Simulating reactive soil and substructure interaction using a simplified hydro-mechanical finite element model dependent on soil saturation, suction and moisture-swelling relationship

Abstract

Lightweight structures are susceptible to damage caused by cyclic shrink-swell movements of clayey soils amounting to significant aggregated global financial loss for repair costs. Due to this issue, the main aim of this study is to develop an improved method for a deeper understanding of the soil-structure behaviour and for a more practical design process of substructures through a coupled hydro-mechanical finite element model. The developed model uses the relationship between the degree of saturation, soil suction and volumetric strain using a three-dimensional finite element approach. The developed model was validated using three case studies. The first case study verified its ability to ..