Thermomechanical Model for Saturated Clay

This study presents a theoretical model for simulating the thermomechanical behavior of clay influenced by its overconsolidation ratio (OCR). Unlike conventional empirical models that use empirical thermomechanical boundary surface and additional internal yield surface, this approach derives thermomechanical yield boundary from the plastic volumetric strain caused by temperature increases. A new thermomechanical yield function is established based on the linear relationship between total and plastic deformation during heating, and the concept of a zero thermal plastic strain at reference temperature is introduced to enhance model accuracy and efficiency. The resulting stress–strain relationship is derived and integrated into numerical analysis programs, providing a robust alternative for predicting the volumetric behavior of clay with varying OCR during heating and cooling cycles.