| Abstract: | This paper deals with the problem of T‐bar penetration. New kinematically admissible velocity fields are derived from elastic solutions of incompressible material using Airy stress function. These velocity fields are used to obtain upper bounds to collapse loads. Two particular solutions are presented, one for a rough contact surface between the T‐bar and soil and the other for a smooth contact surface. The merit of the solutions is that within the boundaries of the velocity field, the soil is required to shear compatibly and continuously. Therefore, these solutions can easily be combined with the strain path method to estimate rate and softening effects. Analysis including consideration of strain rate effect showed that the new mechanisms predict, under certain conditions, lower values than previously published upper bound solutions. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
