Elastic lateral dynamic impedance functions for a rigid cylindrical shell type foundation

Elastic lateral dynamic impedance functions are defined as the ratio of the lateral dynamic force/moment to the corresponding lateral displacement/rotation at the top ending of a foundation at very small strains. Elastic lateral dynamic impedance functions have a defining influence on the natural frequencies of offshore wind turbines supported on cylindrical shell type foundations, such as suction caissons, bucket foundations, and monopiles. This paper considers the coupled horizontal and rocking vibration of a cylindrical shell type foundation embedded in a fully saturated poroelastic seabed in contact with a seawater half‐space. The formulation of the coupled seawater–shell–seabed vibration problem is simplified by treating the shell as a rigid one. The rigid shell vibration problem is approached by the integral equation method using ring‐load Green's functions for a layered seawater‐seabed half‐space. By considering the boundary conditions at the shell–soil interface, the shell vibration problem is reduced to Fredholm integral equations. Through an analysis of the corresponding Cauchy singular equations, the intrinsic singular characteristics of the problem are rendered explicit. With the singularities incorporated into the solution representation, an effective numerical method involving Gauss–Chebyshev method is developed for the governing Fredholm equations. Selected numerical results for the dynamic contact load distributions, displacements of the shell, and lateral dynamic impedance functions are examined for different shell length–radius ratio, poroelastic materials, and frequencies of excitation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Tensionless–frictionless interaction of flexible annular foundation with a transversely isotropic multi‐layered half‐space

A transversely isotropic multi‐layered half‐space, with axis of material symmetry perpendicular to the free surface, supports a flexible either annular or solid circle foundation. The contact area of the foundation and the half‐space is considered to be both frictionless and tensionless. The foundation is assumed to be affected by a vertical static axisymmetric load. Detailed analysis of the interaction of these two systems with different thickness of layers is the target of this paper. With the use of ring load Green's functions for both the foundation and the continuum half‐space, an integral equation accompanied with some inequalities is introduced to model the complex BVP. With the incorporation of ring‐shape FEM, we are capable of capturing both regular and singular solution smoothly. The validity of the combination of the analytical and numerical method is proved with comparing the results of this paper with a number of benchmark cases of both linear and nonlinear interaction of circular and annular foundation with half‐space. Some new illustrations are presented to portray the aspect of the anisotropy and layering of the half‐space. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rigid cylinder in a transversely isotropic half‐space under lateral loads

A boundary integral equation method is presented for a rigid cylindrical pipe‐pile of finite length embedded in a transversely isotropic half‐space under lateral loads. In the framework of three‐dimensional elastostatics, the complicated soil‐structure interaction problem is shown to be reducible to three coupled Fredholm integral equations. Through an analysis of the associated Cauchy singular kernels, the intrinsic singular characteristics of the radial, angular, and vertical interfacial load transfers are rendered explicit. By means of a complicated numerical procedure, detailed results on the three‐dimensional load–transfer process are provided for benchmark comparison and practical applications. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Frictional contact of laminated elastic half‐spaces allowing interface cavities. Part 2: Numerical results

The paper presents some numerical results of the problem on contact of stratified elastic half‐spaces possessing unevenness of their surface layers. The approach of the Jacobi polynomials is used to reduce the singular integral equation of the problem to a system of linear algebraic equations. On the basis of the system's solution the dependence of gaps' geometric characteristics on external load and friction is investigated for two types of initial boundary disturbances, namely a local symmetric recess and a periodic set of recesses at a flat boundary. Numerical results are presented in figures for a few elastic and geometric parameters of joint components. The analysis shows that elastic properties and geometric structure of a laminated half‐space have a significant influence on the shape of interface gaps and their location. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Vibration of a rigid footing—a finite model for the elastic half space

A problem common to most numerical methods of analysing the vibration of a rigid body on an elastic half space is indentified especially as regards the arbitrary truncation of the semi-infinite half space or the numerically expensive computations involved in some of the methods. This paper presents a boundary integral equation (BIE) method of defining a finite domain to replace the half space and consists of evaluating the BIE over the domain. A mathematical justification is provided for defining the domain, and the error involved in such truncation of the half space in shown to be small. Yet the computations are very cheap owing to the simple trigonometric/algebraic functions involved in the BIE. The accuracy of the method is quite commendable especially as seen from the results presented for the circular foundation for which analytical and experimental solutions are available for comparison.     

