMULATION OF A TRIAXIAL TEST

This exercise has been optimised for PLAXIS 2D 2020

Computational Geotechnics 1
Simulation of a triaxial test

2 Computational Geotechnics
 Simulation of a triaxial test

INTRODUCTION
In daily engineering practice soil parameters are obtained from one or more laboratory tests. In order to perform
the best possible Plaxis calculation these soil parameters have to be translated into input parameters for the
constitutive model used, taking into account the possibilities and limitations of the constitutive model. Most
parameters for the constitutive models used in Plaxis can be determined directly from standard laboratory tests
as triaxial tests and oedometer tests. However, due to the complexity of the models it is recommended to
not simply accept the parameters determined from those tests, but to actually model the tests and see if the
parameters found actually give a proper representation of the real laboratory test results within the limits of the
constitutive models. For this purpose the SoilTest module is available in Plaxis with which in a simple manner
laboratory tests can be simulated without the need for making a finite element model.
In this exercise the SoilTest tool will be used for the simulation of a triaxial tests on sand.

CONTENT
• Objective

• Simulation of a triaxial test on sand

• Appendix A: Parameter determination

OBJECTIVE
The objective of this excercise is twofold:

1. Determination of parameters needed for using the Hardening Soil model from standard laboratory tests
2. Using the PLAXIS SoilTest facility to both fine-tune parameters and investigate the influence of parameters
on the results of standard laboratory tests.

Note that the determination of the parameters may require a significant amount of time and therefore, in order to
reach the second objective, the parameter determination is described in detail in Appendix A of this excercise.

Computational Geotechnics 3
Simulation of a triaxial test

SIMULATION OF A TRIAXIAL TEST ON SAND

In this exercise results from a triaxial test are presented for sand and the aim is to determine the parameters for
the Hardening Soil model such that a simulation of the test within Plaxis gives the best possible results compared
to the original laboratory test. In short:

1. Determine soil parameters based on given real laboratory test results

2. Perform the laboratory tests using SoilTest with the parameters found

3. Match SoilTest results with the original laboratory results to find the best matching model parameters for
the Hardening Soil model.

Parameter determination

On a sample of dense sand both oedometer tests and triaxial tests have been performed. The results of those
tests are given in the figures below. Use these figures to determine the parameters for the Hardening Soil model
and collect the parameters in Table 1 (see below the figures). Note that it is possible that some parameters
cannot be determined with the given laboratory results, in which case these parameters have to be estimated.

Figure 1: Oedometer test results on sand

4 Computational Geotechnics
 Simulation of a triaxial test

Figure 2: Development of horizontal and vertical stress in oedometer test

Figure 3: Triaxial test unloading-reloading (cell pressure = 100 kPa)

Computational Geotechnics 5
Simulation of a triaxial test

Figure 4: Axial vs. volume strain in drained triaxial test

Collect the soil parameters in table 1:

Table 1: Hardening Soil Parameters of the sand

Parameter Unit Value
ref
E50 [kPa]
ref
Eoed [kPa]
ref
Eur [kPa]
pref [kPa]
0
νur [-]
0
cref [kPa]
ϕ0 [o ]
ψ [o ]
m [-]
K0N C [-]

Triaxial test simulation

For the simulation of laboratory tests Plaxis offers the SoilTest tool based on a single stress point calculation
that makes it possible to do fast simulations without the need for a finite element mesh. The SoilTest tool can be
called from within the material sets database or from within the definition of a material set. (see figure 5).

6 Computational Geotechnics
 Simulation of a triaxial test

Figure 5: The SoilTest tool

In the following paragraphs a step-by-step description is given on how to model both an oedometer test and a
triaxial test with the help of many screen shots of the SoilTest tool. Please note that any parameters given on
those screen shots have no relation with the actual exercise and are solely for illustrating the possibilities of the
SoilTest tool.
In order to model a triaxial test first the material data set has to be created. After doing so, press the SoilTest
button to start the SoilTest tool. The window that opens is show in figure 6.

Figure 6: Main window of the SoilTest tool

Next, fill in the parameters for the test to be performed:

• Type of test: as we’re dealing with a triaxial test on sand this should be set to Drained

• Direction: all test results given from the real laboratory test are from a compression test, hence this option
must be set to Compression

• Consolidation: from the p’-q graphs it can be seen that after applying the cell pressure isotropic consolidation
was done, hence this option must be set to Isotropic.

Computational Geotechnics 7
Simulation of a triaxial test

• Cell pressure: the cell pressure for which the triaxial test is going to be simulated. In this example this is
100 kPa.

