Abstract :
Settlement of ne-grained soils is often governed by a consolidation process
which involves quite large strains. The classic, one-dimensional consolidation formula
is based on the small strain theory, although it is still practically useful. Since strains
are relatively large during the consolidation process, the overall behavior of the medium
is geometrically nonlinear. In this paper, a coupled consolidation analysis was carried
out to predict the consolidation settlement of ground beneath an embankment, as a case
study, representing the feasibility of large strain consolidation analysis. A two-dimensional,
updated Lagrangian, large deformation, nite element formulation was employed to
simultaneously solve the transient
ow and the deformation equations which constitute
the coupled consolidation equations. It was followed by the development of a code
in the MATLAB environment to solve the required equations, with further application
to a case study in Iran. In addition, analyses were performed by one-dimensional
conventional methods and compared with the results obtained by the nite element
procedure. Predictions made by large deformation nite element analysis, in comparison
to those obtained based on small strain assumptions and conventional methods, appeared
to be more accurate, although the required computational e ort was much higher, owing
to frequent recomputation of the sti ness matrix.
