This paper uses 3D numerical analyses to investigate the stress path experienced by soil elements around large diameter piles in sand subjected to monotonic drained lateral loading. Inspection of the loading-induced stresses in the soil revealed the multiaxial nature of these stress paths, which are characterised by rotation of one or more principal stress axes. Based on the outcome of the finite element analyses, typical stress paths for different soil elements around the piles are extracted. Such stress paths are then evaluated against those enabled by conventional and advanced laboratory soil element testing. It is found that a combination of tests in the Hollow Cylinder Torsional Apparatus (HCTA) can reproduce most features of the numerically identified stress paths for soil elements around the pile. Unavoidable limitations in laboratory testing are discussed as well as the major challenge in replicating the loading direction with respect to the material axes. Some guidance for the experimental implementation of these stress paths in the HCTA are provided as well as a discussion on the use of conventional experimental equipment, such as the conventional triaxial or simple shear apparatus.@en

Based on advanced 3D finite element modelling, this paper analyses the stress paths experienced by soil elements in the vicinity of a monopile foundation for offshore wind turbines subjected to cyclic loading with the aim of informing soil laboratory testing in support of monopile foundation design. It is shown that the soil elements in front of the laterally loaded monopile are subjected to complex stress variations, which gradually evolve towards steady stress cycles as the cyclic lateral pile loading proceeds. The amplitude, direction and average value of such steady stress cycles are dependent on the depth and radial distance from the pile of the soil element, but it also invariably involves the cyclic rotation of principal stress axes. Complementary laboratory testing using the hollow-cylinder torsional apparatus was carried out on granular soil samples imposing cyclic stress paths (with up to about 3 × 104 cycles) which resemble those determined after 3D finite element analysis. The importance of considering the cyclic rotation of principal stress axes when investigating the response of soil elements under stress conditions mimicking those around a monopile foundation subjected to cyclic lateral loading is emphasised.@en

This work presents a critical state plasticity model for predicting the response of sands to cyclic loading. The well-known bounding surface SANISAND framework by Dafalias and Manzari is enhanced with a memory surface to capture micromechanical, fabric-related processes directly affecting cyclic sand behavior. The resulting model, SANISAND-MS, was recently proposed by Liu et al. and successfully applied to the simulation of drained sand ratcheting under thousands of loading cycles. Herein, novel ingredients are embedded into Liu et al.’s formulation to better capture the effects of fabric evolution history on sand stiffness and dilatancy. The new features enable remarkable accuracy in simulating undrained pore pressure buildup and cyclic mobility behavior in medium-dense to dense sand. The performance of the upgraded SANISAND-MS is validated against experimental test results from the literature—including undrained cyclic triaxial tests at varying cyclic loading conditions and precyclic consolidation histories. The proposed modeling platform will positively impact the study of relevant cyclic and dynamic problems, for instance, in the fields of earthquake and offshore geotechnics.@en