Comparison between analytical and numerical solutions of vertical stress analysis in geotechnical engineering

There are variety methods for solution of problems in civil engineering . The famous methods are the analytical , numerical and experimental . The problems division in to two groups in geotechnical engineering , plane strain and axisymmetric . Analytical and numerical methods were used in this article to find the vertical stress increase in soil under the variety loading conditions and then comparison the results for several cases. The main advantage of numerical analysis is to perform comprehensive study on the model and get the information about stresses , strains , settlements and displacements in all points of model . We can use the finite element method or finite difference method for numerical analysis of problems but the finite element supple but needy the much time . General finite element software ANSYS for 2d numerical analysis and geotechnical finite element software3 DFOUNDATION for d analysis were used in this article. The results showed that the axisymmetric numerical model was more sensetive to mesh size but the plane strain numerical model was not more. Also the results were the same for all of cases unless for case 2that the finite element results lesser than analytical results .So we can use the finer mesh in this case for get the better results.

Keywords:

Analytical method , Numerical method , Experimental method , Plane strain condition , Axisymmetric , Finite element method