Rate Effects in the Superior Sand Model

This paper aims at analyzing the response of the elasto-viscoplastic model Superior sand proposed by Boukpeti et al. for describing rate effects in undrained loading of loosely-packed granular deposits. The equations governing the model in triaxial compression are solved for three loading histories: constant strain rate, constant stress rate, and creep. The resulting stress-strain-time curves are discussed in the light of material instability states in relation to static liquefaction. It is shown that the classical second-order work rate instability criterion is no longer valid, and a new criterion based on the deformation acceleration is presented.