Format

Each day consists of a morning and an afternoon session. Each session deals with a specific topic and starts with a general presentation, followed by an introduction to the practical application and a hands-on computer exercise. The last session is devoted to case studies. The specific topics of the presentations are:

Elasticity (Hooke's law)
Plasticity (Mohr-Coulomb) and parameter determination
Non-linear computations
Dams and embankments
Excavations and deep foundations
FE slope stability analysis, Phi-c
reduction, and probabilistic issues (course schedule)

 

Lecturers

Experts with a thorough theoretical background and an extensive experience in practical finite element modeling have been invited to give lectures and to prepare exercises and case studies on the topics mentioned earlier:

Prof. Stein Sture, University of Colorado at Boulder
Dr. Ronald B.J. Brinkgreve, Plaxis / Delft University of Technology
Dr. Conrad W. Felice, C. Felice & Company, LLC
Prof. D. Vaughan Griffiths, Colorado School of Mines
Prof. Youssef Hashash, University of Illinois, U-C.
Prof. Andrew J. Whittle, MIT

 

Software

Exercises and case studies are based on the PLAXIS computer program V8, which is used by geotechnical engineers worldwide. This user-friendly code has been developed for deformation analyses, stability assessment, groundwater flow and consolidation. It contains special options for soil-structures involving retaining walls, ground anchors, geosynthetics, etc. The staged construction/excavation simulation is handled in an analytically correct, yet straightforward and intuitive manner. The latest V8 has a fully automatic mesh generator based on graphical input of soil-layer geometries, and several new features to facilitate input and analysis of complex situations. Amongst other things, PLAXIS V8 allows for fully coupled deformation-consolidation during staged construction.

 

Course Schedule

Session
TIME
 MONDAY, January 5 - TOPIC/ACTIVITY
INSTRUCTOR(S)
8:45-9:00
 Opening and welcome remarks
Sture, Brinkgreve
1
9:00-9:45
 Finite Element analysis in geotechnical engineeriing
Sture
9:45-1015
 Introduction to PLAXIS
Brinkgreve
10:15-10:30
 Coffee break
2
10:30-11:00
 Determination of soil stiff parameters
Sture
11:00-12:30
 PLAXIS - Elasticity exercises
Brinkgreve, Sture
12:30-1:45
 Lunch break
3
1:45-2:30
 Mohr-Coulomb model and parameter selection
Sture
2:30-3:15
 Non-linear hyperbolic (hardening) model & parameter selection
Sture
3:15-3:30
 Coffee break
4
3:30-4:00
 Non-linear finite element compuations
Brinkgreve
4:00-5:15
 PLAXIS - plasticity exercises
Brinkgreve, Sture, Felice
5:15-5:45
 Question and answer session
Participants

 

Session
TIME
 TUESDAY, January 6 - TOPIC/ACTIVITY
INSTRUCTOR(S)
5
9:00-9:45
 Slope stability analysis
Griffiths
9:45-10:15
 On the use of PLAXIS (slope stability analysis)
Brinkgreve
10:15-10:30
 Coffee break
6
10:30-12:00
 PLAXIS - Slope stability exercises
Brinkgreve, Griffiths
12:00-1:30
 Lunch break
7
1:30-2:15
 Introduction to cases and case selection
Griffiths
2:15-3:00
 Geometry modeling, meshing and parameter selection
Brinkgreve
3:00-3:15
 Coffee break
8
3:15-4:45
 Calculation and evaluation of results
Brinkgreve
4:45-5:15
 Question and answer session
Participants

 

Session
TIME
 WEDNESDAY, January 7 - TOPIC/ACTIVITY
INSTRUCTOR(S)
9
9:00-9:45
 Dams and embankments
Whittle
9:45-10:15
 Other i ssues in embankment construction
Whittle, Felice
10:15-10:30
Coffee break
10
10:30-12:30
 On the use of PLAXIS and embankment exercises
Brinkgreve, Whittle
12:30-1:45
 Lunch break
11
1:45-2:30
 Excavations and excavation support
Whittle
2:30-3:15
 A practical view to excavations
Whittle
3:15-3:30
 Coffee break
12
3:30-5:15
 On the use of PLAXIS and excavation exercises
Brinkgreve, Griffths
5:15-5:45
 Questions and answer session
Participants

 

Session
TIME
 THURSDAY, January 8 - Dynamics/ACTIVITY
INSTRUCTOR(S)
13
9:00-9:45
 Theory on dynamics
Hashash
9:45-10:15
 Earthquake simulation using finite elements
Hashash
10:15-10:30
 Coffee break
14
10:30-11:00
 On the use of PLAXIS (Dynamics)
Brinkgreve
11:00-12:00
 PLAXIS - Dynamics exercises
Brinkgreve, Hashash
12:00-1:30
 Lunch break
15
1:30-2:15
 Earthquake engineering simulations
Hashash
2:15-3:00
 Earthquake engineering - Soil structure interaction
Hashash
3:00-3:15
 Coffee break
16
3:15-4:30
 PLAXIS - Earthquake exercises
Brinkgreve, Hashash
4:30-4:45
 Questions and answer session
Participants
4:45-5:00
 Closure and evaluation
Sture/Brinkgreve