Structural Elements and Interfaces

PLAXIS FINITE ELEMENT CODE FOR SOIL AND ROCK ANALYSES

Structural elements
Numerical analysis in geotechnical engineering generally require the modelling of structural elements to simulate the behaviour of a structure being involved in the design. Structural elements could be modelled as continuum elements and this would make the analysis very accurate but not convenient from the practical point of view because the difficulty in generating the FE model. Such kind of approach would be impossible when the number of structural elements becomes relevant because of the extremely high number of elements needed and degrees of freedom introduced, thus making the analysis extremely heavy from the computational point of view. Furthermore, the output of structural forces, such as shear and normal force and bending moment, can be obtained from volume elements but only after integration of stresses which make the design process laborious.

PLAXIS FINITE ELEMENT CODE FOR SOIL AND ROCK ANALYSES

Structural elements in Plaxis

In order to overtake those difficulties, special finite elements have been developed, in which the input is simplified and structural forces can be obtained straightforwardly as output. Another kind of special element which is very important in geotechnical analysis is the interface. As it is often assumed in practice, the mechanical behaviour at the interface between soil and a structure, it is not realistic if modelled under the hypothesis of perfect adhesion. Hence, it is often assumed that the contact behaviour is linear elastic until a failure stress is reached, and the behaviour is perfectly plastic henceforth. Although in this Lecture special focus is given to those elements which are implemented in PLAXIS finite element code, the formulation of structural elements is general and similar elements can be found in other commercial FE codes

PLAXIS FINITE ELEMENT CODE FOR SOIL AND ROCK ANALYSES

Structural elements in Plaxis

Plates and shells (walls, floors, beams, tunnels)

Anchors

Geogrids (geotextiles)

Interfaces
PLAXIS FINITE ELEMENT CODE FOR SOIL AND ROCK ANALYSES

Plates and shells

3 or 5 noded line elements 3-noded beam elements are used in combination with 6-noded triangular elements for the continuum, whereas 5-noded beams are used with 15noded elements 3 degrees of freedom per node (horizontal and vertical displacement and rotation) Elastic or elasto-plastic behavior The out-of-plane dimensions depend on the type of analysis: it is a unit thickness in plane strain, 1 rad in axisymmetry To model walls, floors, tunnels

PLAXIS FINITE ELEMENT CODE FOR SOIL AND ROCK ANALYSES

Input parameters for plates

The flexural and axial rigidity of the structural element are input parameters:

Flexural rigidity Normal stiffness Element thickness

h3 b EI = E 12

(b=1 m) (b=1 m)
where d is the real (physical) structure of the sheet.

EA = E h b
d h = 12 EI EA

The input of stiffness parameters is completed by Poissons ratio .

h

h b b = 1 m in plane strain b = 1 meter in axisymmetry b

PLAXIS FINITE ELEMENT CODE FOR SOIL AND ROCK ANALYSES

Plate weights
Compensate for overlap:

w = ( concrete soil ) d real

For soil weight use: unsat above phreatic level sat below phreatic level

PLAXIS FINITE ELEMENT CODE FOR SOIL AND ROCK ANALYSES

Plate weights for tunnels

Special curved elements are specifically designed for tunnels.

d real rinside routside lining soil r

Overlap is only for half the lining thickness

w = ( concrete d real ) soil 1 d real 2

r = 1 (rinside + routside ) 2
PLAXIS FINITE ELEMENT CODE FOR SOIL AND ROCK ANALYSES

Boundary conditions
PLAXIS offers several alternatives depending on the particular kind of fixity that has to be modelled. By default, a structural element is free to rotate even if intersecting the external boundary of a mesh, unless a boundary condition is explicitly specified. In order to prevent horizontal displacements on the left and right side of the mesh and horizontal and vertical displacements at the bottom, PLAXIS offers the standard fixities option. Furthermore, if it is required to prescribe some extra condition, e.g. prevent rotations at the one end of the beam, the Moment fixity option has to be selected and applied to the desired end.