Impedances of rigid cylindrical foundations embedded in transversely isotropic soils

A complete formulation and implementation for assessment of the response to dynamic loads of cylindrical rigid structures embedded in transversely isotropic elastic half‐spaces is presented. The analysis is performed in the frequency domain and the steady‐state structure response is obtained. The method is based on a non‐singular version of the indirect boundary element method which uses influence functions, instead of Green's functions, as fundamental solutions. These influence functions are the response of an elastic half‐space to distributed, internally applied loads. The proposed method imposes full bonding contact between the foundation and the surrounding soil. Numerical results for displacement (vertical and horizontal) and rotation (twisting and rocking) impedances, showing the influence of the soil anisotropy, are presented. Results for the soil–structure interface tractions and for the displacement field throughout the half‐space are also shown. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rigid Foundations Resting on an Elastic Layered Soil

A rigid foundation of arbitrary shape resting on a stratified half space (soil), with specific geometrical and elastic properties for its horizontal layers, is examined under the action of a vertical load placed anywhere on the foundation area. On the basis of a purely analytical treatment of the deformability of the soil surface, i.e. without using a finite element discretization of the layered soil mass, a general method is developed in order to determine the contact soil pressures and the resulting settlements through an easily implemented numerical procedure. The possible presence of “inactive” foundation parts not being in contact with the soil surface is taken into account. Parametric studies are performed showing the influence of the variability of the soil layers, as well as of the vertical load location, on the contact pressures developed. In this context, for the cases of a rectangular and a circular foundation the area borders for the location of a vertical load are determined, either for the development of compressive soil pressures all over the footing (core), or for allowing the existence of some inactive part without contact with the soil (zero contact pressure), not exceeding the half of the total foundation surface (limit core).     

Elastostatic response of a pile embedded in a transversely isotropic half‐space under transverse loading

In the framework of elastostatics, a mathematical treatment is presented for the boundary value problem of the interaction of a flexible cylindrical pile embedded in a transversely isotropic half‐space under transverse loadings. Taking the pile region as a stiffened subdomain of an extended half‐space, the formulation of the interaction problem is reduced to a Fredholm integral equation of the second kind. The necessary set of Green's functions for the transversely isotropic half‐space is obtained by means of a method of potentials. The resulting Green's functions are incorporated into a numerical procedure for the solution of the integral equation. The theoretical response of the pile is presented in terms of bending moment, displacement and slope profiles for a variety of transversely isotropic materials so that the effect of different anisotropy parameters can be meaningfully discussed. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An indirect boundary integral equation method for poroelasticity

This paper presents an indirect boundary integral equation method for analysis of quasi-static, time-harmonic and transient boundary value problems related to infinite and semi-infinite poroelastic domains. The present analysis is based on Biot's theory for poroelastodynamics with fluid viscous dissipation. The solution to a given boundary value problem is reduced to the determination of intensities of forces and fluid sources applied on an auxiliary surface defined interior to the surface on which the boundary conditions are specified. A coupled set of integral equations is established to determine the intensities of forces and fluid sources applied on the auxiliary surface. The integral equations are solved numerically in the Laplace domain for quasi-static and transient problems, and in the frequency domain for time-harmonic excitations. The kernel functions of the integral equation correspond to appropriate Green's functions for a poroelastic full space or half-space. The convergence and numerical stability of the present scheme are established by considering a number of bench mark problems. The versatility of the present method is demonstrated by studying the quasi-static response of a rigid spheroidal anchor, and time-harmonic and transient response of a rigid semi-circular tunnel.     

A note on the consolidation settlement of a rigid circular foundation on a poroelastic halfspace

This paper uses Biot's poroelasticity approach to examine the consolidation behaviour of a rigid foundation with a frictionless base in contact with a poroelastic halfspace. The mathematical development of the mixed boundary value problem involves a set of dual integral equations in the Laplace transform domain which cannot be conveniently solved by employing conventional procedures. In this paper, a numerical solution is developed using a scheme where the contact normal stress is approximated by a discretized equivalent. The influence of limiting drainage boundary conditions at the entire surface of the halfspace on the degree of consolidation of the rigid circular foundation is investigated. The results obtained in this study are compared with the corresponding results given in the literature. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dynamic responses of unsaturated half‐space soil to a moving harmonic rectangular load

The problem of the dynamic responses of a semi‐infinite unsaturated poroelastic medium subjected to a moving rectangular load is investigated analytical/numerically. The dynamic governing equations are obtained with consideration of the compressibility of solid grain and pore fluid, inertial coupling, and viscous drag as well as capillary pressure in the unsaturated soil, and they can be easily degraded to the complete Biot's theory. Using the Fourier transform, the general solution for the equations is derived in the transformed domain, and then a corresponding boundary value problem is formulated. By introducing fast Fourier transform algorithm, the unsaturated soil vertical displacements, effective stresses, and pore pressures induced by moving load are computed, and some of the calculated results are compared with those for the degenerated solution of saturated soils and confirmed. The influences of the saturation, the load speed, and excitation frequency on the response of the unsaturated half‐space soil are investigated. The numerical results reveal that the effects of these parameters on the dynamic response of the unsaturated soil are significant.     

