:

itech - 2011
12-16 Rue de Vincennes
93100 Montreuil
France
Tel : +33 1 48 70 47 41
Fax : +33 1 48 59 12 24
cesar-lcpc@itech-soft.com
www.cesar-lcpc.com

-1-
 Tutorial 12- CESAR-LCPC version 5

1. PREVIEW
The problem considered is the analysis of a pile group for a bridge foundation subjected to a vertical
and then to a horizontal load. This foundation will be simplified to a model including the column, the
pile cap and the piles.
The soil mass is simplified as a unique soil mass. The soil-pile interaction is modeled with interface
elements.

1.1. Tutorial objectives

- Use of 3D meshing (tetrahedron filling and extrusion).

- Use of safety factor procedures.
- Use of 3D post-processing tools.

1.2. Problem specifications

3D geometry

7.2 m

1.5 m

40 m 25 m

40 m

40 m

-3-
Tutorial 12 - CESAR-LCPC version 5

1.m
1.5 m
1m

2m R=1 m
1m

r=0.5 m 2m

Figure 1: Geometry definition

Materials

E c
(kN/m3) (MPa) (kPa) ()

Concrete 25 35000 0.2 - -

Silty clay 19 20 0.3 20 15

Boundary conditions and loading

- Standard boundary conditions are adopted: horizontal fixities on vertical planes, vertical fixities at
the base of the model.
- In first instance, a uniform vertical load of 0,4 MPa is applied on the foundation. Then a uniform
horizontal load of 0,4 MPa is applied.

1.3. Analysis steps

1. The TCNL module is used to model the elasto-plastic behaviour of the soil and the pile-soil
interaction
2. Initialise the stresses in the soil using the reduced density and K 0 =0.5.
3. Apply the loads in 4 steps.

-4-
 Tutorial 12- CESAR-LCPC version 5

2. 3D MESHING
Several methods are available in CESAR-LCPC. In the present tutorial, we will generate the volume
mesh:
- By filling volumes,
- By simple vertical extrusions, a simple plane geometry is required.

2.1. General settings

1. Run CLEO3D.
2. Set the units in the menu Preferences > Units.
3. In the tree, select the leaf General/Length and select the unit m in the bottom left combo
box.
4. In the tree, select the leaf Mechanic/Force and select the unit kN in the bottom left combo
box.
5. In the tree, select the leaf Mechanic/Displacement and select the unit mm.
6. Click on Validate to close.
7. Set the grid

When this set of units is defined, it can be fixed for the user environment in a future study. Use Save
as default.

2.2. 1st method: tetrahedron mesher

2.2.1 Geometry

CESAR-LCPC proposes a full set of CAD tools for a complete drawing of the 3D geometry (surfaces,
volumes, intersections).
With this method, we need to create the volume geometry.
We will start by importing a dxf file.

Drawing of the segments

Import of the dxf file:
1. Click on File>Import>Geometry
2. Select dxf as file extension
3. Browse and access to the folder \Tutorial12\
4. Select the file tutorial12.dxf.
5. Open.
6. A message box asks to validate the type of units. Validate the default one, click Yes.
7. Save the file as Tutorial12.cleo35.

Piles, pile cap and column

1. Select all the group of segments of the pile cap and the column.

2. Use Surface region: plane. The surface regions are generated.

-5-
Tutorial 12 - CESAR-LCPC version 5

3. Select these surfaces. For this selection, deactivate all ( )in the Selection toolbar and
activate Select surfaces.

4. Click on , the Extrusion feature.

- Type of operation: Translation
- Operation data: Vx = 0 ; Vy = 0 ; Vz = 1
- Add to the list of operations.
- Apply and Close.
5. Select the surface of the column base.

6. In the toolbox Extrusion, we define 1 extrusion:

- Translation (Vx = 0 ; Vy = 0 ; Vz = 7,2m).
- Click Preview in order to check the operation (see figure below).
- Apply.
7. Select the 4 surfaces of the piles section.

8. In the toolbox Extrusion, we define 1 extrusion:

- Translation (Vx = 0 ; Vy = 0 ; Vz = -25m).
- Click Preview in order to check the operation (see figure below).
- Apply.

Figure 2: Geometry after import of the dxf file and generation of the surfaces

Soil volume
For the soil, we define a cubic box with 40m as main dimension.
1. Select the 4 segments at the boundaries.

