Rigorous numerical analysis of cylindrical cavity expansion in sands based on SMP criterion

Considering the effect of intermediate principal stress on material strength, spatial mobilization plane (SMP) theory is applied. Rowe flow rule and stress-dilatancy relationship simplified by Bolton combing the similar numerical process as described by Salgado et al. (2001) are used to analyze the cylindrical cavity expansion. By a series of comparison, the effects of intermediate principal stress, soil initial state and critical friction angle on limit pressure, plastic radius, and void ratio are examined. The results indicate that the intermediate principal stress will play an important role in the cavity expansion behavior including limit cavity pressure, plastic radius and dilatancy surrounding the cavity; the solution based on Mohr-Coulomb criterion is often conservative.