ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the analytical solution to the DSSM model and the DSSM model itself to study strain-rate effects in soils. Strain-rate dependence of the stresses prior to plastic deformation would in turn be due to any dependence of the static coefficient of friction on the rate of application of stresses or due to the soil behaving as a viscoelastic solid. Even though the stress-strain curves appear linear, the damage to the soil structure that has already occurred ensures that the soil will not return to its original state on unloading, i.e., even in this early region of the curve, plastic deformation has begun. Analysis in the context of DSSM suggests that plastic deformation dominates from almost the very start of shear and strain-rate effects are due primarily to dependence of the static and dynamic coefficients of friction on strain-rate.
