Cam-clay approach to modelling pre-failure behaviour of sand against experimental data

The aim of this paper is to compare pre-failure deformations of sand, obtained from a Cam-clay type elastic-plastic model, with experimental data. The experiments were performed in a modern triaxial apparatus, enabling local measurement of both vertical and lateral strains. The experimental programme is briefly described, then a slightly modified, Cam-clay type, elastic-plastic model of sand is presented. Predictions of this model, for different stress paths, are compared with respective experimental results, then extensive discussion of basic problems connected with elasto-plastic modelling of sand is presented. The aim of the discussion is to display some shortcomings of this type of modelling.