Probabilistic analyses of a strip footing on horizontally stratified sandy deposit using advanced constitutive model

An advanced hypoplastic constitutive model is used in probabilistic analyses of a typical geotechnical problem, strip footing. Spatial variability of soil parameters, rather than state variables, is considered in the study. The model, including horizontal and vertical correlation lengths, was calibrated using a comprehensive set of experimental data on sand from horizontally stratified deposit. Some parameters followed normal, whereas other followed lognormal distributions. Monte-Carlo simulations revealed that the foundation displacement u(y) for a given load followed closely the lognormal distribution, even though some model parameters were distributed normally. Correlation length in the vertical direction theta(v) was varied in the simulation. The case of infinite correlation length was used for evaluation of different approximate probabilistic methods (first order second moment method and several point estimate methods). In the random field Monte-Carlo analyses with finite theta(v), the vertical correlation length was found to have minor effect on the mean value of u(y), but significant effect on its standard deviation. As expected, it decreased with decreasing theta(v) due to spatial averaging of soil properties. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.