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Symmetry
Volume 18
Issue 2
10.3390/sym18020215
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

A Robust Constitutive Model for Clays over a Wide Range of Plasticity and Overconsolidation Ratio (OCR) with Symmetric, Continuous Curvature Control of a Teardrop Yield Surface

by
Thammanun Chatwong
1,
Nopanom Kaewhanam
1,*,
Siwa Kaewplang
1,
Nopakun Phonchamni
1,
Sudsakorn Inthidech
2,
Apichit Kampala
3 and
Sivarit Sultornsanee
4
1
Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham 44150, Thailand
2
Department of Manufacturing Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham 44150, Thailand
3
Department of Transportation, Faculty of Railway Systems and Transportation, Rajamangala University of Technology Isan, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand
4
College of Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Symmetry 2026, 18(2), 215; https://doi.org/10.3390/sym18020215
Submission received: 19 December 2025 / Revised: 20 January 2026 / Accepted: 21 January 2026 / Published: 23 January 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geotechnical and Geological Engineering with Emphasis on Symmetry: Methods, Theories, and Applications)
Versions Notes

Abstract

This study addresses a key limitation of conventional clay constitutive models, which often assume linear stress paths at low stress ratios and lack a systematic link between plasticity and yield surface shape. A symmetry-consistent bounding surface plasticity framework is proposed, introducing two shape parameters, Ψ and Ω, to control curvature and scaling of the yield surface under low stress ratios. The formulation preserves a unified, smooth yield function with continuous gradients, ensuring compatibility with standard numerical integration schemes. To enhance practical applicability, a three-level calibration strategy is established, ranging from direct triaxial interpretation to empirical correlations based on oedometer-derived indices. Model performance is validated against experimental data for clays with varying plasticity, demonstrating improved representation of curved stress paths without increasing formulation complexity. The proposed approach provides a transparent and reproducible extension to existing frameworks, bridging the gap between theoretical consistency and engineering-oriented calibration.
Keywords: symmetric; yield function; bounding surface; constitutive model; high-plasticity clay; low-plasticity clay; over consolidated clay; normally consolidated clay symmetric; yield function; bounding surface; constitutive model; high-plasticity clay; low-plasticity clay; over consolidated clay; normally consolidated clay

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MDPI and ACS Style

Chatwong, T.; Kaewhanam, N.; Kaewplang, S.; Phonchamni, N.; Inthidech, S.; Kampala, A.; Sultornsanee, S. A Robust Constitutive Model for Clays over a Wide Range of Plasticity and Overconsolidation Ratio (OCR) with Symmetric, Continuous Curvature Control of a Teardrop Yield Surface. Symmetry 2026, 18, 215. https://doi.org/10.3390/sym18020215

AMA Style

Chatwong T, Kaewhanam N, Kaewplang S, Phonchamni N, Inthidech S, Kampala A, Sultornsanee S. A Robust Constitutive Model for Clays over a Wide Range of Plasticity and Overconsolidation Ratio (OCR) with Symmetric, Continuous Curvature Control of a Teardrop Yield Surface. Symmetry. 2026; 18(2):215. https://doi.org/10.3390/sym18020215

Chicago/Turabian Style

Chatwong, Thammanun, Nopanom Kaewhanam, Siwa Kaewplang, Nopakun Phonchamni, Sudsakorn Inthidech, Apichit Kampala, and Sivarit Sultornsanee. 2026. "A Robust Constitutive Model for Clays over a Wide Range of Plasticity and Overconsolidation Ratio (OCR) with Symmetric, Continuous Curvature Control of a Teardrop Yield Surface" Symmetry 18, no. 2: 215. https://doi.org/10.3390/sym18020215

APA Style

Chatwong, T., Kaewhanam, N., Kaewplang, S., Phonchamni, N., Inthidech, S., Kampala, A., & Sultornsanee, S. (2026). A Robust Constitutive Model for Clays over a Wide Range of Plasticity and Overconsolidation Ratio (OCR) with Symmetric, Continuous Curvature Control of a Teardrop Yield Surface. Symmetry, 18(2), 215. https://doi.org/10.3390/sym18020215

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