A 3.0 m wide, 0.5 deep strip (continuous) foundation is to be constructed on 10 m layer of soil.

The
foundation carries a uniform pressure of 130 kPa. The geometry of the problem is shown in Figure
1. Using the modifies cam clay model for the foundation soil and soil parameter you have, carry out
the finite element analysis and compute:
A. The settlement of the foundation under applied load
B. The distribution of stresses and strain in the soil
C. Any addition analysis that you may see appropriate
D. Discuss the results
Ans.

Material properties.
Units: N, m

The overall design consists of two different portions i.e. foundation and the underlying soil on
which the foundation is constructed as shown in Fig 1
The behavior of soil is simulated using the cam -clay model. The model provides necessary
resistance during compression to the soil by bounding the yield surface thus it provides an
inelastic hardening mechanism to represent plastic compaction. Also, this model control volume
dilatancy when the material yields in shear by providing softening as a function of the inelastic
volume. The foundation is modelled using the concrete properties. Concrete damage plasticity
model (CDP) is used to define the tension and compression behavior of concrete. Different
underlying parameter related to the concrete modelling are discussed in upcoming section.

Figure 1: Symmetry of the model

Material details:
Name=Concrete
Elastic modulus= 29500000000 N/m2
Density= 2400 kg/m3
Poison ration =0.17
Material model= Concrete Damage plasticity “CDP”

Dilation angle=38
Eccentecicity=0.1
Fb0/fc0= biaxial compressive strength/uniaxial compressive strength =1.12
K=0.33
Viscosity parameter=.01
Compressive behavior

Figure 2: Compressive behavior of concrete used in CDP

Tensile behavior

Figure 3:: Tensile behavior of concrete used in CDP

Name= Soil
Elastic modulus= 182000000 N/m2
Density= 1923 kg/m3
Poison ration =0.28

Cap plasticity model parameter

Material cohesion= 1E-05
Angle of friction=44.5
Cap eccentricity=.44
Initial yield surface position=0
Transition surface rad=0.05
Flow stress ratio=1

Boundary condition:
Both condition of equilibrium were satisfied at the bottom nodes of the model in order to provide support
to the structure under application of external load.

Figure 4: BC at the bottom surface of the model

While symmetric boundary condition is applied to the model in YZ plane. Symmetric boundary increases
the computational efficiency by reducing the condition time required for the simulation.

Figure 5: Symmetric boundary condition applied in YZ plane

Load:
Two different stresses were applied to the model, one is the gravity which depict the stresses induced in
the soil due to self-weigh and 2nd is the external load applied to the foundation having value of 130 Kpa.

Figure 6: Gravity load applied to the whole model

Figure 7: Load applied to the concrete foundation

 A. The settlement of the foundation under applied load
The soft soil can have large settlement over time and it is very important to know the behavior of such
soil under cyclic loading as they can have secondary settlements as well.
In order to study the dynamic characteristics of the soil the cyclic loading is applied to the soil. There are
two loads that are applied to the soil model:
1. Self-weight of the soil and the foundation
2. The superimposed load applied to the foundation with value of 130 Kpa
The incremental load is applied in 40 increments in order to study the behavior of soil and to give the soil
appropriate time to reach stability. Moreover, the initial stress is kept less because if the initial loading
stress is greater than the yield surface on clay, it is likely that it will produce large plastic deformation,
and the subsequent cyclic loads-as long as the current loading surface does not exceed the yield surface at
this time-does not produce plastic deformation, and the cyclic loads are taken as an elastic process.
From Fig.8, after the first load increment, the soil stresses starts developing just below the bottom of
footing. Soil displacement is also maximum at this point. Meanwhile, the soil stresses also starts
developing in the form of a bubble. A little upheaval can also be observed on the side of the footing
where the soil is being pushed upward. The subsoil stresses have also developed the wedge shape which
can be seen in the figure.
After 5 load increments, the soil stresses travel further downward the in soil. Similarly, upheaval on the
side of the footing has also increased. In the third part of the Figure.8, which is after 15 increments, the
soil below the footing has reached maximum stress. It can be seen that the stress does not increase much
after this and soil has achieved maximum consolidation. Upheaval at this level is also the highest. If the
modified cam clay model graph between void ration and lnp is observed, then at this point the void ratio
is minimum and the stresses in the soil are maximum. This portion of the graph is represented by ncl.
Whereas, v = vλ – λln p. After maximum number of increments the soil has consolidated upto maximum
extent and no significant increase in soil stresses has been observed afterwards. The soil stresses has
stabilized. At the point, the void ration is minimum and the stresses in the soil are at maximum level.
 Figure 8: Soil consolidation settlement during loading application

The overall soil displacement behavior with time under the applied loading is shown in the Fig. 9. When
the initial load is applied, the resultant soil displacement is maximum. As the load is increased with time,
the relative displacement starts decreasing because soil starts getting consolidated with more and more
loading. After sometime, the displacement is stabilized and with time and the soil has compacted upto
maximum extent. Hence, the maximum displacement observed in 0.8m.

