NPTEL Course

Finite Element Analysis & Constitutive Modelling in Geomechanics

Assignment-II: Soil-structure interaction & Rayleigh Ritz method
January – April 2023 Total Marks: 09
(Write your answers neatly on white sheets of paper and upload scan copies on the course site
in a single file in pdf format)
Note: Marks for each question are shown in brackets

1. A combined footing of 2 m width and 6 m length is shown below. The effective

depth of the footing is 600 mm. The footing is made of M40 grade of concrete. The
column loads are shown in the figure. (5)

200 kN 350 kN 200 kN

0.5m 2.5m 2.5m

Perform the soil-structure interaction analysis using the Winkler springs. Perform two
separate analyses using coefficient of subgrade modulus (Ks) values of 20,000 kN/m3
and 100,000 kN/m3. Divide the entire length of the beam into 24 elements. Model
the footing using beam elements and the Winkler springs using the spring elements
having axial stiffness. Neglect the axial deformations of the beam elements. A
schematic crude FE mesh is shown below. You need 24 such beam elements and 25
spring elements in the mesh. (The axial stiffness of each spring is K = Ks*surface
area). The stiffness of the end springs = Ks*0.25*2/2 and that of intermediate springs
is Ks*0.25*2. You may use the program GEOFEM.

2. A one-dimensional bar element of length L is subjected to a distributed load (q)

increasing with length and a concentrated load (P) at the tip as shown below. By
using TWO admissible terms in the polynomial series derive the solution by
Rayleigh-Ritz procedure for the tip displacement and element strain along the length.
Comment if the obtained solution is EXACT or APPROXIMATE with adequate
reasoning. The total potential equation for one-dimensional bar element is given
below: (4)

q = c.x L1 L
 p =  AE  2x dx −  .u.q. dx −   P
T
P
02 0
L