Analyses of Progressive Failure and Scale Effect using Finite Element Analyses

Trap-door problems with dry sand (II)

Abstract

In this investigation, the evaluations of progressive failure and scale effect of trap-door problems were presented, by comparing the experimental results with elasto-plastic finite element analyses with a strain-softening constitutive model including a shear band. The evaluations were performed in passive and active mode. The elasto-plastic finite element analyses had good agreement with the distribution of stress on a trap-door and shear band development observed by experiment. The scale effect of trap-door problems was also recognized by the analyses on passive mode but not recognized in active mode in the same manner as the experiment.