Free rotation
1 6 2

Fixed rotation Rotation fixed at (partly) fixed boundaries

Y 4

plate

Rotation free at free PLAXIS FINITE ELEMENT CODE FOR SOIL AND ROCK ANALYSES boundaries

Hinges
6 8

Spring data: Stiffness Min/Max moment Rotation spring

Hinged connection Rigid connection

PLAXIS FINITE ELEMENT CODE FOR SOIL AND ROCK ANALYSES

Determination of eff. plate weights

Material parameters: E = 20106 kPa = 0.2 = 24 kN/m3
d = h = 12

h3 b EI = E 12 EA = E h b
EI EA

Plate: d = 0.4 m I = b d3 / 12 = 1 (0.4)3 / 12 = 5.3310-3 m4 A = b d = 1 0.4 = 0.4 m2

wnet = wgross - soil d

EI 1105 kNm2/m EA 8106 kN/m wnet= 0.4 24 - 18 0.4 = 6.0 kN/m2
PLAXIS FINITE ELEMENT CODE FOR SOIL AND ROCK ANALYSES

Determination of eff. plate weights

Wall:
d = 0.2 m I = 1(0.2)3 / 12 = 6.6710-4 m4 A = 10.2 = 0.2 m2 wnet = wgross - soil d EI 0.13105 kNm2/m EA 4.0106 kN/m wnet = 0.2 24 - 18 0.2 = 3.0 kN/m2

PLAXIS FINITE ELEMENT CODE FOR SOIL AND ROCK ANALYSES

Determination of soil stiffness

Stresses at reference point

Initial stress: ' = 5 18 = 90 kPa (initial stress) Initial pre-consolidation stress: c = 5 18 + 20 = 110 kPa ( pre-consolidation) c 5m = max. stress that ref. point has ever experienced in the past = depth of reference point (before excavation)

18 kN/m3 =unit weight of the soil 20 kPa = this is an assumed pre-overburden pressure (POP) at soil surface, characteristic for the region considered
PLAXIS FINITE ELEMENT CODE FOR SOIL AND ROCK ANALYSES

Determination of soil stiffness

Stresses at reference point
After excavation: (0) = 2.5 18 (0) 2.5 m 18 kN/m3

= 45 kPa

= real vertical stress after excavation in reference point = depth of reference point after excavation =unit weight of the soil

After loading: (2) = 45 + 6 + 125 = 176 kPa (2) = real vertical stress after loading 45 kPa = ((0) see above) 6 kPa = weight of the floor 125 kPa = 2 200 kN + 2 300 kN (point loads) / 8 m (width of floor)
PLAXIS FINITE ELEMENT CODE FOR SOIL AND ROCK ANALYSES

Parameters for Mohr-Coulomb model

(kPa) 0 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400

0.5

(%) 2 2.5 3 3.5

Assume the sample originates from the reference point. Unloading from ' to 0 and reloading from 0 to ' does not give deformation (elastic behaviour) From unloading/reloading curve, from ' to c (from 90 kPa to 110 kPa):

1.5

From primary loading curve from c to 2 (from 110 kPa to 176 kPa):

PLAXIS FINITE ELEMENT CODE FOR SOIL AND ROCK ANALYSES

Parameters for Mohr-Coulomb model

(kPa) 0 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400

0.5

1.5 (%) 2

Combined:

= 1 + 2 = 1.1%

= 176 90 = 86
Eoed =

kPa

2.5

86 = = 7800 1.1%

' = 0.4
E' =

3.5

1 + ' (1 2 ') Eoed = 1.4 0.2 7800 3640 kPa 1 ' 0.6

PLAXIS FINITE ELEMENT CODE FOR SOIL AND ROCK ANALYSES

Fixed-end anchors
Elastic-perfectly plastic spring elements are provided: one end is fixed (no displacements allowed), the other end is connected to one node of the mesh. These elements can be useful when modelling a symmetric problem, like an excavation supported by props, in which, for symmetry reasons, one end of the anchor is prevented to move. Input parameters are the axial rigidity EA, the spacing Lspacing and the maximum axial force which can be applied to the anchor.

