Equivalences in the soil-structure interaction

Abstract

A simplified procedure for the linear and nonlinear two-dimensional analysis of the soil-footing-structure system is described. The interaction effects, generated by the normal and tangential resistance of the soil against all active sides of the stiff footing are taken into account. In the framework of the theory of equivalences, each active footing side is replaced by an equivalent system formed from two prismatic beams with standard end conditions. The characteristics of the beams which form the equivalent system are determined by equating the strain energy stored in a contact stiff element, derived from a three-parameter contact line finite element and in the equivalent beam system. In this way, the soil-footing-structure system is transformed into an equivalent skeletal model. The Appendix contains a simplified three-dimensional approach. The results obtained for the linear and nonlinear analysis of a raked column frame founded through the mean of two stiff footings are also presented.