Scaled boundary finite‐element analysis of a non‐homogeneous axisymmetric domain subjected to general loading

The scaled boundary finite‐element method is derived for elastostatic problems involving an axisymmetric domain subjected to a general load, using a Fourier series to model the variation of displacement in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical co‐ordinate system. The method is particularly well suited to modelling unbounded problems, and the formulation allows a power‐law variation of Young's modulus with depth. The efficiency and accuracy of the method is demonstrated through a study showing the convergence of the computed solutions to analytical solutions for the vertical, horizontal, moment and torsion loading of a rigid circular footing on the surface of a homogeneous elastic half‐space. Computed solutions for the vertical and moment loading of a smooth rigid circular footing on a non‐homogeneous half‐space are compared to analytical ones, demonstrating the method's ability to accurately model a variation of Young's modulus with depth. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Torsional stiffness of non-uniform and hollow rigid piers embedded in isotropic elastic media

This paper examines the torsional response of a rigid pier type foundation, with a non-uniform or hollow cross-section which is embedded in bonded contact with a layered elastic half space. The tractions which act at the axisymmetric boundary surface between the pier and the surrounding elastic medium are represented by discretized regions of uniform traction. The compatibility of deformation at the boundary is used to determine the interface stress distribution. The torque-rotation response for the, rigid pier foundation is obtained for different choices of the pier geometry and shear modulus mistnatch between the layer and the underlying half space.     

Dynamic response of road pavement resting on a layered poroelastic half‐space to a moving traffic load

This paper is dedicated to study the dynamic response of a thin‐plate resting on a layered poroelastic half‐space under a moving traffic load. Based on the dynamic poroelastic theory of Biot, the general solutions of the homogeneous poroelastic foundation are obtained by Fourier translation. By using the transmission and reflection matrices method in the frequency domain, the equivalent stiffness of the layered poroelastic half‐space is presented. Kirchhoff's hypotheses are applied to obtain the vertical displacement of the thin plate. By using the inverse Fourier transform, the time domain solution is obtained. As an example of three layers, the influences of the load velocity, the material properties of poroelastic layers, and the flexural rigidity of the plate on the response of the pavement system are examined. Analyses show that a soft intermediate layer results in the significant increase of vertical displacement of road pavement. Comparison with the existing work validates the present model. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Vertical deformation of rigid foundations of arbitrary shape on layered soil media

A numerical procedure is described for the analysis of vertical deformation of smooth, rigid foundations of arbitrary shape on homogeneous and layered soil media. The contact area at the interface of the foundation and soil medium is approximated by square subdivisions. The response of the system is then obtained from the superposition of the influence of the individual subdivisions. The flexibility influence coefficients are based on equivalent smooth, rigid circular areas with the same contact area as the square subdivisions. For foundations on a homogeneous, isotropic elastic half-space, the flexibility coefficients are given analytically by the integrated forms of the Boussinesq's solution. For a layered soil medium, the flexibility coefficients are determined from an axisymmetric finite element analysis which is essentially two dimensional. Thus, there is no necessity for a full three-dimensional finite element analysis. Comparison with solutions obtained using the integral transform technique for smooth, rigid rectangular foundations on a homogeneous, isotropic elastic half-space shows good agreement. Parametric solutions are presented for the response of rectangular foundations on some ‘typical’ soil profiles. The use of a simplified method to estimate the settlement of rectangular foundations on a layered soil medium by superposing solutions for homogeneous, elastic strata is discussed.     

Rocking vibration of a rigid circular disc in a transversely isotropic full‐space

In this paper, forced rocking vibration of a rigid circular disc placed in a transversely isotropic full‐space, where the axis of material symmetry of the full‐space is normal to the surface of the plate, is analytically investigated. Because of using the Fourier series and Hankel integral transforms, the mixed boundary‐value problem is transformed into two separate pairs of integral equations called dual integral equations. The dual integral equations involved in this paper are reduced to Fredholm integral equations of the second kind. With the aid of contour integration, the governing integral equation is numerically evaluated in the general dynamic case. The reduced static case of the dual integral equations is solved analytically and the vertical displacement, the contact pressure and the static impedance/compliance function are explicitly determined, and it is shown that the pressure in between the plate and the full‐space and the compliance function reduced for isotropic half‐space are identical to the previously published solutions. The dynamic contact pressure in between the disc and the space and also the related impedance function are numerically evaluated in general dynamic case and illustrated. It is shown that the singularity exists in the contact pressure at the edge of the disc is the same as the static case. To show the effect of material anisotropy, the numerical evaluations are given for some different transversely isotropic materials and compared. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Reissner–Sagoci problem for a transversely isotropic half‐space