• Maximum strain: the maximum strain where testing should stop. Typically 10% is fine.
• Number of steps: the amount of calculation steps taken to reach the maximum strain. The default is 100
steps, but for more accurate results up to 500 steps can be used.
• Vertical preconsolidation stress: the limit stress below which the soil has unloading/reloading behaviour in
one-dimensional compression. In this exercise we have (normally consolidated) sand, hence the Vertical
preconsolidation stress can be set equal to the Cell pressure.
• Apply mobilized relative shear strength: specify the amount of the total strength that has already been
mobilised in the past. Generally we assume no strength has been mobilised prior to the test and so this
option remains deactivated.

Finally, press Run to start the test.

When the test finishes, graphs with results will appear (see figure 7). The standard graphs cannot be modified,
but additional custom charts can be added by right-clicking in the area without charts and choosing the option
Add custom chart. Additionally, by double-clicking on a graph it will appear enlarged in a separate window where
also tabulated data is available.

Figure 7: SoilTest results for a triaxial test

8 Computational Geotechnics
 Simulation of a triaxial test

APPENDIX A: PARAMETER DETERMINATION FOR SAND

First we determine parameters from the triaxial test data.

Figure 8: Determine stiffness parameters from drained triaxial test

Cohesion and friction angle

For a cell pressure σ30 = 100 kPa a maximum value of approximately |σ10 − σ30 | = 400 kPa is reached at failure.
The Mohr-Coulomb failure criterium is:

1 0
2 |σ1 − σ30 | + 12 (σ10 + σ30 ) · sinϕ − c · cosϕ = 0

Considering it is sand we assume that the cohesion is zero and so the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterium reduces
to:

|σ10 −σ30 |
(σ10 +σ30 ) = sinϕ

Filling in σ30 = 100 kPa and σ10 = 500 kPa as obtained from the test we find for the friction angle ϕ0 = 420

Reference stiffness from triaxial test

The triaxial test stiffness E50 is the secant stiffness over the first 50% of the failure value for | σ10 − σ30 |. This is
indicated in red in the triaxial test graph of figure 8.

σ 0 =100 kP a 400
E503 = 0.013 = 30800 kP a

The triaxial test stiffness ,E50 , is within the Hardening Soil model defined as:

Computational Geotechnics 9
Simulation of a triaxial test

m m
c cosϕ−σ30 sinϕ σ30
 
ref ref
E50 = E50 c cosϕ+pref sinϕ , c = 0 ⇒ E50 = E50 − pref

The reference stress pref is chosen equal to the cell pressure of this triaxial test then

ref σ 0 =100 kP a
E50 = E503 ≈ 30000 kPa

Reference unloading-reloading stiffness

Similar to the determination of the reference stiffness for triaxial testing the reference unloading-reloading stiffness
can be determined. In the triaxial test results an unloading-reloading cycle is done for this. The Hardening Soil
model does not have unloading-reloading behaviour with hysteresis but simple non-linear elastic unloading-
reloading behaviour. Therefore a secant value is taken for the unloading-reloading behaviour, as given with the
green line in the triaxial test results.

σ 0 =100 kP a 400
Eur3 = 0.026−0.021 = 80000 kPa

Under the same assumptions as for the stiffness in triaxial testing counts:

ref σ 0 =100 kP a
Eur = Eur3

But this is a bit low value for the unloading reloading stiffness and so

ref
Eur = 90000 kPa

is chosen

Dilatancy angle

From the plot of axial strain versus volume strain the dilatancy angle can be determined according to

∆εv
sinψ = −2∆ε1 +∆εv

See figure 9 for details.

With ∆εv = 0.048-0.004 = 0.044 and ∆ε1 = -0.09-(-0.03) = -0.06 the dilatancy can be calculated as ψ=16o
Note: The Poisson’s ratio needed for the Hardening Soil model cannot be determined from this graph as this
graph represents an oedometer test in primary loading and the Poisson’s ratio needed is an unloading-reloading
Poisson’s ratio.
0
An acceptable value for the unloading-reloading Poisson’s ratio is νur = 0.2.

10 Computational Geotechnics
 Simulation of a triaxial test

Figure 9: Determination of diltancy angle from drained triaxial test

Oedometer stiffness and power of stress dependent stiffness

From the oedeometer test results we determine the stiffness Eoed for vertical stresses σy0 = 100 kPa en σy0 =
200 kPa, see figure 10. Note that Eoed is a tangent stiffness. Make sure to use the primary loading part of the
oedometer test results.

