Limit Analysis and Soil Plasticity

Book excerpt: Developments in Geotechnical Engineering, Volume 7: Limit Analysis and Soil Plasticity covers the theory and applications of limit analysis as applied to soil mechanics. Organized into 12 chapters, the book presents an introduction to the modern development of theory of soil plasticity and includes rock-like material. The first four chapters of the book describe the technique of limit analysis, beginning with the historical review of the subject and the assumptions on which it is based, and then covering various aspects of available techniques of limit analysis. The subsequent chapters deal with the applications of limit analysis to what may be termed "classical soil mechanics problems that include bearing capacity of footings, lateral earth pressure problems, and stability of slopes. In many cases, comparisons of limit analysis solution and conventional limit equilibrium and slip-like solutions are also presented. Other chapters deal with the advances in bearing-capacity problem of concrete blocks or rock and present theoretical and experimental results of various concrete bearing problems. The concluding chapter examines elastic-plastic soil and elastic-plastic-fracture models for concrete materials. This book is an ideal resource text to geotechnical engineers and soil mechanics researchers.