3D Consolidation Analysis of

Storage Tanks

MIDASoft Inc.

Angel Francisco Martinez

Civil Engineer
Email : a.martinez@midasuser.com

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Finite Element Solutions for Geotechnical Engineering
Contents
Part 1. Introduction
Part 2. Concepts of Consolidation
Part 3. 3D Model

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Finite Element Solutions for Geotechnical Engineering
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Integrated Solver Optimized for the next generation 64-bit platform

Finite Element Solutions for Geotechnical Engineering
Contents
Part 1. Introduction
Part 2. Concepts of Consolidation
Part 3. 3D Model

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Finite Element Solutions for Geotechnical Engineering
 GTS NX

Soil Consolidation

•AKA: Settlement Analysis over time of saturated

soft ground under stress.

•According to Karl von Terzaghi "consolidation is any

process which involves a decrease in water content of
saturated soil without replacement of water by air."

•In general it is the process in which reduction in volume

takes place by expulsion of water under long term static
loads.

•Uneven settlement affects structure stability.

6
 GTS NX

Concepts of Consolidation
• Generally excess pore water pressure inside the ground (lower permeability) decreases with
time, and this makes the effective stress increase.

•When load is applied, the water, which bears load because of initial undrained condition ,will
slowly leak out and pass the load to soil particles.

• During this process, settlement will influence the

stability of adjacent structures

• The spring represents the compressibility of the structure of the soil itself and the water, which fills the
container, represents the pore water in the soil.

7
 GTS NX

Concepts of Consolidation
• Constitutive models for numerical analysis for consolidation:
Modified Cam Clay – Simulate the limit state behavior
Soft Soil Creep – Simualte Creep in FE

The Modified Cam-clay model is also based on the

elastic-plastic hardening theory.

Figure displays the relationship between the ground volume

change and hydrostatic pressure using the normal
consolidation line and over-consolidation line.

The soil which had a load removed is considered to be over consolidated.

The over consolidation ratio or OCR is defined as the highest stress experienced divided by the current stress.

A soil which is currently experiencing its highest stress is said to be normally consolidated and to have an
OCR of one.

In other words, the over-consolidation line corresponds to the initial linear elastic section and the
normal consolidation line corresponds to the hardening plastic stress-strain relationship.
8
 GTS NX

Concepts of MCC
The material properties of the ground are generally obtained from 1D consolidation experiments.

GTS NX uses a direct input value or a value automatically calculated from insitu stresses and
over-consolidation ratio (OCR) for the preconsolidation pressure pc′ .
The failure function of Modified Cam-clay displays an elliptic shape.

Equations in reference manual.

9
 GTS NX

Concepts of SSC
The stress dependent stiffness parameters can be estimated
from compression and recompression index as in
Modified Cam Clay model. Unlike MCC model, the user
can consider secondary consolidation.

10
Contents
Part 1. Introduction
Part 2. Concepts of Consolidation
Part 3. 3D Model

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 GTS NX

3D Modeling
• Modeling in midas GTS NX
- Import structure from Gen
- Assign Size Control (24 & 14 div)
- Generate 2D Ground mesh
- Import Materials
- Separate mesh sets

12
 GTS NX

Mesh Generation
- Extrude Mesh for the 4 different layers 10m@ 5 divisions
- Assign various properties to each layer
- Extrude 22 m and Mesh Piles, assign interface and tip
 GTS NX

Loads & Boundary Conditions

Constraints
• Load Conditions
- Self weight load

• Boundary Conditions
- Boundary and Pile Constraints
Non - Consolidation
- Non Consolidation boundary
- 2 way Drainage boundary

2 way Drainage

14
 GTS NX

Construction Stages
- Define 6 stages
- Water Level
- Define time steps
-1: 1 day
-2: 1 day
-3: 5 days
-4: 5 days
-5: 10 days
-6: 200 days

Initial Foundation Left Tank Right Tank Load

15
 GTS NX

Post-Processing
• Report Ready Results
- Extract Results for construction stages
- Settlement Profile over time
- Excess Pore Pressure over time
- Axial Forces and Moments on Piles

Settlement Profile over time Excess Pore Pressure over time 16

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Finite Element Solutions for Geotechnical Engineering