Cylindrical cavity expansion and contraction in pressure sensitive geomaterials

A broad class of plane-strain axially-symmetric deformation patterns in geomaterials is studied within the framework of large strain pressure-sensitive plasticity. Invariant, non-associated deformation-type theories are formulated for the Mohr-Coulomb (M-C) and Drucker-Prager (D-P) solids with arbitrary hardening and accounting for an initial hydrostatic state of stress. With the M-C model we arrive at a single first order differential equation, while for the D-P solid an algebraic constraint supplements the governing differential equation. The analysis centers on the effective stress as the independent variable. A simplified treatment is given for the cavitation Limit and some useful relations are derived for thin walled cylinders. The theory is applied to the triaxial calibration test for Castlegate sandstone and then used to simulate the hole closure problem. Numerical examples are provided for the case of a cavity embedded in an infinite medium subjected to external or internal pressure. Results for the D-P inner cone model were found to be in dose agreement with those obtained from the M-C model.