Lateral Loading of Suction Pile in 3D

Buoy

Chain

Sea Bed

Suction
Pile

Integrated Solver Optimized for the next generation 64-bit platform

Finite Element Solutions for Geotechnical Engineering
00 Overview GTS NX

Procedure
• This tutorial identifies the soil–
structure interaction by analyzing
construction stage of 3D suction pile.

• It is possible to review in detail the

stress distributions on cross-sections,
which is not possible in 2D models.
• Also, interface is added between
ground and pile to simulate the
ground-structure interaction more
realistically.

• The evaluation of the soil-structure

behavior is done by using shell
elements, not by simple rigid
elements.

• Lastly, the tutorial will compare the

results to a plaxis 3D tutorial.

2
01 Material & Property
GTS NX

Ground Name Clay [unit : kN, m]

Material Isotropic

Model Type Mohr-Coulomb

General

Elastic Modulus (E) [kN/m2] 1000

Inc. of Elastic Modulus [kN/m3] 1000 Reference level 0 m

Poisson’s Ratio (v) 0.35

Unit Weight (γ) [kN/m3] 20

Ko 0.5

Porous

Unit Weight (Saturated) [kN/m3] 20

Drainage Parameters Undrained B

Non-Linear

Cohesion (c) [kN/m2] 5

Inc. of Cohesion [kN/m3] 4 Reference level 0 m

Frictional Angle (Φ) [deg] 0

3
01 Material & Property
GTS NX

Structure [unit : kN, m]

Name Steel-Pile Name Steel-Pile

Material Isotropic Property 2D

Model Type Elastic Model Type Shell

Elastic Modulus (E) [kN/m2] 21e+07 Thickness 0.05

Poisson’s Ratio (v) 0.3

Unit Weight (γ) [kN/m3] 78

Interface

Name Outer Interface Inner Interface

Type Plane Shell Wizard Plane Shell Wizard
R (Strength Reduction
0.7 1
Factor)
tv (Virtual Thickness) 0.1 0.1

Seepage Flow
0.003 0.003
(m/sec/m)

4
01 Material & Property
GTS NX

Procedure
1
• You can start the tutorial by opening
a new file and setting the analysis
settings to 3D and units to kN / m /
sec

1 Menu > New

2

5
01 Material & Property
GTS NX

Procedure
1
• Define materials and properties from
tables in previous slides

1 Mesh > Material > New >

Isotropic

Define the 2 materials from

table.
• Clay
Select Porous > Drainage
Parameters > Undrained
(Effective Stiffness / Undrained
Strength).

• Steel-Pile
Activate Structure Box for Steel
Pile

6
01 Material & Property
GTS NX

Procedure
1
• Define materials and properties from
tables in previous slides

1 Mesh > Property > Create

Define the 2 the properties

• Clay is 3D
• Shell is 2D with 0.05m
thickness

7
02 Geometry Modeling
GTS NX

Procedure
1
1 Geometry > Surface & Solid>
Box
-Origin: (-30, 0, -30) 

- Width X = 60
- Width Y = 30
- Height = 30

2 Change Work Plane to X-Y

2 Draw Circle Face

• Location (0,0,0)
• Radius (2.5m)
• Check On Make Face

8
02 Geometry Modeling
GTS NX

Procedure
1
1 Geometry Protrude> Extrude
- Select: Circle Face
- Direction: Z-axis
- Method: Length
- Distance: -10
- OK

Geometry > Boolean > Solid

- Target : Soil Block
2 - Tool: Pile Cylinder
- OK

9
02 Geometry Modeling
GTS NX

Procedure
1
1 Geometry > Transform > Mirror
-- Select: 2 soilds
- Plane: XZ-Plane (as shown in
the figure)
- Copy
- Ok

10
03 Mesh Generation
GTS NX

Procedure 1

1 Mesh > Generate > 3D

- Auto-Solid tab
- Select: both cylinders
- Size: 1
- Tetra Mesher
- Property: clay
- >> Higher Order Elemet
- Mesh Set: inner soil
- Apply
2

- Select: both soil soilds

- Size: 3.75
- Tetra Mesher 2
- Property: clay
- Mesh Set: Outer soil
- >> Higher Order Elemet
- Apply

11
03 Mesh Generation
GTS NX

Procedure
1
1 Mesh > Element > Extract
- Geometry tab
- View Toolbar: Top
-Type: Face
- Select: the 6 side and top
faces where the pile will be
modeled
- Property: Pile Wall
- Mesh Set: Pile
- OK

- Measure 7m down the right

side of the pile shell.
2 - Draw 3D point at (2.5, 0, -7)