2. Use Surface region: plane. The surface region is generated.

-6-
 Tutorial 12- CESAR-LCPC version 5

3. Select this surface. In the toolbox Extrusion, we define 1 extrusion:

- Translation (Vx = 0 ; Vy = 0 ; Vz = -40m) ;
- Click Preview in order to check the operation.
- Apply.

Volumes intersection
2 distinct volumes set have been defined: volume of the soil and volumes of the piles and pile cap.
These volumes are intersecting at z = 0m. We will now generate their intersection.

1. Click on Partitions

2. Click on Solid/solid partition.

3. For this selection, deactivate all ( ) in the Selection toolbar and activate Select solids.
4. Select the volume of the soil. Define it as Cut objects using .
5. Select the volumes of the piles and the pile cap. Define them as Cutter objects using .

An easy way for this selection is to hide the soil volume.

6. Click on Apply.

2.2.2 Mesh generation

The method chosen for the 3D mesh generation is the extrusion one as far as the geometry of this
project is adequate. The extrusion is the easiest method to get a 3D mesh but as default, it generates a
high number of elements in areas where this density is not required.
Refer to Tutorials 11, 13 or 14 for other methods, including general volume meshing.

Density of meshing:
Mesh refinement is important nearby the areas where high level of strains is expected. This will lead to
more accurate results.

In the present tutorial, we will apply a density that is suitable for the analysis and that will lead to
reasonable computation times.

We will use a progressive density definition to generate a progressive evolution of size from small
segments in high strains areas (nearby the piles) to large segments on the boundary edges.

1. Go to the stage on the project flow bar to start the definition of divisions along edges.

2. Click on Fixed length density to divide this segment with a fixed length.
3. Select the segments inside the pile cap and on the column. Enter 0,5 m in the dialog box.
Apply.
4. Select the segments on the limits of the pile cap. Enter 1 m in the dialog box. Apply.
5. Finally select all the segments on the limits of the soil box. Enter 10m in the dialog box.
Apply.

6. Click on Constant density to divide this segment with a fixed number of cuts.
7. Select the segments of the piles shafts. Select 15 in the dialog box. Apply.
8. Close.

-7-
Tutorial 12 - CESAR-LCPC version 5

Figure 3: View of the segments and the defined density

Meshing:

CESAR-LCPC proposes 2 types of interpolation for finite elements: quadratic or linear. The quadratic
interpolation is required for all analyses with failure mechanisms, contact interactions

1. Select all the volumes.

2. Open the tool Volume meshing

- Select Linear interpolation as Interpolation type.
- Set Tetrahedron mesh as Mesh type.
- Set Density factor to 0,9. This factor reduces the number of elements drastically
but can generate inappropriate meshes (too coarse) if not controlled.
- Click on Validate.

CESAR-LCPC proposes 3 levels for the meshing procedure of external surfaces of the volume. It
enables to generate a coarse or dense mesh. The choice is made in Preferences>Program settings>
Mesh creating function: linear = coarse, cubic = dense.

Groups definition:
Now that all our volume element entities are created, we can manage them and group them by use,
material, order of appearance in the phased analysis.

1. Click on Make groups.

2. We group the column and the pile cap (same material properties). Select these volumes.
Enter Column+Pile cap as a name. Click on Apply.
3. Select the volumes corresponding to the piles. Enter Piles as a name. Click on Apply.
4. Select the volume corresponding to the soil mass. Enter Soil as a name. Click on Apply. (For
ease of this selection, user can select the clusters Column, Pile cap and Piles and hide them
using Hide selection).
A facultative step consists in affecting colours to these groups by using the pallet toolbar.

-8-
 Tutorial 12- CESAR-LCPC version 5

Interface elements generation

The interface elements are connecting the soil mass with the piles.
1. We first need to select the faces at the interface.
- For this selection, deactivate all ( )in the Selection toolbar and activate Select
element faces. In Selection options, click Select None then tick Facets by
angle.
- In Preferences > Accuracy, set the angle for selection to 90.
- Select the faces on the pile shaft. With previous setting, 1 click should be enough
per pile to select all the faces per pile.
- Select also the pile toe.

2. Click on Contact elements. Select Contact (12 or 16 nodes) elements. Apply.

3. Repeat this operation for each pile of make it for all at once.

Figure 4: View of the selected faces for interface elements generation

Verification of the mesh quality

1. Click on , Mesh information.

2. The toolbox displays the number of nodes and elements and the type of elements.
3. Click on Element quality check. The toolbox is updated. If elements are deformed with
wrong Jacobian, they appear in the toolbox.

