Study on transforming of principal stresses in constant stress ratio plane strain tests

Plane strain state is familiar in geotechnical engineering, and estimating the principal stress in the plane strain state is very complicated. Based on the results of constant stress ratio plane strain tests, an interesting conclusion is drawn that the principal stress in the direction in which the principal strain keeps zero may be major principal stress, intermediate principal stress or minor principal stress. By using the tangent Poisson's ratio obtained from constant stress ratio triaxial compression tests, the behavior that the principal stress in zero strain direction transforms in constant stress ratio plane strain tests could be predicted. This conclusion is meaningful for analyzing some problems during engineering practice.