Impact of Cyclic Loading on Shakedown in Cohesive Soils—Simple Hysteresis Loop Model

Abstract

The objective of this study is to characterize the permanent deformations and to present a mathematical model that enables the prediction of permanent strain during cyclic loading. First, laboratory cyclic triaxial tests are conducted on sandy silty clay samples to gather the data concerning the permanent deformation characteristics. The article discusses the shakedown theory and abation phenomena, and we present the Simple Hysteresis Loop Model (SHLM) based on the stress-controlled test results. The determined permanent deformation properties are a base for the development of SHLM parameters. The presented model is capable of accurately predicting the permanent deformation characteristics based on the derived parameters from the static tests. The SHLM connects the stress–strain and stiffness properties of cohesive soil, which gives it a great advantage to use it in engineering practice. The derived model was verified based on ex–post comparison to performed cyclic triaxial test. The developed SHLM mean absolute percentage error is equal to 12.18%, which indicates that the developed SHLM has desirable accuracy in the prediction of permanent strain properties in compacted cohesive soils.