-9-
Tutorial 12 - CESAR-LCPC version 5

Figure 5: Mesh views (quadratic elements)

2.3. 2nd method : extrusion

2.3.1 Geometry

CESAR-LCPC proposes a full set of CAD tools for a complete drawing of the 3D geometry (surfaces,
volumes, intersections).
In the present tutorial, as we will generate the volume mesh by simple vertical extrusions, a simple
plane geometry is required.
Therefore we will import a dxf file.

Drawing of the segments

Import of the dxf file:
1. Click on File>Import>Geometry
2. Select dxf as file extension
3. Browse and access to the folder \Tutorial12\
4. Select the file tutorial12.dxf.
5. Open.
6. A message box asks to validate the type of units. Validate the default one, click Yes.
7. Save the file as Tutorial12.cleo35.

- 10 -
 Tutorial 12- CESAR-LCPC version 5

Surfaces
1. Select all the segments previously generated.

2. Use Surface region: plane. The surface regions are generated.

These surfaces will be the support of the mesh generated by extrusion.

Figure 6: Geometry after import of the dxf file and generation of the surfaces

2.3.2 Mesh generation

The method chosen for the 3D mesh generation is the extrusion one as far as the geometry of this
project is adequate. The extrusion is the easiest method to get a 3D mesh but as default, it generates a
high number of elements in areas where this density is not required.
Refer to Tutorials 11, 13 or 14 for other methods, including general volume meshing.

Density of meshing:
Mesh refinement is important nearby the areas where high level of strains is expected. This will lead to
more accurate results.

In the present tutorial, we will apply a density that is suitable for the analysis and that will lead to
reasonable computation times.

We will use a progressive density definition to generate a progressive evolution of size from small
segments in high strains areas (nearby the piles) to large segments on the boundary edges.

1. Go to the stage on the project flow bar to start the definition of divisions along edges.

2. Click on Fixed length density to divide this segment with a fixed length.

- 11 -
Tutorial 12 - CESAR-LCPC version 5

3. Select the segments 1, 2, 3 and 4 on the limits. Enter 10 m in the dialog box. Apply.
4. Select the segments 5, 6, 7 and 8 on the limits. Enter 1 m in the dialog box. Apply.
5. Finally select all the segments inside the rectangle formed by segments 1 to 4. Enter 0,5 m in
the dialog box. Apply.
6. Close.

6
5

7
8
3

Figure 7: View of the segments and the defined density

Figure 8: View of the surface mesh

- 12 -
 Tutorial 12- CESAR-LCPC version 5

Meshing:

CESAR-LCPC proposes 2 types of interpolation for finite elements: quadratic or linear. The quadratic
interpolation is required for all analyses with failure mechanisms, contact interactions

1. Go to the stage Mesh.

2. Select all the surfaces.

3. Click on , Surface meshing. Chose Quadratic as interpolation type. Chose Triangle as

element type.
4. Click on Validate to generate the mesh.

CESAR-LCPC proposes 3 levels for the meshing procedure of external surfaces of the volume. It
enables to generate a coarse or dense mesh. The choice is made in Preferences>Program settings>
Mesh creating function: linear = coarse, cubic = dense.

Now that the surface mesh is completed, we can use it for generation the volume mesh by extrusion.
We start with the soil mass and the piles.

5. For the selection, deactivate all ( )in the Selection toolbar and activate Select element
faces. In Selection options, click Select None then tick Facets on face.
6. Select all the faces.

7. Activate Extrude. In this toolbox we define the type of extrusion Translation and the
number of elements in this translation. Simultaneously 2 extrusions are defined:
- Translation (Vx = 0 ; Vy = 0 ; Vz = -25m) ; Number of elements = 10; Step = 1. Add.
- Translation (Vx = 0 ; Vy = 0 ; Vz = -15m) ; Number of elements = 4 ; Step = 1,3. Add.
- Click Preview in order to check the operations (see figure below).
- Select Quadratic as Interpolation Type.
- Apply.

Figure 9: Preview before extrusion of the soil volume

- 13 -
Tutorial 12 - CESAR-LCPC version 5

We will now generate the pile cap and the column.

