Application of Finite Element Analysis

in Geotechnical Engineering
By Amr Sallam, PhD, PE, Nodarse & Associates Inc.

The finite element analysis (FEA) is in producing stiffness and strength the amount of assumptions/
a numerical technique for finding visualizations and also in minimizing idealization in both soil properties/
approximate solutions of partial weight, materials, and costs. FEA has behavior, subsoil layering
differential equations (PDE) and been used in structural engineering systems, and loading and
integral equations. The FEA originated since the 1980s, and FEA packages boundary conditions.
due to the need to solve complex are available and are being used by
elasticity and plasticity problems in structural engineers on a daily basis. While FEA has been used in many
civil and aeronautical engineering. Its fields of engineering for over thirty
development can be traced back to the
How About years, it recently has begun to be
Geotechnical Engineering? widely used for analyzing geotechnical
work by Alexander Hrennikoff (1941) Geotechnical calculations usually
and Richard Courant (1942). By the problems. This is probably because
involve stress-strain/load-deformation, of many complex issues specific to
late 1950s, the key concepts of stiffness time dependent deformations,
matrix and element assembly existed geotechnical engineering, which have
water-soil interaction, soil-structure only been resolved relatively recently.
essentially in the form used today. interaction, etc. There are few
NASA issued a request for proposals for approaches to performing In order to perform useful geotechnical
the development of the finite element such calculations: finite element analysis, an engineer
software NASTRAN in 1965. The • Closed-form solutions with requires a sound understanding and
method was provided with a rigorous mathematical basis, also called solid background of soil mechanics
mathematical foundation in 1973, and classical solutions. These usually and finite element theory, an in-depth
has since been generalized into a branch require some kind of idealization or understanding and appreciation of the
of applied mathematics for numerical assumptions to be able to describe limitations of the various constitutive
modeling of physical systems in a wide the phenomena under investigation soil models, full understanding of
variety of engineering disciplines. using a set of mathematical how the software they are using
This powerful design tool has equations. The pioneer Terzaghi’s works, and enough experience to
significantly improved both the one dimensional consolidation judge the outcomes of the analysis.
standard of engineering designs and theory is an example of this Unfortunately, it is not easy for
the methodology of the design process. category. geotechnical engineers to gain all these
FEA allows detailed visualization of • Empirical solutions, which are skills. It may not be surprising that
where structures bend or twist, and usually performance-based. many engineers, who carry out such
indicates the distribution of stresses and Empirical solutions require analyses, are not aware of the potential
displacements. FEA software packages accumulating a large amount of restrictions and pitfalls involved.
provide a wide range of simulation field measurements/monitoring and Basically, using FEA software as a
options for controlling the complexity the corresponding laboratory results black-box will almost certainly result in
of both modeling and analysis of a and design methodology. These wrong predictions.
system. solutions are usually dependent Typical Applications of FEA
on the geographic location and in Geotechnical Problems
A variety of specializations under the local practice. FEA may be utilized in almost every
umbrella of the mechanical engineering • Numerical solutions such as FEA, aspect of geotechnical engineering
discipline commonly use integrated which are substantially growing such as:
FEA in design and development in the field of geotechnical • Initial, time dependent,
of their products. In a structural engineering. They enable the consolidation, and secondary
simulation, FEA helps tremendously geotechnical engineer to minimize Continued on Page 30

www.fleng.org Florida Engineering society Journal • May 2009 29

Application of Finite Element Analysis in Geotechnical Engineering Continued
settlement predictions Modeling Soil Behavior
• Bearing capacity of shallow footings Using Constitutive Models
and mat foundations Few soil constitutive models are
• Analysis of axially and laterally available in most FEA packages:
loaded single vertical, battered pile, • Linear Elastic model (LE): The
pile groups, and drilled shafts LE model applies Hooke’s law of
• Staged construction of isotropic linear elasticity. It requires
embankments for highways and two elastic parameters E and n. It
railroads is very limited for simulation of soil
• Deep excavations in several stages. behavior. An LE model is primarily
• Analysis and design of earth used for stiff structural elements
Complicated 3D geometry modeled using FEA. embedded in soils.
retaining structures such as one or
more tiers sheet pile walls, retaining • Mohr-Coulomb model (MC): It is
walls, and MSE walls an elastic-plastic model. Five inputs
• Global slope stability for (E and n for elasticity, c and j
complicated geometries for plasticity, and y for dilatancy)
• Tunnel and mine construction are needed. It is a first-order
approximation. The soil average
stiffness is constant. Computation
time is fast.
• Hardening Soil model (HS): It is an
advanced model that is considered
a second order approximation.
Global slope stability analysis of pile-supported Limiting states of stress are defined
embankment using FEA
Complicated subsoil layering system integrated by c, j, and y. Soil stiffness is
with two tunnels stress dependent. Stiffness is defined
by triaxial loading stiffness E50,
Analysis Dimensions triaxial unloading stiffness Eur, and
FEA of geotechnical problems is usually oedometer stiffness Eoed. It can
performed utilizing: model sand and gravels and softer
• Plane Strain 2D Analysis: one soils like silt and clay.
Vertical settlement contours for shallow
dimension is very large compared • Modified Cam Clay model (MCC):
foundations alternative – Orlando Event Center with the other two. Hence, loads It is a simple critical state model
and boundary conditions are that can be used to model the
What are the Strong independent of the large dimension. behavior of near NC soft soils
Features of FEA? Displacements in the long • Soft Soil model (SS): It is a Cam
• Virtually any shape (2D, 3D) can direction are considered to be zero. clay type model that can be used
be modeled Applications include continuous to model the behavior of soft soils
• Slender structural and geotechnical strip footings, long straight dikes like NC clays and peat. It performs
members such as springs, struts, and embankments, and long best in situations of primary
beams, plates, shells, geogrids, wells, straight tunnels and mines. consolidation.
etc., can be modeled • Axisymmetric 2D Analysis: • Soft Soil Creep model (SSC): It is
• Special element to model piles Geometry, boundary conditions a second order model formulated
• Various analysis types such as and initial stresses have a in the framework of viscoplasticity
plastic analysis, seepage analysis rotational symmetry around a that can be used to model the time-
(steady state and transient), Stress- central axis. Displacements in dependent behavior of soft soils
seepage semi-coupled analysis, the circumferential direction are like NC clays and peat. It performs
Consolidation analysis (fully considered to be zero. Applications best in situations of primary and
coupled), Slope stability by c-_ include circular footings and tanks, secondary consolidation.
reduction method, and Dynamic cylindrical triaxial cell specimens, • User-defined models: It is possible
analysis are available single pile, vertical well. for the user of most FEA software
• Advanced non-linear soil models • 3D Analysis: All other cases that packages to use other constitutive
such as Mohr Coulomb, Modified do not fall under plain strain and models than the standard models
Mohr Coulomb, Modified Cam Axisymmetric models such as 3D provided.
Clay, Strain Hardening, Strain geometry, out-of-plane loading on
Softening, Soft Soil Creep, Soft Soil, 2D geometry. Typical examples
and Linear Elastic are available include interactions of pad footings,
mat foundation, piled raft, lateral
loaded pile and pile groups, inclined
piles or groups of piles, tunnel
intersections.