12
03 Mesh Generation
GTS NX

Procedure
1
1 Mesh > Element > Interface
- Plane tab
- View Toolbar: Front
- Type: From Shell
- Select: all the wall elements
- Direction: Negative Normal
- Merge Nodes: Check on
- Select: all the bottom nodes of
pile elements (as shown in the
figure)
- Property Parameters: Wizard
- Strength Reduction Factor(R): 1
- Virtual Thickness (tv) 0.1
- OK
- Create Rigid Link Element: Check
on
- Mesh Set:
- Inner Interface
Apply

- REPEAT for Outer Interface

using R = 0.7 (next slide)

13
03 Mesh Generation
GTS NX

Procedure
Mesh > Element > Interface
- Plane tab
- View Toolbar: Front
- Type: From Shell
- Select: all the wall elements
1 - Direction: Normal
- Merge Nodes: Check on
- Select: all the bottom nodes of
2
pile elements (as shown in the
figure)
1
- Property Parameters: Wizard
2 - Strength Reduction Factor(R):
0.7
- Virtual Thickness (tv) 0.1
- OK
- Create Rigid Link Element:
Check on
- Mesh Set: Outer Interface
- OK

14
03 Mesh Generation
GTS NX

The interface material can be defined using the following equation. Using the stiffness of adjacent elements and nonlinear
parameters, the virtual thickness (tv) and strength reduction factor (R) is applied. Interface material stiffness and parameters
are applied differently according to the relative stiffness difference between neighboring ground and structural members. The
Wizard can be used to simplify this process.

The general Strength reduction factor for structural members and neighboring ground properties are as follows.

Checking the Element size consideration calculates the interface material properties considering the average length(line),
average area(face) of the neighboring ground element when creating an interface. In other words, the average length(l),
average area(A) are multiplies to the virtual thickness in the equation below to calculate the tangent, normal direction stiffness
of the interface.

If the consideration is not checked, the unit length(area) is applied. The thickness is defined separately for a line interface.
The thickness is an important element when using the interface on a ground material that displays hardening behavior.
Generally, the neighboring ground particle size is input, but if an accurate numerical value is not available, the default value
from the program is used. For a 3D model, like the 1 in the example above, the surface interface does not need a thickness.
When defining the stiffness against seepage for an interface element, the “permeability coefficient” can be defined to be the
same as the permeability coefficient of the ground. If the option is not checked, the layer is considered to be impermeable.

15
04 Analysis Setting
GTS NX

Procedure
1
1 Show all mesh sets.

Static/Slope Analysis >

Boundary > Constraint
- Auto tab
- Boundary Set: Ground support
- Apply

16
04 Analysis Setting
GTS NX

Procedure
1
1 Show all mesh sets.

Static/Slope Analysis > Load >

Self Weight
- Gz: -1
- Load Set: Self weight
- OK

17
04 Analysis Setting
GTS NX

Procedure
1
1 Show only the ‘Pile’ mesh set.

Static/Slope Analysis > Load >

Pressure
- Face tab
- View Toolbar: Front
- Object Type: Node
- Select: the highlighted point
(as shown in the figure 7m
below top on right side)
- Direction Type: Coordinate
X: 1949 kN
Z :1125 kN
- - Load Set: 30 degrees
- OK

18
04 Analysis Setting
GTS NX

Procedure
1
1 Show only the ‘Pile’ mesh set.

Static/Slope Analysis > Load >

Pressure
- Face tab
- View Toolbar: Front
- Object Type: Node
- Select: the highlighted point
(as shown in the figure 7m
below top on right side)
- Direction Type: Coordinate
X: 1724 kN
Z :1447 kN
- - Load Set: 40 degrees
- OK

19
04 Analysis Setting
GTS NX

Procedure
1
1 Show only the ‘Pile’ mesh set.

Static/Slope Analysis > Load >

Pressure
- Face tab
- View Toolbar: Front
- Object Type: Node
- Select: the highlighted point
(as shown in the figure 7m
below top on right side)
- Direction Type: Coordinate
X: 1447 kN
Z :1724 kN
- - Load Set: 50 degrees
- OK

20
04 Analysis Setting
GTS NX

Procedure
1
1 Show only the ‘Pile’ mesh set.

Static/Slope Analysis > Load >

Pressure
- Face tab
- View Toolbar: Front
- Object Type: Node
- Select: the highlighted point
(as shown in the figure 7m
below top on right side)
- Direction Type: Coordinate
X: 1125 kN
Z :1949 kN
- - Load Set: 60 degrees
- OK

21
04 Analysis Setting
GTS NX

Procedure
1
1 Show all mesh sets.