A transversely isotropic linear elastic half‐space, z?0, with the isotropy axis parallel to the z‐axis is considered. The purpose of the paper is to determine displacements and stresses fields in the interior of the half‐space when a rigid circular disk of radius a completely bonded to the surface of the half‐space is rotated through a constant angle θ₀. The region of the surface lying out with the circle r?a, is free from stresses. This problem is a type of Reissner–Sagoci mixed boundary value problems. Using cylindrical co‐ordinate system and applying Hankel integral transform in the radial direction, the problem may be changed to a system of dual integral equations. The solution of the dual integral equations is obtained by an approach analogous to Sneddon's (J. Appl. Phys. 1947; 18 :130–132), so that the circumferential displacement and stress fields inside the medium are obtained analytically. The same problem has already been approached by Hanson and Puja (J. Appl. Mech. 1997; 64 :692–694) by the use of integrating the point force potential functions. It is analytically proved that the present solution, although of a quite different form, is equivalent to that given by Hanson and Puja. To illustrate the solution, a few plots are provided. The displacements and the stresses in a soil deposit due to a rotationally symmetric force or boundary displacement may be obtained using the results of this paper. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A quasistatic analysis of a plate on consolidating layered soils by analytical layer‐element/finite element method coupling

In this paper, a coupling method between finite element and analytical layer‐elements is utilized to analyze the time‐dependent behavior of a plate of any shape and finite rigidity resting on layered saturated soils. Based on the integral transform techniques together with the aid of an order reduction method, an analytical layer‐element solution is derived from the governing equations for three‐dimensional Biot consolidation with respect to a Cartesian coordinate system and then extended to be the fundamental solution for the layered saturated soil under a point load. The Mindlin plate is modeled by eight‐noded isoparametric elements. The governing equations of the interaction between soil and plate in the Laplace‐Fourier transformed domain are deduced by referring to the coupling theory of FEM/BEM, and the final solution is obtained by applying numerical inversion. Numerical examples concerned with the time‐dependent response of a plate are performed to demonstrate the influence of soil and plate properties on the interaction process. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dynamic responses of a pile embedded in a layered poroelastic half‐space to harmonic lateral loads

A single pile embedded in a layered poroelastic half‐space subjected to a harmonic lateral load is investigated in this study. Based on Biot's theory, the frequency domain fundamental solution for a horizontal circular patch load applied in the layered poroelastic half‐space is derived via the transmission and reflection matrices method. Utilizing Muki and Sternberg's method, the second kind of Fredholm integral equation describing the dynamic interaction between the layered half‐space and the pile subjected to a top harmonic lateral load is constructed. The proposed methodology is validated by comparing results of this paper with some existing results. Numerical results show that for a two‐layered half‐space, the thickness of the upper softer layer has pronounced influences on the dynamic response of the pile and the half‐space. For a three‐layered half‐space, the presence of a softer middle layer in the layered half‐space will enhance the compliance for the pile significantly, while a stiffer middle layer will diminish the dynamic compliance of the pile considerably. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Source signature and elastic waves in a half‐space under a momentary shear line impulse

The transient deformation of an elastic half‐space under a line‐concentrated impulsive vector shear load applied momentarily is disclosed in this paper. While in an earlier work, the author gave an analytical–numerical method for the solution to this transient boundary‐value problem, here, the resultant response of the half‐space is presented and interpreted. In particular, a probe is set up for the kinematics of the source signature and wave fronts, both explicitly revealed in the strained half‐space by the solution method. The source signature is the imprint of the spatiotemporal configuration of the excitation source in the resultant response. Fourteen wave fronts exist behind the precursor shear wave S: four concentric cylindrical, eight plane, and two relativistic cylindrical initiated at propagating centres that are located on the stationary boundaries of the solution domain. A snapshot of the stressed half‐space reveals that none of the 14 wave fronts fully extend laterally. Instead, each is enclosed within point bounds. These wave arresting points and the two propagating centres of the relativistic waves constitute the source signature. The obtained 14 wave fronts are further combined into 11 disparate wave fronts that are grouped into four categories: an axis of symmetry wave—so named here by reason of being a wave front that is contiguous to the axis of symmetry, three body waves, five surface waves and two inhibitor waves—so named here by reason that beyond them the material motion dies out. Of the three body waves, the first is an unloading shear wave, the second is a diffracted wave and the third is a reflected longitudinal two‐branch wave. Of the two inhibitor waves, the first is a two‐joint relativistic wave, while the second is a two‐branch wave. The wave system, however, is not the same for all the dependent variables; a wave front that appears in the behaviour of one dependent variable may not exist in the behaviour of another. It is evident from this work that Saint–Venant's principle for wave propagation problems cannot be formulated. Therefore, the above results are valid for the particular proposed model for the momentary line‐concentrated shear load. The formulation of the source signature, the wave system, and their role in the half‐space transient deformation are presented here. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.