Adaptive Discrete FEM Models for Nonlinear Interaction of Soil with Engineering Structures

Abstract

AbstractModeling the interaction of engineering structures with the soil is a nontrivial problem that constantly arises in the design of transport structures. Simplification of the structural design using the hypotheses of the theory of elasticity does not always give correct results. That’s why, to refine the design models, it is necessary to take into account the nonlinear work of the soil using various algorithms of the theory of plasticity behaviour. A team of authors has developed a software module for determining the stress-strain state of a soil body, taking into account physical nonlinearity. It is well known that the density of the FE mesh affects the accuracy of solving problems with the finite element method in the linear and nonlinear formulations. It was shown the test’s results of the strength analysis of the soil body in a physically nonlinear setting compared with linear calculations. The paper presents the results of a comparative analysis of calculations of soil ground in a linear and non-linear formulation at various gradients of the mesh density. Recommendations are formulated for the management of the mesh density in the finite element analysis of the soil ground interacting with the engineering structure.KeywordsNonlinearFE mesh densitySoilFEMAdoptation