Figure 9: Displacement of soil under external load

Our model is symmetric across the y- axis. Therefore, the same soil behavior is observed for the other
side. It also verifies the soil simulation results. The behavior of the full model is presented in the Figure
10.

Figure 10: Displacement Behavior of the full model

B. The distribution of stresses and strain in the soil

Stress pattern of underlying soil:
As discussed earlier, change of stresses in the soil is observed under two different loading conditions i.e.
self-weight of the soil and foundation and the superimposed load as shown in figure 11. From figure 11, it
is evident that the stress path originates from the bottom of the footing and then it travles across the length
of the model in y direction. At the first increment of loading, the stress is maximum at the bottom of the
footing. After 3 and 5 load increments, the stress has traveled further downward. This simulation matches
with the initial stress behavior of cam clay model. At the start, the stress increment results in expanding of
current yield locus. The similar pattern of the stress is observed after 5 and 9 load increments. The
immediate stress below the footing level remains high. However, the stress travels further downward in y
direction. In the elastic region, for changes in mean effective stress, recoverable changes in volume can be
determined by δεep = k δp/vp. At the 15 load increment, the stress has reached to the maximum depth of
the soil. It follows the modified cam clay model where towards the end, the stress increment is inside the
current yield locus. After 15-40 load increments, the stress has traveled farthest in the soil. Here the yield
curve expansion is associated with irrecoverable plastic deformation. It also results in decreased volume.
 Figure 11: Stress pattern observed for the underlying soil

Strain pattern of underlying soil:

Strain pattern observed in the soil is almost the same as the stress level as shown in figures 12. Initially,
the soil simulation has shown elastic behavior with increasing stress level. The simulation here also
follows the modified cam clay model. The yield surface marks the boundary of the elastic region. Inside
yield surface, behavior is elastic. Here the recoverable changes in volume are associated with changes in
P. After the first load increment, the strain has started developing in soil. It keeps moving in the y
direction with increasing load increments. After the 9 load increments, the strain has developed to the
maximum depth of the soil model. For changes in deviator stress, recoverable shear strain is given by δε ep
= k δq/3G. After the 15-40 increments, the strain has traveled to the farthest both in x and y direction. In
the plastic shear strain, the yield curve expansion is associated with irrecoverable plastic deformation.
Overall, the strain pattern of the underlying soil very much follows modified cam clay model.
 Figure 12:Strain pattern observed for the underlying soil

C. Any addition analysis that you may see appropriate

Bearing capacity analysis
Load displacement curve is plotted for the sub soil in order to estimate the bearing capacity of the
underlying soil under the application of external applied force. Form the Figure 13 it is clear that FEM
analysis predicted the maximum bearing capacity of 130 Kpa. The behavior of soil shown in Figure 13.
Follows very much the cam clay model. With the increase in stress, the resulting displacement also starts
increasing. Finally it reaches to a point where the soil cannot take any further vertical stress. Here the soil
has shown an elastoplastic behavior like the modified cam clay model. It deforms in under the applied
loading and yields in progressive manner. In the plastic region of the graph, some irrecoverable volume
changes also occur. Here the void ratio is minimum and the maximum bearing capacity of the soil is
achieved.

Figure 13: Load displacement curve

Discussion
This simulation provides a reliable method for load bearing capacity and settlement predictions. In this
model, the soil stability analysis was carried out in order to access the bearing capacity as well as to
locate the sites for maximum stress and strain within the soil. The external load was applied to the rigid
foundation embedded within the soil having magnitude of 130Kpa. The response of the soil was
estimated under two different loads i.e. soil self-weigh and the external load.
The results indicate that there is maximum ground settlement around the area with greater load and it start
decreasing toward the bottom layer of the soil. As we move down, the bottom layer of the soil has
minimum displacement under external applied load. For the stress and strain pattern of the underlying
soil, the maximum stress and resulting strain is observed just blow the bottom of footing where load
increment is applied and then it starts propagating in the downward direction in the form of layers. As the
cam clay model is an elastoplastic model, the stress strain path is the elastic region initially but slowly it
enters into the plastic region. In this region some irrecoverable volume changes have also occurred.
Moreover, in order to access the maximum bearing capacity of the soil for structure stability analysis,
stress vs displacement graph has been plotted for the soil layers which has shown the maximum bearing
capacity of the soil to be 130 Kpa.
Furthermore, for an elastoplastic model, it is important to determine the plastic volumetric and shear
strain. Similarly, the study of url and CSL can be made part of the future study of the this simulation.