Aim of this book is to present to researchers and engineers a description of the present knowledge on the viscoplasticity of geomaterials, considering the experimental and theoretical aspects and the applications to relevant problems. First, the laboratory tests performed in order to quantitatively assess the theological properties of rocks are illustrated, describing the equipments used in modern rock mechanics laboratories and the proper testing procedures. Part of the presentation is devoted to the description of constitutive creep laws having different degrees of accuracy and complexity. The book covers also problems related to the application of numerical solution procedures to rock/soil mechanics situations in which the slow deformation of geomaterials is to be taken into account.

This book presents the basic theories of Plastic Mechanics of Geomaterial, including the static and dynamic mechanical properties, nonlinear and classical plastic theory, yield surface theory, hardening model, flow rule and loading–unloading criterion, the calculation theory of principal stress axe rotation, and limit analysis of geomaterial and the latest advances in FEM limit analysis. It also set forth the typical static and dynamic constitutive model of geomaterial in detail. Broadening our understanding of the basic mechanical properties and constitutive model for geomaterial, the book helps readers to establish and select the most appropriate constitutive model according to the specific engineering problems and geomaterial characteristics. This book is a valuable resource for designers and researchers in fields related to geotechnical engineering, and it can also be used as a textbook for graduate courses.

Solutions for soil engineering and soil-structure interaction problems need realistic and pertinent experimental and modelling tools. In this work, extensive developments proposed by the invited speakers of the Lyon International Symposium held in September 2003 are presented, including experimental investigations into deformation properties; laboratory, in-situ and field observation interpretations; behaviour characterisation and modelling; and case histories. The contributions include recent investigations into anisotropy and non-linearity, the effects of stress-strain-time history, ageing and time effects, yielding, failure and flow, cyclic and dynamic behaviour. In addition, advanced geotechnical testing is applied to real engineering problems, and to ways of synthesising information from a range of sources while engaging in practical site characterisation studies.

In the past fifteen years experimental and theoretical characterisation of the pre-failure deformation properties of geomaterials has developed enormously. In recognition of these important research developments a Geotechnique Symposium in Print (SIP) was held at the Institution of Civil Engineers in 1997. This volume brings together the nineteen Geotechnique SIP papers which summarise the recent developments in measuring and understanding the pre-failure stress-strain-time properties of natural soils, and apply this information to practical engineering problems.

In this volume a number of developments on a variety of topics have been reported. These topics include: partially saturated soil; instabilities in soil behaviour; environmental geomechanics; parallel computing; and applications to tunnels, embankments, slopes, foundations and anchors.