PLAXIS Expert Services: Update

Author: Ady Lehrer, Managing Director, Blank Lehrer

Plaxis was asked by Blank-Lehrer to be assisted with an advanced consulting project requiring the construction of a 3D pile raft foundation finite element model. In the framework of PLAXIS Expert Services, a successful modeling partnership has enabled Blank-Lehrer to quickly achieve a reliable design.

The project deals with the design of a piledraft foundation for a 300m high building. The project deals with the design of a piled-raft foundation for a 300m high building. The concrete raft is 3.5 meters thick and will be cast at a depth of 15 meters below soil level. The high rise building will be founded on a on the soil substratum which is made of two sand layers (from +4m to -12m and from -12m to -30m) with respectively Eoed = 60000 kPa and Eoed = 100000 kPa. In order to reduce settlements 20m long piles will be placed under the raft. Each individual pile is expected to have a skin friction of 100 kN/m2 and an end-bearing capacity of 4000 kN/m2. The aim of the project is to design the piles in such a way that: between 60% and 70% of the load will be carried by the piles, under ultimate limit state, the load on each pile is not greater than 80% of the ultimate pile bearing capacity.

Added-Value PLAXIS has been assigned for providing an optimized FE model that will be used by Blank-Lehrer for further parametrical studies (pile number, pile properties, pile location, ..). In this context, a FE model of pile raft foundation has been set-up using PLAXIS 3D Foundation program. The model has been set-up based on best FE practices (model size, geometrical modeling of constitutive members, material model) offering an optimized mesh (results accuracy and computational performance) and proper modeling of piles through embedded pile elements.

Customer Quote Our office uses the PLAXIS 2D and the FOUNDATION 3D softwares regularly. In spite of that, we have decided that in complex project such as the one we are facing, an expert advice should be used in the model assembly stage.The embedded piles dimensions were determined after testing the behavior of volume pilesThe Plaxis expert advice assisted in building a flexible model which enables to test the sensitivity of the solution to different engineering parameters (i.e. number of piles and soil characteristics).There is no doubt that the solution reached, following the expertise is the most economical one, Ady Lehrer, Managing Director

There is no doubt that the solution reached, following the expertise is the most economical one
A comprehensive memorandum has also been delivered highlighting all model assumptions and providing a clear description of defined calculation phases and main recommendations regarding further model changes to be done by the client along with result interpretation. Lastly, extensive user support has then be provided to Blank-Lehrer during their final design assessment with PLAXIS 3D Foundation. The Company Blank-Lehrer specializes in soil mechanics, foundation engineering and geotechnical risk management analysis. They provide geotechnical consulting services, including infrastructure investigation, geotechnical reviews, geophysical study coordination, foundation systems analysis, soil structure interaction analysis, geology services, construction guidelines and site supervision. BlankLehrer is one of the leaders in Israeli engineeringin these fields with more than thirty years experience in Israel and abroad.