On shakedown analysis in hardening plasticity

Abstract The extension of classical shakedown theorems for hardening plasticity is interesting from both theoretical and practical aspects of the theory of plasticity. This problem has been much discussed in the literature. In particular, the model of generalized standard materials gives a convenient framework to derive appropriate results for common models of plasticity with strain-hardening. This paper gives a comprehensive presentation of the subject, in particular, on general results which can be obtained in this framework. The extension of the static shakedown theorem to hardening plasticity is presented at first. It leads by min–max duality to the definition of dual static and kinematic safety coefficients in hardening plasticity. Dual static and kinematic approaches are discussed for common models of isotropic hardening of limited or unlimited kinematic hardening. The kinematic approach also suggests for these models the introduction of a relaxed kinematic coefficient following a method due to Koiter. Some models for soils such as the Cam-clay model are discussed in the same spirit for applications in geomechanics. In particular, new appropriate results concerning the variational expressions of the dual kinematic coefficients are obtained.