Finite Element Analysis of Soil Structure Interaction Problems

Dynamic finite element analyses in time domain form a complementary technique to the physical modelling carried out aboard the geotechnical centrifuge. Often centrifuge test data is used as a bench mark against which the performance of the numerical code in evaluating the dynamic soil-struture behaviour. VErification of Liquefaction Analysis by Centrifuge Studies (VELACS) project sponsored by National Science Foundation, USA established a data base of centrifuge tests on simple bench mark problems against which any numerical codes can be validated. SWANDYNE is the FE code used most often to carry out theses analyses, while more recent efforts are directed to use standard FE packages like ABAQUS. SWANDYNE is a general purpose formulation for problems in geomechanics developed by Dr. Andrew Chan at Swansea (currently reader in computational mechanics at University of Birminigham). Collaborative work in the field of dynamic FE analysis between Birmingham and Cambridge has resulted in publications in the VELACS extention conference organised by University of California, Davis.