ABSTRACT
The paper deals with the capability of Material Point Method (MPM) in simulating retrogressive failure in a case of very loose coarse-grained material. A well documented reduced-size slope experimental test taken from literature is used. The case study clearly shows the onset of static liquefaction, a retrogressive failure and rapid flow-like motion with a flat final ground surface. A hypoplastic constitutive model is used to simulate the liquefiable behaviour of the material. The results of the numerical analyses are in appropriate agreement with the experimental evidence, and also allow some general considerations about the capabilities of using MPM combined with advanced constitutive models to simulate a complex physical process.
