Analysis of some key aspects of soil/foundation interaction-Finite elements modelling

• Main Authors: Ahmed Hamidi, Ali Bouafia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: EDP Sciences 2018-01-01
• Series: MATEC Web of Conferences
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201814902019

This paper is aimed to contribute to the analysis of three important aspects of soil-foundation interaction, which are not clearly investigated, by means of a detailed parametric study based on a finite elements modelling. The first aspect focuses on the effect of the bedrock proximity on the load-settlement behaviour of a continuous or circular shallow foundation. It was found there exists a threshold distance between the foundation base and the top of the bedrock layer beyond which the foundation behaves as in an infinitely deep medium. The second one deals with the behaviour of shallow foundation on a bi-layered soil where the effect of the underlying layer on the bearing capacity as well as on the settlements depends on the distance between the foundation base and the top of the underlying layer, and beyond a threshold value this effect vanishes. The third aspect studied was the interference between two strip footings installed on saturated clay. It was shown within a threshold distance between these foundations, an important modification of the foundation behaviour may occur. Finally, the numerical results were fitted and interpreted which allowed suggesting simple practical formulae for shallow foundations design.