Implementation of spatial variability in PLAXIS

Master thesis (2022)

Authors

P. Pană Civil Engineering & Geosciences

Contributors

M. Soleymani Shishvan Resource Engineering - CEG (mentor)
Faculty
Civil Engineering & Geosciences, Civil Engineering & Geosciences
Copyright: © 2022 Paul Pană
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Published Date

09-12-2022

Language

English

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Faculty

Civil Engineering & Geosciences

Abstract

As a consequence of the difficulty to obtain complete direct information about the subsurface, and the importance of heterogeneity of soil properties in geotechnical design, a desire exists in the geotechnical community for a smarter use of the available data in common practice. The objective of this thesis is to provide a potential solution for this, by implementing the Random Finite Element Method (RFEM) in PLAXIS, a well-known geotechnical calculation software package, allowing users to stochastically model engineering problems while accounting for the spatial variability of soil properties.

As a result of this project, practitioners can use the upside of stochastic analysis using RFEM to derive new insights about the behavior of their system, such as potential soil-related asymmetries, all while obtaining a better picture of the risks associated with a certain design. As with any technological advancement, responsible use of the framework is required to ensure the upside is attained and computational concerns do not hinder the use of the model, feature which still requires further research and improvement.