The geotechnical literature is not exempt from oxymorons. For example, analytical solutions for interparticle contact clearly show that soils and all particulate materials are inherently non-linear -Hertz theoryand non-elastic -Mindlin’s theory (See Richart, Hall and Woods, 1970; Cascante and Santamarina, 1996). Yet, “linearelastic soil behavior” is a common expression. In most cases it refers ...