A thermomechanical model for saturated clays

A thermomechanical model for saturated clays is proposed within the framework of recent extensions of the Cam-Clay model. The results of some tests found in the literature are analyzed, and the main features of the thermomechanical behaviour of clays are identified. The effect of the overconsolidation ratio (OCR) on the volume change of a soil (expansion-contraction) submitted to heating is well established using experimental data obtained for selected soils by various authors. However, existing models need to be modified to correctly model this feature. For this reason, a new volumetric thermal plastic mechanism is developed that allows for the prediction of plastic strains at higher OCR values. The overconsolidation effect observed when heating a normally consolidated soil is also modelled. Particular attention is paid to the coupling and hardening phenomena related to the combined effects of stress and temperature. A qualitative validation is made by examining the response of the model under a given thermomechanical path. Comparison with existing thermomechanical experimental results shows that the model can provide satisfactory predictions.