Influence of Loading and Soil Modeling Approach on Soil-Shallow Foundation Interaction

Abstract

Soil-foundation interaction studies are quite useful to evaluate the behavior of shallow foundations, especially for flexible foundations. The soil and foundation parameters which affect the base pressure and settlement below shallow foundations includes the type of soil, soil compressibility, modulus of elasticity of soil, foundation dimensions, and thickness. Additionally, variation in loading parameters also have significant effect on the behavior of foundation. The foundation may behave as flexible or rigid foundation depending on the variation in loading. Hence, it would be interesting to understand the influence of variation in loading on behavior of shallow foundations. In this regard, the present study evaluates the effect of change in magnitude of loading on shallow foundations. For the study isolated foundation and raft foundation have been considered and analysed in Staad Pro. Four different magnitude of loading on the columns supported by the foundation have been considered in the study. Further, the foundations have been modeled in PLAXIS 2D software and the results have been compared with that obtained from STAAD Pro. in order to understand the influence of modeling soil as discrete springs (in STAAD Pro.) and continuum (in Plaxis 2D). From the study, it is observed that magnitude of loading has significant influence on behavior of foundation. The base pressure and settlement obtained from STAAD Pro. analysis is relatively uniform. However, the base pressure distribution obtained from PLAXIS 2D analysis varies significantly, although the settlement response is more uniform. The study demonstrates the soil-foundation interaction response of shallow foundations under different loading condition by using STAAD Pro. and Plaxis 2D analysis.