30 Florida Engineering society Journal • May 2009 www.fleng.org

 C hart 2

Δσvert
Displacement [ ft]
0
Point B

-0.1

-0.2

-0.3

-0.4

-0.5

-0.6
0 200 400 600 800 1e3
Time [day]

εvert Settlement versus time.

Deviator stress-vertical strain during triaxial This case study, and a multitude of
compression test.
others, show that FEA can be a useful
tool in the geotechnical field, much as
Lake Jessup Embankment: it has been in many other engineering
Case History Deformed mesh and settlement contours of the fields. Utilizing FEA for geotechnical
This case history involves building a 3- final stage of embankment construction. engineering results in an optimum
stage embankment close to Lake Jessup design and the most economical
in Seminole County, Florida as part of solution. n
SR 46 in the Lake Jessup Design-Build
About the Author:
Project. The maximum height of the Amr Sallam, PhD, PE
embankment was 24.55 feet and the is Deputy Director of
embankment was to be constructed in Geotechnical Services with
three stages: Nodarse & Associates Inc.
• A 7.4 feet high earth embankment and an adjunct professor of
with a 2:1 slope, which would take Geotechnical Engineering
approximately one month to build. at the University of Central
Florida. He is currently the
• A 16.4 feet high MSE wall, which chairman of the geotechnical group of ASCE
would take approximately three ECB. Dr. Sallam’s expertise include finite
months to build. element analysis, discrete element modeling,
• A four feet high earth embankment shallow and deep foundations, and earth
with a 2:1 slope, which would take Settlement countours of the final stage retaining structures.
approximately one month to build. of embankment construction.

The performed site explorations and A total of eight settlement plates

laboratory tests showed two clayey were installed to monitor the field
settlement. Readings were taken by a FES Calendar of Events
strata of eleven feet (between depths
one and twelve feet from grade) and professional surveyor and provided to
May
ten feet (between depths of 14 and 24 us. Time-settlement curves were plotted
Apr 30-May 1
feet from grade). FEA was performed for the individual settlement plates as
GMEC Conference,
using the software package “PLAXIS,” well as for the average readings. After Orlando
which enabled us to accurately model 222 days, which included about 180 20-21 FICE/FDOT Consultants’
the subsoil layering system. The soft days of construction, total average Conference, Orlando
soil creep model was used in the settlements in the order of nine inches 28-29 Mutual Gains Negotiations,
analysis of the clay layers in order were recorded, which was consistent Ocoee
to capture time dependent and long with the predicted settlement using
term creep settlement, which were FEA. The last three readings at 190, June
crucial for this project. The three 205, and 222 days showed that the 3-4 FES/FDEP Water Facility
construction stages were modeled with rates of settlement has decreased State Revolving Fund (SRF)
the corresponding construction time. substantially; hence, the settlement Workshop , Amelia Island
The use of the consolidation module monitoring program was terminated. 4-6 Florida Engineering Leadership
of PLAXIS enabled us to capture the However, minor secondary settlement Institute, Session V, Miami
excess pore water pressure dissipation may still occur in the future. 5-6 FES Leadership Conference,
during construction as well as during C hart 1
Captiva Island
5-6 FICE Leadership Conference,
Pore pr essure [lb/ft2]

the time the embankment was left

0
Point C

in place. The soft soil creep model -50

Captiva Island
provided a stable solution for the pore 9-10 Mutual Gains Negotiations,
water pressure dissipation throughout
-100
Bartow
the 75 years’ lifetime estimated for this -150

July
project. -200
21-22 Mutual Gains Negotiations,
-250
0 200 400 600 800 1e3
Tampa
Time [day]

22-24 FICE Advanced Work Zone

Excess pore water pressure
Traffic Control, Tampa
versus time.

www.fleng.org Florida Engineering society Journal • May 2009 31