8. Select all the group of faces of the pile cap and the column.

9. In the toolbox Extrude, we define 1 extrusion:

- Translation (Vx = 0 ; Vy = 0 ; Vz = 1m) ; Number of elements = 2 ; Step = 1. Add.
- Click Preview in order to check the operation.
- Apply.
10. Select the group of faces of the column base.

11. In the toolbox Extrude, we define 1 extrusion:

- Translation (Vx = 0 ; Vy = 0 ; Vz = 7,2m) ; Number of elements = 5 ; Step = 1. Add.
- Click Preview in order to check the operation (see figure below).
- Apply.

Figure 10: Preview before extrusion of the column

Groups definition:
Now that all our volume element entities are created, we can manage them and group them by use,
material, order of appearance in the phased analysis.
First of all, we have to delete the surface mesh, support of our extrusion operations.
1. For the selection of this group of shells:
- Deactivate all ( ) in the Selection toolbar and activate Select mesh groups.
- In Selection options, tick Surface elements.

2. Select all the surface elements. Delete.

Now we define groups or clusters:

- 14 -
 Tutorial 12- CESAR-LCPC version 5

3. Click on Make groups.

4. We group the column and the pile cap (same material properties). Select these volumes.
Enter Column+Pile cap as a name. Click on Apply.
5. Select the volumes corresponding to the piles. Enter Piles as a name. Click on Apply.
6. Select the volume corresponding to the soil mass. Enter Soil as a name. Click on Apply. (For
ease of this selection, user can select the clusters Column, Pile cap and Piles and hide them
using Hide selection).
A facultative step consists in affecting colours to these groups by using the pallet toolbar.

Interface elements generation

The interface elements are connecting the soil mass with the piles.
1. We first need to select the faces at the interface.
- For this selection, deactivate all ( )in the Selection toolbar and activate Select
element faces. In Selection options, click Select None then tick Facets by
angle.
- In Preferences > Accuracy, set the angle for selection to 90.
- Select the faces on the pile shaft. With previous setting, 1 click should be enough
per pile to select all the faces per pile.
- Select also the pile toe.

2. Click on Contact elements. Select Contact (12 or 16 nodes) elements. Apply.

3. Repeat this operation for each pile of make it for all at once.

Figure 11: View of the selected faces for interface elements generation

- 15 -
Tutorial 12 - CESAR-LCPC version 5

Verification of the mesh quality

1. Click on , Mesh information.

2. The toolbox displays the number of nodes and elements and the type of elements.
3. Click on Element quality check. The toolbox is updated. If elements are deformed with
wrong Jacobian, they appear in the toolbox.

Figure 12: Mesh views (quadratic elements)

- 16 -
 Tutorial 12- CESAR-LCPC version 5

3. CALCULATION SETTINGS

Model definition:

1. Click on Model definition.

2. Enter Pile group loading as name.
3. Click Open.
4. Chose Static as domain of application. Select TCNL as calculation module.
5. Click on Validate.

Material properties:

1. Click on Properties.

2. Click on Properties assignment.

3. Select the group of elements for the soil mass.
4. Chose Mohr-Coulomb without hardening as constitutive model. Enter the properties of the
soil mass.
E c
3
(kg/m ) (MN/m) (MN/m) () ()
Silty clay 19 20 0.3 20 15 0

5. Click on Apply.
6. We affect same concrete properties to Piles, Pile cap and Column. Select these clusters.
7. Chose Linear isotropic elasticity as constitutive model. Enter the properties of the concrete :
E
3
(kg/m ) (MN/m)
Footing 2500 35000 .2

8. Click on Apply and Close.

Material properties for the interface elements:

Properties of interfaces in CESAR-LCPC can be adherent, slipping or Coulombs friction. In this case we
chose Coulombs friction with a friction angle equals to 2/3 of the soil one.

1. Click on Properties.

2. Click on Properties assignment.

3. In the Type of elements list, chose (F6) Interface elements.
4. Chose Coulombs friction as material model. Enter the properties of the contact between
the wall and the clay (see table below).
5. Select the interface between the wall and the clay.
6. Click on Apply and Close.

Name of the group Interface type Ei Rt c

(MPa) (MPa) (MPa) ()
Contact Pile/Soil Coulombs friction 35000 10000 0 5 0

- 17 -
Tutorial 12 - CESAR-LCPC version 5

Recommendations for the properties of interface elements:

- Young modulus, Ei, is the value of the less stiff of the two neighbouring materials ;
- Tensile strength, Rt, is the value of the tensile stress normal to the interface necessary to cause
debonding. A value of 10000 MPa can be adopted. Input of a high value of Rt would prevent the
debonding.

