A new journal article co-authored by Zhichao Zhang and Professor Kenichi Soga presents a micromechanics-inspired thermodynamic constitutive model for fluid-saturated granular materials subjected to complex loading. The study offers a novel approach to predicting material responses under multidirectional cyclic shearing by integrating thermodynamic consistency with micromechanical behavior.
This work advances the understanding of granular materials under varying stress paths and loading histories, especially relevant for geotechnical systems exposed to dynamic environmental or operational forces. The model provides a robust framework for simulating coupled mechanical and hydraulic behavior in saturated soils and granular assemblies.
📄 The article is published in Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022509625001462
📄 This study builds on their earlier work published in Journal of Engineering Mechanics:
https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)EM.1943-7889.0002025