Bearing Capacity of Spatially Random Anisotropic Clay Using Finite Element Limit Analyses

Abstract

This article presents the combination of the random field methodology and Random Adaptive Finite Element Limit Analysis (RAFELA) with the upper and lower bound finite element limit analysis using OPTUM G2 software. The effect of spatial correlation length on anisotropic undrained shear strength, variation coefficient of anisotropic undrained shear strength, soil layers, and geometric shape conditions are studied in terms of stability numbers, failure probability, safety and failure patterns of shallow foundations under planestrain conditions. In this studied anisotropic undrained shear strength has a log-normal distribution pattern characterizing. Stability analysis is divided in two steps: deterministic analysis of anisotropic undrained shear strength and random method with stochastic analysis, the Monte Carlo simulation is used to simulate possibility with many iterative processes with Monte Carlo Simulation of anisotropic undrained random field shear strength. The results obtained from both methods were analyzed to determine the factor of safety that made the probability of failure less than 0.001 and present the appropriate factor of safety and probability of failure for the problem of shallow foundation. The results were that failure probability of anisotropic undrained shear strength is noticeably higher in random stability numbers compared to custom stability numbers. However, variation coefficient of anisotropic undrained shear strength influenced stability numbers, probability of failure, safely factors and failure patterns more than others.