On the Practical Use of Advanced Constitutive Laws in Finite Element Underground Structures Analysis

This article emphasizes the value of applying sophisticated constitutive soil models in numerical modeling as daily geotechnical practice. The capabilities of two different constitutive relations for the modeling of the second Heinenoord bored tunnel are compared. The hypoplastic model of Wolffersdorff for granular materials (Hypo) is a relatively simple model without recourse to yield surface or plastic potential based on rational mechanics, whereas the chosen elastoplastic model, the Hardening Soil Model (HSM) belongs to the non-associative plasticity with double hardening. A modification of the hypoplastic model with improved intergranular strain (IGS) was tested, leading to improve model behavior. Comparisons between numerical simulations and experimental values demonstrate the advantages of using the hypoplastic model with improved intergranular strain (IGS).