Objective The proposal focusses on investigating the incorporation of microstructural aspects of soil fabric into an existing coupled mechanical and retention framework for saturated and unsaturated soils. Particular emphasis will be given to two challenging patterns of microstructural behaviour: (1) Soils exhibiting a highly directional-dependent response, as a consequence of a particular orientation of their internal structure (anisotropic behaviour); (2) Soils exhibiting large swelling deformations on wetting, as a consequence of the presence in the soil of highly expansive clay minerals (expansive behaviour). Both of these aspects are intimately related to the internal clay fabric (micro-level) and an improved understanding of the influences that the microstructural fraction has on the global soil response (macro-level) is central to the development of a novel constitutive model capable to represent comprehensively these advanced features of soil behaviour. Full implementation of such constitutive model into a finite element formulation will provide a unique computational tool from where practitioners and researchers will be able to assess, in a unified manner, simple and advanced geotechnical engineering applications involving both saturated and unsaturated soil behaviour. Effectively, the use of a more reliable material representation in geotechnical designs, by means of the implemented model, will facilitate a safer construction and serviceability of civil infrastructures supported on the ground while potentially reducing associated costs. Fields of science engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringgeological engineeringengineering and technologycivil engineeringnatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changes Keywords unsaturated soils saturated soils mechanical behaviour water retention behaviour constitutive modelling coupling anisotropy irreversible swelling soil fabric microestructure finite element Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2015-EF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-EF) Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2015 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF) Coordinator UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW Net EU contribution € 183 454,80 Address UNIVERSITY AVENUE G12 8QQ Glasgow United Kingdom See on map Region Scotland West Central Scotland Glasgow City Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 183 454,80