Static/Slope Analysis >

Construction Stage > Stage Set
- Add 4 cases

2 - Stage Name: Initial

- Select the highlighted mesh,
boundary and load sets. Drag and
drop them into Activated Data
from Set Data. 2
- Show Data: Activate
- Define Water Level: 50 m
- Clear Displacement: Check on
- Save

22
04 Analysis Setting
GTS NX

Procedure
1
1 - New
- Stage Name: Pile
- Select the highlighted mesh sets.
Drag and drop them into
Activated & Deactivated Data
from Set Data.
- Save

23
04 Analysis Setting
GTS NX

Procedure
1
1 - New
- Stage Name: 30 degrees
- Select the highlighted mesh
set. Drag and drop it the 30
degrees load
- Activate Analysis Control
-Allow Undrained
Material Behavior
- Set 10 Load Steps
- Every Increment
-- Save

- Repeat 3 times for the other

Construction Stage sets by
making Copies and replacing the
last stage with the corresponding
load.

24
04 Analysis Setting
GTS NX

1
Procedure
1 Analysis > Analysis Case >
General
- Title: 30 Degrees
- Solution Type: Construction
Stage
- Analysis Control
- Initial Stage for Stress Analysis:
Check on
- Initial Stage: 1: Initial
- Apply K0 Condition: Check on
- OK
Automatically consider Water
Pressure: Check on
-- OK

Analysis > Analysis > Perform

2
2 - Analysis Case: Check on
- OK

25
05 Results
GTS NX

1
Procedure
1 30 Degrees > Increment 10 >
Displacement > TOTAL
TRANSLATION (V)

Activate only half soil of the mesh

sets
Results > Show/Hide > Min/Max
Result > General > Smooth:
Fringe
Result > General > Deform:
Undeformed
2 GTS NX
Compare to results from plaxis 2

tutorial Loading of Suction Pile

for same load stage.

Plaxis 26
05 Results
GTS NX

Procedure
1 30 Degrees > Increment 10 >
Displacement > TOTAL
TRANSLATION (V)

2 Select Iso Value Surface option

Set Capped Style Upper Part
Limit to 2 mm

27
05 Results
GTS NX
1

Procedure 3

30 Degrees > Increment 10 >

Displacement > TOTAL
TRANSLATION (V)

1 Results > Advanced > Extract 3

2 Select Analysis Set: 30 Degrees

Results: Total Translation
Select All
Nodal Results Extraction:
Maxiumum
Click Table

3 Select Step Value and

Displacements
Show Graph 1
2

28
05 Results
GTS NX

Procedure 3

30 Degrees > Increment 10 >

Displacement > TOTAL
TRANSLATION (V)

Rotate Model as shown

1 Check On Multi Step Animation

Recording

Click Steps and Select All

2
OK

3 Click Save to create animation.

You can edit Animation in Properties

drop down window menu
1
2

29
05 Results
GTS NX

Procedure 2
1
1 30 degree load > Shell Element
Forces > Axial Forces XX

2 30 degree load > Shell Element

Forces > Moment YY

2 30 degree load > Interface

Stress > Normal X

 Friction force between pile and

ground

30
05 Results
GTS NX

Procedure
1
1 40 Degrees > Displacement >
TOTAL TRANSLATION (V)

Activate only half soil of the mesh

sets
Results > Show/Hide > Min/Max
Result > General > Smooth:
Fringe
Result > General > Deform:
Undeformed

2 40 degree load > Shell Element

3
Forces > Axial Forces XX 2

3 40 degree load > Shell Element

Forces > Moment YY

31
05 Results
GTS NX

Procedure
1
1 50 Degrees > Displacement >
TOTAL TRANSLATION (V)

Activate only half soil of the mesh

sets
Results > Show/Hide > Min/Max
Result > General > Smooth:
Fringe
Result > General > Deform:
Undeformed

2 50 degree load > Shell Element

3
Forces > Axial Forces XX 2

3 50 degree load > Shell Element

Forces > Moment YY

32
05 Results
GTS NX

Procedure
1
1 60 Degrees > Displacement >
TOTAL TRANSLATION (V)

Activate only half soil of the mesh

sets
Results > Show/Hide > Min/Max
Result > General > Smooth:
Fringe
Result > General > Deform:
Undeformed

2 60 degree load > Shell Element

3
Forces > Axial Forces XX 2

3 60 degree load > Shell Element

Forces > Moment YY

33
06 Conclusion
GTS NX

This tutorial was based in part on PLAXIS Tutorial: 3D Loading of Suction Pile

• Plaxis only models half of the shape, not the full pile and ground. GTS NX modeled full 3D geometry.
GTS NX has more CAD import capabilities as well as more geometry CAD based commands for more
accurate modeling.
• Plaxis used a RIGID BODY Object instead of Shell Element for the Pile. It has no structural properties,
therefore it can’t give any structural results like forces or moments like GTS NX does.
• Plaxis used a HELPER Object for local mesh refinement. GTS NX has more options for mesh refinement
during and before meshing including command Mesh Size Control.
• GTS NX has more options in post analysis results inspection including animation of construction process,
on curve diagrams, results extraction/graphing, 3D pdf report, iso value surfaces.

34
 GTS NX

Thank you!

35