Compacted bentonite hydro-mechanical modelling when interaggregate porosity tends to zero

Abstract A formulation is proposed for reproducing the hydro-mechanical behaviour of compacted bentonites as interaggregate porosity becomes negligible. In that case, model assumes bentonite deformability to be controlled only by microstructural modelling level in a double approach. Hence, bulk stiffness system defined relationship between void ratio and thermodynamic swelling pressure, requiring no additional parameters simulate overall behaviour. An experimental study has been conducted check conceptual consistency formulation, with favourable results. The quantitative potential also satisfactorily verified numerical simulation tests carried out this study. displacement-based finite-element developed systems modified run simulations. implemented using simple strategy can easily replicated similar models. Both capabilities computational cost efficiency confirm its practical interest.