CEGT204 Numerical Modelling in

Geomechanics
FEA of Excavations

Dr. Jitesh T. Chavda

Assistant Professor
Department of Civil Engineering
S. V. National Institute of Technology Surat
[Institute of National Importance, Gov. of India]
+91 9773134790
jiteshchavda03@yahoo.in
jtc@amd.svnit.ac.in
 Basics of wall movement, design
procedure

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General Retaining Wall movements

Webpage: Theory of Lateral Earth Pressure-by Dr. Deepankar Choudhury (NPTEL)

http://www.nptel.iitm.ac.in/syllabus/syllabus.php?subjectId=105101083
Wall Movement of Contiguous Pile
Wall

Deactivation of soil elements

Passive reaction Embeded Depth

EMBEDED DEPTH CACULATION FOR
CANTILEVER WALL

1) Cross - Section 4) Bending Moment

2) Idealized pressure diagram 5) Deflection
3) Shear 6) Simplified Pressure Diagram
 Steps involved in FE analysis of
Excavations
• Deactivation soil element
• Mesh is renumbered based on the remaining elements
• The force vectors of all excavated elements is reapplied
on the mesh as -BT0dV
• Stiffness matrix is formed based on all the remaining
active elements in the mesh and the analysis is
continued
• The constitutive matrix during the excavations is based
on the unloading response
• Eunloading  3 x Eloading (based on several measured and
back prediction)

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 Stress and Deformation analysis
Finite element method
• Basic principles
• Plane strain elements, beam elements and interface elements
• Stress-strain relationship
• Determination of initial stress
• Modelling of an excavation process
• Mesh generation – density and boundary conditions
• Excavation analysis method
i. Direct analysis and back analysis
ii. Total stress analysis and effective stress analysis
iii. Drained analysis, undrained analysis and partially drained analysis
iv. Coupled analysis
• Plane strain analysis and 3-D analysis
• Determination of soil parameters
• Determination of structural parameters
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 Basic principles

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 …….. (8.1)

…….. (8.5)

…….. (8.6)

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 Stress-strain relationship

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 Response of Real soil

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 Response of Real soil

Triaxial test on real soil

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 Response of Real soil – dynamic
loading

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MC MCC HS 20
 Determination of initial stress
There are two methods for the computation of the initial stress: the direct method
and the gravity generation method.

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Determination of initial stress

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Modelling of an excavation process
Figure 8.23 Simulation of excavation: (a) before
excavation, (b) stresses on the excavation surface,
(c) unloading forces.

Note: before excavation, the initial

stresses of the soil are in equilibrium.
Once the excavation is started, the
stresses on the excavation surface and
the wall above the excavation surface
shall become 0.

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Modelling of an excavation process

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Modelling of an excavation process

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 Mesh generation – element shape,
density and boundary conditions

• Avoid irregular shapes of elements (it causes numerical instability or

inaccuracy of numerical analysis)
• Decide by its aspect ratio (L/B). It should be closer to 1 in case rectangular
elements are used
• Square or an equilateral triangle is the best choice
• If not possible, elements with an aspect ratio within the range 1.0  L/B 
2.0-2.5 can be viewed as good one
• The shape of an element will influence the analytical accuracy of the
element and the surrounding elements. It is therefore necessary to place
good elements in crucial areas. In less crucial areas some elements some
elements not so good can be placed

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 Mesh generation – element shape,
density and boundary conditions

(a) bad mesh (b) good mesh

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 Mesh generation – element shape,
density and boundary conditions

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 Mesh generation – element shape,
density and boundary conditions

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 Excavation analysis method
– Direct analysis and back analysis
(beam on elastic foundation method)
– Total stress analysis and effective stress analysis
(use total stress parameters and effective stress
parameters respectively)
– Drained analysis, undrained analysis and partially
drained analysis
– Coupled analysis

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 Drained analysis, undrained analysis and partially drained
analysis

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 Drained analysis, undrained analysis and partially drained
analysis

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 Coupled analysis

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 Plane strain analysis and 3-D analysis

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 Determination of soil parameters

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 Determination of soil parameters

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 Determination of soil parameters

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 Determination of structural
parameters
• Moment of inertia (I)
• Stiffness (EI)
For sheetpiles, soldier piles, column piles and
diaphragm wall

• Axial stiffness (AE/L)

For strut load and floor load

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 D bar = 25 mm per running meter

Thickness of plate = 6.13 mm

𝜋 1 𝑥 𝑑 3
(0.025)4 =
D bar = 25 mm 2 m spacing 64 12
𝜋  E = 190 GPa
( 4 0.025 2 )/2 = 4 d2
EA = 93266.032 kN
D = 17.68 mm per running meter EI = 3.6472 kN.m2

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 Thank You !!

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