PLAXIS FINITE ELEMENT CODE FOR SOIL AND ROCK ANALYSES

Fixed-end anchors
For the cases in which there is no logical reason to assume that the end will stay fixed, PLAXIS provides node-to-node anchors, in which two nodes of the mesh are connected by means of elastic-perfectly plastic spring elements. Plate anchor is a typical examples of application of node-to-node anchors. An anchor designed to support a diaphragm wall is connected to a vertical plate which mobilizes passive thrust to increase the stabilizing forces. A cofferdam consists in a dam obtained by enclosing a portion of the ground between two walls. This is yet another typical application of node-to-node anchors. Input parameters are the axial rigidity EA, the spacing (Lspacing) and the maximum axial force which can be applied to the anchor. A pre-stress can be assigned to the anchor by a double-click on the structural element.

PLAXIS FINITE ELEMENT CODE FOR SOIL AND ROCK ANALYSES

Geogrids
Geogrids are purely elastic elements with normal stiffness but no flexural rigidity. They cannot sustain compressive forces and they are connected to the finite element mesh by 3 or 5 nodes, depending on the type of finite element used in the mesh (6 or 15-noded elements). Geogrids are often used to model reinforced earth structures, geotextiles and anchors

PLAXIS FINITE ELEMENT CODE FOR SOIL AND ROCK ANALYSES

Geogrids
Structural elements are often combined together to simulate the mechanical behaviour of real engineering structures, such as grouted anchors, which are modelled through a combination of node-to-node anchors and geogrids.

PLAXIS FINITE ELEMENT CODE FOR SOIL AND ROCK ANALYSES

Interfaces
Interfaces are special elements particularly thought for the soil-foundation interaction. Their effect is a reduction of contact friction, thus enabling a more realistic modelling of the mechanical behaviour than a perfectly glued contact type, which would be what one obtains without introducing any interface. Therefore, interface elements allow relative displacements between structure and subsoil. As usual with special elements, the number of nodes used depends on the element type used for the soil: 6-nodes 3-integration points interface elements are used in combination with 6-noded finite elements, 10-noded 5-integration points interface elements are used with 15-noded elements.

PLAXIS FINITE ELEMENT CODE FOR SOIL AND ROCK ANALYSES

Interfaces
The mechanical behaviour of interface elements is described as function of surrounding elements. An elastic-perfectly plastic constitutive law is assumed, where the strength is obtained from the surrounding soil according to:

cinter = R inter csoil

tan inter = R inter tan soil
The user is requested to input the reduction factor Rinter and the strength parameters of the interface elements are determined from the strength of soil from equations above Typical values which can be given to the reduction factor are given as follows: Materials interaction: Rinter:
Clay/Steel Sand/Concrete Sand/Steel Clay/Concrete Soil/Geotextile PLAXIS FINITE ELEMENT CODE FOR SOIL AND ROCK ANALYSES Soil/Geotextile 0.5 1.0 - 0.8 2/3 1.0 - 0.7 1.0 0.9 - 0.5

Interfaces
Interface elements are used to reduce the high gradients of stress which are observed in proximity of sharp edges of structural elements. As shown in Figure, the stress distribution can be smoothened by extending the interfaces well beyond the edges.

PLAXIS FINITE ELEMENT CODE FOR SOIL AND ROCK ANALYSES

Interfaces
Another common use of interfaces is to make retaining walls (modelled by plates) impermeable (consolidation or flow problems)

PLAXIS FINITE ELEMENT CODE FOR SOIL AND ROCK ANALYSES