Implicit integrations in elastoplastic geotechnics

The paper presents the derivation of a fully implicit Newton algorithm for direct integration of constitutive equations, in extended stress-internal variable space, involving hardening or softening of a general dilatant isotropic elastoplastic geomaterial. All relevant derivatives are provided in tensor notation, thus facilitating implementation. The consistent, algorithmic tangent stiffness tensor is derived. The relative accuracy of a template algorithm is assessed on a number of examples by means of iso-error maps. We present a rather simple, one-increment example concerning convergence properties of the Newton iterative scheme at the global, finite element level, associated with the consistent tangent stiffness tensor for integrating the weak form of the equilibrium equations.