Implementation of an elasto-plastic constitutive model for cement stabilized clay in a non-linear finite element analysis

Purpose: Several constitutive models are available in the literature to describe the mechanical behaviour of cement stabilized soils. However, difficulties in implementing such models within commercial finite element programs have hindered their application to solve related boundary value problems. Therefore, the aim of this study is to implement a constitutive model, which has the capability to simulate cement stabilized soil behaviour, into the finite element program ABAQUS through the user material subroutine UMAT. Design/methodology/approach: After a detailed review of existing constitutive models for cement stabilized soils, a model based on the elasto-plastic theory and the extended critical state concept with an associated flow rule is selected for the finite element implementation. A semi-implicit integration method (cutting plane algorithm) with a continuum elasto-plastic modulus and path dependent stress prediction strategy has been used in the implementation. The performance of the new finite element formulation of the constitutive model is verified by simulating triaxial test data using the finite element program with the new implementation and predictions from constitutive equations as well as experimental data. Findings: The paper provides the implementation procedure of the constitutive model into ABAQUS but this method is useful for the implementation of any other constitutive model into ABAQUS or any other finite element program. Simulated results for the volumetric deformation of cement stabilized soils show that the cement stabilized soils do not obey the associated flow rule at high confining pressures. The parametric study shows that the influence of cementation increases the brittle nature and the bearing capacity of treated clay. In addition the results show that proposed finite element implementation has the ability to illustrate key features of the cement stabilized clay. Originality/value: This paper presents an implementation of an elasto-plastic constitutive model, based on the extended critical state concept, for cement stabilized soils into a finite element programme, which has been identified as an important and challenging topic in computational geomechanics. This implementation is useful in solving boundary value problems in geomechanics involving cement stabilized soils, incorporating key characteristics of these soils.