Introduction to hypoplasticity (GeoMath1)

Rational mechanics offers a tool to objectively describe the mechanical behaviour of granular materials by means of non-linear tensorial functions. This new framework is called hypoplasticity and is characterized by the simplicity of the mathematical formulations. The stress dependency of incremental stiffness, yield, loading-unloading hysteresis and dilatancy-contractancy are included. One of the features of hypoplasticity is that yield is a natural outcome of the theory and needs not be calibrated a priori. Also loss of uniqueness and localization of deformation are realistically predicted by hypoplasticity.