Role of anisotropy in the elastoplastic response of a polygonal packing.

We study the effect of the anisotropy induced by loading on the elastoplastic response of a two dimensional discrete element model granular material. The anisotropy of the contact network leads to a breakdown of the linear isotropic elasticity. We report on a linear dependence of the Young moduli and Poisson ratios on the fabric coefficients, measuring the anisotropy of the contact network. The resulting nonassociated plastic flow rule and the linear relationship between dilatancy and stress ratio are discussed in terms of several existing models. We propose a paradigm for understanding soil plasticity, based on the correlation between the plastic flow rule and the induced anisotropy on the subnetwork of sliding contacts.