Section 2.

Finite Element Modeling of

Undrained Response
(A Brief Overview of Different
Approaches)

2.2-1 1.1-1
 Learning Objective

Learning Objective

In this subsection, we will provide a brief

overview of the different methods available for
modeling the undrained response in a saturated
soil using finite element analysis.

2.2-2
 Different Methods for Modeling Undrained Response

There are a few different methods for modeling

undrained response in finite element analysis.
i. Consolidation Analysis

ii. Undrained Analysis by considering

incompressible behavior and total
stresses (commonly known as Method C)

iii. Undrained Analysis by considering nearly

incompressible behavior and effective
stresses (commonly known as Method A
or Method B)
2.2-3
 i. Consolidation Analysis for Modeling Undrained Response
The key features of consolidation analysis are as follows:
• This is the most general approach for analyzing the response of a
saturated soil in that it can be used to analyze the undrained
(immediate or short-term), partially drained (intermediate duration)
and fully drained (long-term).
• The time-dependent response of the effective stresses and the
excess pore pressures in the soil mass can be obtained. That is,
the results allow us to plot the time histories of the effective
stresses and excess pore pressures generated in the soil mass
due to the applied loadings.
• The undrained response can be obtained by setting the time to be
a sufficiently small value.
• The method is formulated using Biot’s theory of consolidation,
coupled with the equation of equilibrium from continuum
mechanics.
• We will study consolidation analysis and its FEM formulation in
detail later in the module.
2.2-4
 ii. Undrained Analysis – Incompressible, Total Stress Approach
The key FEM features of the incompressible, total stress
approach are:
• The saturated soil is still analyzed as a single phase medium as
per the method and discussions of Section 1 and CE4257.
• The undrained response is achieved by imposing the condition of
volumetric incompressibility under the applied loading. This is
because, under undrained condition, the soil mass will deform
such that its overall volume cannot change
• In the FEM analysis, the condition for volumetric incompressibility
can be achieved by setting the Poisson’s ratio  to a value very
close to 0.5, say 0.49 or 0.495. (Why can’t the value of  = 0.5 be
used?) Note that in adopting a modified value of the Poisson’s
ratio, the other parameters of the soil model may also be modified.
• The results of the FEM analysis will provide us with the correct
deformation and total stresses due to the applied loading.
However, it will not yield values of the excess pore pressures that
are generated.
• If values of the effective stresses and excess pore pressures are
2.2-5 required, then this method will not be appropriate.
 iii. Undrained Analysis – Incompressible, Effective Stress Approach
The key FEM features of the incompressible, effective
stress approach are:
• The saturated soil is still analyzed as a single phase medium as
per the method and discussions of Section 1 and CE4257.
• Similar to the previous method, the undrained response is also
achieved by imposing the condition of volumetric
incompressibility under the applied loading.
• In this method, however, the incompressibility constraint is
achieved by modifying the original D matrix of the soil element,
through the addition of a very large value to the stiffness terms to
simulate the contribution of the bulk modulus of water.
• Unlike the previous method, which requires the use of a modified
Poisson’s ratio (which in turn affects the other parameters too) to
achieve incompressibility, this method makes use of the ‘effective’
material parameters to form the D-matrix, before incorporating the
effect of the water bulk modulus.
• Using this method, the FEM analysis can provide us with the
correct deformation, effective stresses and excess pore pressures
2.2-6 due to the applied loading.
 Summary

• We have briefly looked at three methods of modeling the

undrained response of saturated soils in this
subsection.
• For now, we will focus on the second and third methods
which treats the soil as a single-phase medium and
imposes a volumetric incompressibility constraint to
enforce undrained condition.

• Section 2.3 covers the incompressible, total stress

approach. (Method C)

• Section 2.4 presents the formulation of the nearly

incompressible, effective stress approach. (Method A
or B)

2.2-7