I have a question about the initialization of the principal stresses in a plastic-hardening model.
According to the manual these must be entered by command or by fish.
My question is focused on the fact that this initialization is usualy done as the first step of the modeling.
But what recommendations are made for models that include embankments (fills), how is this initialization of stresses done? or what value do the principal stresses take by default in the PH model?
In general, stress initialisation is done using a mohr-coulomb model. Once the model in equilibrium, you can then switch to PH (whose strength criterion is also based on the MC criterion → the stresses developed in the zones during the mohr-coulomb phase are compatible with the new PH model). You can thus recover principal stress in zone and assign them as properties for the PH model (see as an example the file “initialize.dat” in the example application “bracedexcavation”).
On a similar topic, I often see reference to initializing static stresses elastically before switching to mohr-coulomb. I’m wondering if anyone knows the rationale behind that approach as opposed to initializing stresses using the mohr-coulomb model in one step?