Description of soil anisotropy based on multi‐laminate framework

Abstract In this paper, a description of inherent anisotropy of soil, based on multi‐laminate framework, is presented. The problem is formulated by assuming that the conditions at failure are governed by Coulomb criterion in which both the cohesion and the angle of internal friction are functions of the orientation of the sample. The distribution of these parameters is described by employing a set of symmetric second‐order tensors. The formulation of the problem is illustrated by some numerical examples. In particular, the directional dependence of the strength characteristics is examined for samples subjected to both plane strain and triaxial compression. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.