Numerical simulation of T-bar penetration in soft clay

This paper presents numerical simulation of T-bar penetration in strain-softening, rate-dependent soft clay. Since this is a problem involving large soil deformations, the analysis is carried out using an Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian based finite element analysis, where the quality of the finite element mesh is preserved during the penetration process. The constitutive behavior of the soil is modelled by modifying an elastic, perfectly-plastic soil model obeying Von-Mises yield criterion to take into account the strain-softening, rate-dependent behavior of the soil. Numerical analyses were carried out varying the parameters controlling the strain-softening, rate-dependent behavior shown by naturally occurring soft clays. The evolution of periodic shear bands ahead of the advancing T-bar penetrometer has been discussed providing new insights into the T-bar penetration in soft clay. Copyright ASCE 2008.