Initial stress field:

The initial stress field is initialized as an existing geostatic stress field; vertical stress is linked to the
horizontal stress by KO value.

1. Click on Initial conditions.

2. Select Geostatic stresses.
3. Click on Insert to define a new layer.
4. Enter the following values:
Height (m) Volumic weight KO_X KO_y
3
(MN/m )
0 0,019 0,5 0,5

5. Validate.

Boundary conditions:
We define boundary conditions in this model. The bottom, the left and right sides will be with Roller-
type supports: the normal displacement is fixed to zero.

1. Click on Boundary condition sets.

2. Enter Standard fixities as a name. Click Open.

3. Click on , Side and bottom supports. This proceeds to the automatic definition of sides
and bottom supports. Supports are automatically affected to the limits of the mesh.

Load case:
We define 2 load sets: horizontal load, vertical load. The fact that these load sets are independent will
ease

1. Click on Loading sets.

2. Enter Vertical load as a name. Open.
3. Select the faces at the top of the column.

4. Click on Surface forces. Enter Pz = -0,4 MN/m. Validate.

5. Click on Loading sets.

6. Enter Horizontal load as a name. Open.

7. Click on Surface forces. Enter Py = 0,4 MN/m. Validate.

- 18 -
 Tutorial 12- CESAR-LCPC version 5

Figure 13: Views of the vertical and horizontal load

Calculation parameters:
In the tab sheets of this toolbox, we define the calculation algorithm, the iteration process and the load
stepping.

1. Click on Calculation parameters.

2. In the General parameter tag, enter the following values:
- Iteration process:
Max number of increments: 4
Max number of iterations per increment: 50
Tolerance: 0,01
- Calculation type: Standard
- Solution method: 1- initial stresses
- Solver type: Multi frontal
3. In the Loading sets control tag:
- Chose Vertical load as the current load set,
- Define the load control coefficients: 0,5 ; 1 ; 0 ; 0.
- Chose Horizontal load as the current load set,
- Define the load control coefficients: 0 ; 0 ; 0,5 ; 1.
4. Close using Validate.

The option Calculation with secondary storage is required when the matrix size of the model will be
larger than the random memory (RAM) of the computer.

Note that the load control program has been designed and simplified for a quick resolution of this
highly non-linear problem. It has an evident influence on the results.

- 19 -
Tutorial 12 - CESAR-LCPC version 5

3.1.2 Solve

Now that all data are input, the

1. Click on Calculations launcher.

2. Select the calculations Pile group analysis.
3. Select Create input files for the solver and calculate. Click on Validate.

If the calculation is not displayed in the list, it means that the model is not ready for calculation. Click
on Model definition. Select the model. Click on Info. The model status is displayed, all steps
should be validated with a tick mark.

The computation will take few minutes depending on the computer configuration (less than 3 under
Windows 7 OS with 16Go of RAM).

All the messages during the analysis will be shown in an Output Window. Especially, one needs to be
very cautious about warning messages, because these messages indicate that the analysis results
may not be correct. The result is saved as a binary file (*.RSV4) in the temporary folder (/TMP/),
defined during setup. The detail analysis information is also saved in a text file (*.LIST).

- 20 -
 Tutorial 12- CESAR-LCPC version 5

4. FINITE ELEMENT RESULTS

We display the total displacements inside the model with the deformed mesh.

1. Click on Results visualizations.

2. Click on Display options.

- Select Deformed as type of mesh,
- Tick Contours, and select Total displacement,
- Select Scalar as legend type,
- Validate.

3. Click on Scalar options.

- Select Contouring as isovalues type,
- Validate.
As 4 increments of load were calculated, user can specify one for his analysis.

4. Click on Item selection

- Chose here the increment number,
- Or make a movie by displaying one increment after another (click Play).

The piles may also be analysed independently.

1. Select the pile group cluster,
2. Use to hide the other clusters.

- 21 -
Tutorial 12 - CESAR-LCPC version 5

- 22 -
Edited by :

12-16 rue de Vincennes

F-93100 MONTREUIL

Tl. : +33 1 48 70 47 41
Fax : +33 1 48 59 12 24
cesar-lcpc@itech-soft.com
www.cesar-lcpc.com

itech - 2012