Parameter identification for constitutive models based on pressuremeter test

The application of numerical methods for performing SLS and ULS design of complex geotechnical structures requires the usage of appropriate advanced constitutive models. Determination of input parameters for these models becomes a key aspect. The logical choice of parameter determination based on laboratory experiments may suffer from effects of sample disturbance and therefore the in-situ behaviour may not be captured with sufficient confidence. Alternatively, in-situ measurements such as CPT or pressuremeter test provide information of the in-situ behaviour but this approach has the disadvantage that parameters cannot be directly identified. Therefore, the in-situ test has to be modelled as a boundary value problem and parameter identification has to be based by applying appropriate parameter identification procedures or by simple curve fitting approaches. In this paper pressuremeter tests are numerical simulated and parameters for the well-known Plaxis Hardening Soil Small model are derived based on these analyses. The authors believe that this is a promising way forward for obtaining realistic input parameters for advanced constitutive models and thus improve the prediction capabilities of numerical methods in geotechnical engineering.