Before the development of electronic computers, it was not feasible to perform analyses of stresses in soil masses for other than assumed linear elastic soil behavior. Now, however, due to the availability of high-speed computers and powerful numerical analytical techniques such as the finite element method developed by Clough (4), it is possible to approximate nonlinear, inelastic soil behavior in stress analyses. In order to perform nonlinear stress-strain behavior of the soil in quantitative terms, and to develop techniques for incorporating this behavior in the analyses. A simplified, practical nonlinear stress-strain relationship for soils which is convenient for use with the finite element method of analysis is described herein, examples of this use are shown. Two of the parameters involved in this relationship are c and o, the Mohr-Coulomb strength parameters. The other four parameters involved in the proposed relationship may be evaluated easily using the stress-strain curves of the same tests used to determine the values of c and o.
