Assessment of volumetric collapse using probabilistic approach

In the last years, considerable advances have been done in modelling unsaturated soils. Several different approaches have been proposed which include conventional elastoplastic models (e.g. Barcelona Basic Model-BBM), and more complex ones, (e.g. coupling hydraulic and mechanical behavior). However few improvements were done in relation to the process of parameter calibration in these models. Moreover, there are some imprecision on the process of sampling, which also add an error in the calibration process. The result of this error (or imprecision) introduced during the process of achieving parameters can be evaluated through probabilistic methods which has been developed during the last years. In this work three probabilistic methods are applied to evaluate the importance of each parameter of Barcelona Basic Model on the volumetric collapse. Every probabilistic method has a specific function, where Monte Carlo Method (MCM) was used to define variability of parameters when the probabilistic distributions are not known. Another method that is presented is the First Order Second Moment (FOSM) which was used to calculate the contribution of each BBM parameter on the shape of yield curve. Finally, Point-Estimate Method was used to evaluate the mean and standard deviation of volumetric collapse.