Based on three dimensional (3D) Discrete Element Method (DEM), the paper presents simulation results of undrained tests on loose assemblies of polydisperse spheres under axisymmetric compression and plane strain conditions using a periodic cell. In the present work, undrained tests were modelled by deforming the samples under constant volume conditions. The undrained (effective) stress paths are shown to be qualitatively similar to experimental results in literature. A microscopic parameter in terms of redundancy factor (RF) is used to identify the onset of liquefaction (or temporary liquefaction), with the condition of RF equal to unity defining the transition from 'solid-like' to 'liquid-like' behaviour. It is found that the undrained behaviour is governed by the evolution of redundancy factor under both undrained axisymmetric compression and plane strain conditions, and a reversal of deviatoric stress in stress path for medium loose systems occurs due to the fact that the system becomes a structural mechanism (RF<1) transiently at the microscopic level during the evolution.
