Generalised Tresca criterion for undrained total stress analysis

A new failure criterion, the generalised Tresca criterion, for undrained total stress analysis is presented. The criterion is consistent with an underlying effective stress Mohr–Coulomb model. It involves two parameters: the undrained shear strengths in triaxial compression and extension. As such, the model predicts different strengths in compression and extension without introducing any physical anisotropy due to layering, direction of deposition and so on. The model is applied to a number of boundary value problems, where the effects of an extension/compression shear strength ratio less than unity generally turns out to be relatively moderate.