A series of numerical simulations of conventional and true triaxial tests for soft rock materials using the three-dimensional finite difference code FLAC3D were presented. A hexahedral element and a strain hardening/softening constitutive model based on the unified strength theory(UST) were used to simulate both the consolidated-undrained(CU) triaxial and the consolidated-drained(CD) true triaxial tests. Based on the results of the true triaxial tests simulation, the effect of the intermediate principal stress on the strength of soft rock was investigated. Finally, an example of an axial compression test for a hard rock pillar with a soft rock interlayer was analyzed using the two-dimensional finite difference code FLAC. The CD true triaxial test simulations for diatomaceous soft rock suggest the peak and residual strengths increase by 30% when the effect of the intermediate principal stress is taken into account. The axial compression for a rock pillar indicated the peak and residual strengths increase six-fold when the soft rock interlayer approached the vertical and the effect of the intermediate principal stress is taken into account.
Two elastoplastic constitutive models based on the unified strength the- ory （UST） are established and implemented in an explicit finite difference code, fast Lagrangian analysis of continua （FLAC/FLAC3D）, which includes an associated/non- associated flow rule, strain-hardening/softening, and solutions of singularities. Those two constitutive models are appropriate for metallic and strength-different （SD） materials, respectively. Two verification examples are used to compare the computation results and test data using the two-dimensional finite difference code FLAC and the finite element code ANSYS, and the two constitutive models proposed in this paper are verified. Two application examples, the large deformation of a prismatic bar and the strain-softening be- havior of soft rock under a complex stress state, are analyzed using the three-dimensional code FLAC3D. The two new elastoplastic constitutive models proposed in this paper can be used in bearing capacity evaluation or stability analysis of structures built of metallic or SD materials. The effect of the intermediate principal stress on metallic or SD mate- rial structures under complex stress states, including large deformation, three-dimensional and non-association problems, can be analyzed easily using the two constitutive models proposed in this paper.
