Numerical modeling of unsaturated soil behavior considering different constitutive models

Abstract

Recent advances, not only in fluid flow but also in soil mechanics, have allowed the understanding and forecasting of common engineering problems such as slope stability, soil shrinkage and soil collapse. However, owing to limited access to data or more sophisticated numerical tools, the modeling of soil behavior is usually carried out considering simpler constitutive models which cannot predict some important features of unsaturated soils. This study is focused on the numerical modeling of unsaturated soils, adopting four constitutive models based on theories of elasticity and plasticity. For each model, a numerical simulation of a circular footing resting over a soil that is subject to drying and wetting processes is analyzed. Through the comparison of results, it is possible to highlight the use of more sophisticated constitutive models for unsaturated soil behavior, particularly forecasting the phenomenon of pore collapse during wetting processes.