The Ninth Annual Energy-Sources Technology Conference and Exhibition New Orleans, 1986

ABSTRACT

The paper examines how soil uncertainty influences the short term settlements and stresses of foundations. Utilizing a two-dimensional plane strain triangular element F.E.M. model, linear and piecewise linear soil models have been investigated. The soil uncertainty can be expressed by elastic modulus variation using a compatible stochastic finite element solution which is formulated considering the first two terms in the Taylor series expansion of the equilibrium equations. The mean, standard deviation and coefficient of variation (C.O.V.) of the short term displacements and stresses are obtained. Sensitivity of the procedure to soil model, C.O.V. of elastic modulus, and correlation distance is examined.