σ 0 =100 kP a
y 320−0
Eoed = 1.4%−0.33% = 29900 kPa
σy0 =200 kP a 400−0
Eoed = 1.4%−0.47% = 43000 kPa

Within the Hardening Soil model the stress dependent oedometer stiffness is defined as:

m m
c0 cosϕ−σy0 sinϕ σy0
 
ref ref
Eoed = Eoed c0 cosϕ+pref sinϕ , c = 0 ⇒ Eoed = Eoed − pref

Choosing the reference pressure pref = 100 kPa gives

ref σ 0 =100 kP a
Eoed = Eoed
3
≈ 30000 kPa

The power m for stress dependent stiffness can now be determined as:

σ 0 =200 kP a m
y
σy0

Eoed 43000 200 m


ref
Eoed
= pref ⇒ 30000 = 100 ⇒ m = 0.5

Computational Geotechnics 11
Simulation of a triaxial test

Figure 10: Determination of oedometer stiffness and power of stress dependency

K0 value for normal consolidation

The K0 value for normal consolidation (K0N C )can only be obtained if measurements for horizontal stresses have
been performed during the oedometer test. If so, results as given in figure 11 may be obtained. From the primary
loading line can be obtained that

0
∆σx ∆σ30 100
K0N C = ∆σy0 = ∆σ10 = 300 = 0.33

Alternatively one can use Jaki’s formula

K0N C ≈ 1 − sinϕ = 1 − sin(42o ) = 0.33

12 Computational Geotechnics
 Simulation of a triaxial test

Figure 11: Horizontal/vertical stress ratio during oedometer test

Note on unloading-reloading stiffness

If no triaxial test with unloading-reloading is available the unloading-reloading stiffness can also be determined
from an oedometer test with unloading. However, the unloading-reloading stiffness required for the Hardening
Soil model is stress dependent on σ3 while the oedometer test results presented in figure 10 give the strain vs
the vertical stress σy (= σ1 voor oedometer testing). From figure 11 it can be found that in unloading/reloading
for σ3 = 100 kPa the vertical stress σy = σ1 = 250 kPa. Therefore, from the unloading branch of the oedometer
test the stiffness is determined from the tangent line for a vertical stress of 250 kPa, see figure 12.

Figure 12: Determining unloading stiffness from the oedometer test

σ 0 =100 kP a σ 0 =250 kP a 415−0

Eur,oed
3
= Eur,oed
1
= 1.3%−0.9% = 103750 kPa

Computational Geotechnics 13
Simulation of a triaxial test

However, unloading/reloading stiffness for oedeometer test and triaxial test are not the same, but relate as:

(1−2νur )(1+νur )
Eur,triax = (1−νur ) · Eur,oed

With νur = 0.2 and pref = 100 kPa (pref refers to σ30 !) it follows that

ref σ 0 =100 kP a
Eur = Eur,triax
3
= 0.9 ∗ 103750 ≈93,000 kPa

Table 2: Summary of Hardening Soil Parameters for the sand

Parameter Unit Value
ref
E50 [kPa] 30,000
ref
Eoed [kPa] 30,000
ref
Eur [kPa] 93,000
pref [kPa] 100
0
νur [-] 0.2
c0ref [kPa] 0
ϕ0 [o ] 42
ψ [o ] 16
m [-] 0.5
K0N C [-] 0.33

14 Computational Geotechnics
 Simulation of a triaxial test

APPENDIX B: MODELLING A TRIAXIAL TEST WITH UNLOADING/RELOADING

The standard functionality in SoilTest for simulation of a triaxial test does not allow for an intermediate unloading-
reloading path. However, the SoilTest functionality contains a General option with which soil test can be defined
in terms of boundary stresses or strains on all sides of a soil test cube. Hereafter it will be shown how this can
be used for the simulation of a triaxial test with unloading/reloading path.
After opening the SoilTest option from the material set definition window the tabsheet General should be chosen.
On this tabsheet a list of calculation phases can be defined where stress or strain increments can be applied.

Initial phase

First of all we have to specify whether stresses or strains will be applied on the boundaries during the test. For
this exercise stresses will be applied. Now the values of the initial stresses on the soil sample have to specified.
For a triaxial test the initial stresses are the cell pressures acting on the soil, hence for σxx , σyy and σzz the cell
pressure has to entered. The cell pressure is a water pressure and so there will be no shear stress acting on the
soil: τxy = 0. See figure for details.

Figure 13: General option for simulation of laboratory tests used for triaxial test

Phase 1

Apply a stress increment in vertical direction (∆σyy ) until the stress level where the unloading path should start.
Note that the horizontal stresses (∆σxx and ∆σzz ) remain the same as they represent the cell pressure. Hence,
the horizontal stress increments are zero in this phase.

Phase 2

Press the Add button to add another phase to the phase list. This phase represents the unloading phase. See
figure for details.

Computational Geotechnics 15
Simulation of a triaxial test

Phase 3

Press the Add button once more in order to add the 3rd phase. This phase represents the reloading of the soil
as well as the continuation of primary loading until either failure or a higher stress level from where for instance
another unloading/reloading cycle is going to be made.

Figure 14: Unloading/reloading cycle in a triaxial test using the General option

Now press Run to start the test and check the results.

16 Computational Geotechnics