Improved embedded beam with interaction surface (Poutre incorporée améliorée avec surface d’interaction)

Abstract

Finite Element Analysis of serviceability limit states (SLS) and bearing capacity (ULS) of piled foundations involves the modelling piles in the soil, including pile-soil interaction. Embedded beams are an efficient way to model multiple piles for complex practical applications. Following initial work of Sadek & Shahrour (2004) on embedded beam elements, Turello et al (2016a,b) introduced a new embedded beam formulation with interaction surface to overcome mesh-dependence and to improve the behaviour under lateral loading. The proposed paper describes an improvement and further evolution of the embedded beam with interaction surface for practical applications. The element has been implemented in the PLAXIS finite element software, compared with previous implementations and validated against pile load test data. The paper will show that the results of the new implementation are more accurate and less mesh-dependent than the previous implementation and the load-displacement performance is much closer to the actual pile response; both in axial loading and in lateral loading.